Potential Interview Sequence
8 - 8:11 - Concert In the Garden
8:12 - 8:40 - Interview (See Notes below for various directions, not in any order, for the Interview)
8:40 - 9:00 - Buleria, Solea, y Rumba
Classical versus Jazz. Does she see a difference in her writing?
Large Emsemble, Orchestral, writing in a classical versus a Jazz vein. Are there some boundaries that separate the two? Does she fell like she's in one camp over the other?
Ingrid Jensen: When they come in for recording, it seems like they haven't heard all of this with the entire band before. So they are getting used to hearing the other stuff, which both helps (to give context) and can be a distraction.
These are such large and complex pieces. Does she see them in their entirety or is it more little parts that she is connecting to make the whole?
Concert in the Garden
Accordian opening and melody section, then doubling with Luciana Sousa.
7:17 remaining. The sound of the horns coming in very much like the sound of a fully corded accoridian. Is this true? Which came first, the accordian (which came to the piece later, I think) or that horn section part?
7:50 or so, the piano comes in playing single notes, which the accordian does so also, with just a hint of accordian chording, before the band comes back in with very accordian sounding seciton.
6:30: Guitar section starts.
What guidance are the soloists given for where they are supposed to go with their section? Like this solo where the band drops out completely. What are you trying to get there? In this case it seems like a transition...and there's piano and accordian again coming out of it...transition.
5:30 - 2:30 Piano / Accordian
Are these parts where there is interaction between these two written out? To what extent? Very Jazzy...trading "fours"...
2:30 Accordian and Luciana and band
Variations on the same melody line, all together.
Use of Luciana Sousa and voice on the disc.
Is the use of voice something new for Maria? How is this evolving for her?
It seems like the voice is used differently on Concert in the Garden (coloration, doubling with accordian) than in Three Romances (more up front, at least to start). Is there a difference she is geting at?
Play two different parts.
Three Romances - Part 1 - Choro Dancado
Start to 7:16: Vocal stating melody and rhythm, then going under the sax, then lots of different statements of these with different and more instruments.
7:15 - 4:08 : then to saxophone solo. How does this solo fit in with the progression of the piece? Is there supposed to be a progression?
The understated accompaniment during the first part of the solo adds to the exotic, foreign, wide-open feel. Also the sound..slight echo or hollow feel to the sound of the sax. Is there any 'doctoring' of the sound after the recording to get that sound or is it miced and recorded that way?
4:08 : Piano soloing on top of building orch.
Also, with the voice coming back in, it reminds some of the start. Except it seems like it's not as crisply defined, more flowing or loose?
2:10: Saxophone seeming to lead the full orchestra.
1:15: The ensemble back with vocal on an even more 'crisp' playing of the melody or first theme.
And the part ends, with no transition between 1 and 2 (or an obvious to me one). Which is different than between 2 and 3 where there is a definite transition. Any reason for this in particular?
Three Romances - Part 2 - Pas de Deux
Dictionary (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=pas%20de%20deux): A dance for two. What are the two in this? Seems like it might be the trumpet and the sax at first, but the band hardly lays out.
This is a very different piece than the other two in the suite, just more understated or unadorned. The melody is my favorite of the three. I love the lilting section at the end...perfect for the transition to Part 3.
Three Romances - Part 3 - Danco ilusoria
The Transition between Pas De Deux and Danca Illusoria by Frank Kimbrough.
Play from about 40 seconds left in Part 2 through about 1 minute or so into Part 3
Frank Kimbrough again at about 6:40 left in Part 3, through
First soloing over orch, then almost in a swinging section., then back over the orch. Through 3:50 left Part 3, where gives way to Trombone.
Trombone at 3:50. Solo. blending into major ensemble parts.
Transitions.
The role of Dance in your music.
Where does this come from?
How is it evolving?
Research
Jazz Times - Maria Schneider to Release New CD Via Web
Maria on artistShare: " ³The whole business is rapidly changing,² Schneider said. ³I am hoping to pave a better way for future artists. This is a way that benefits both the artist and the fan. It¹s win/win.²
How does this benefit the artist? The fan?
The Village Voice - Francis Davis - Dancing In Her Head
"As a non-performer, she can't try out ideas on jobs with small groups"
In one of your artistShare news postings, you related stories of being nervous when your new work is played the first time. How do you hear this music before it's played that first time, or is the large orchestra the first place you actually hear what you've written? Have you considered other means, like computers playing the score?
Comparison to Ellington: "...she's no less forcefully there in her music than he was, even though not one note issues directly from her."
Although it seems your composing voice is very unique, are there things from Ellington that listeners might necessarily hear in your music?
"Given Schneider's tinkering with such dance forms as choro and flamencoãalong with an "imaginary foxtrot" more evocative of Brazil than of Fred and Gingerãit's tempting to describe this as her Latin album. But Schneider's harmonic textures and rhythmic motifs suggest Evans's Sketches of Spain, Mingus's Tijuana Moods, and portions of his Black Saint and the Sinner Lady rather than anything by Eddie Palmieri or Chucho Valdés.
You seem to have had a focus on latin-based rhythm forms since you last disc, is this true and how did this start? Are there other areas in this direction you would like to explore?
Portland Phoenix - Jon Garelick - Maria's Good News
On the release of the album via artistShare: " "The old business model was set up by the record companies, not the artists," Schneider tells me. "I¹m modeling the way I do my business now."
Can she explain this 'business model'? Is it different from her 'creative model'?
"The limited-edition run, she says, was planned as a kind of incentive to potential buyers, though she now has some regrets that more weren¹t manufactured. Still, the album will remain on-line as a download, with downloadable artwork also available. "Personally, that¹s what I would do. The first place I look for something is on i-Tunes, and I put it on my i-Pod. I almost never walk in a record store any more.""
What about the fact that iTunes is still somewhat just a clearinghouse for Major Label work and there's not a lot of independant Jazz on there? (No MS on iTunes) There still seems to be an impediment to getting music into those main purchasing streams.
"In Schneider¹s compositions, solos emerge organically from her long forms, and as in the best jazz writing, it¹s sometimes difficult to tell where the writing ends and the improvisations begin."
"Jazz composers who have attempted longer forms ã Ellington, Mingus, and Brookmeyer among them ã face the challenge of integrating solo improvisers. Unconcerned with sounding "jazz" enough, Schneider is content to develop an orchestral structure for several minutes before the entrance of a solo improvisation. "Bob was such a great teacher because he would always ask me the question åWhy?¹ I would bring in music, and he would say, åWhy is there a solo here?¹ And I would say, åI don¹t know.¹ And he would say, åMaria, there should only be a solo when the only thing that can happen is a solo.¹[sgl dagger]"
Use this to explain some of the solo parts in the pieces.
"there¹s another determining factor in a piece¹s length. "People commission pieces of a certain length. They pay you by the minute, basically," she says, laughing. Then, turning serious, she adds, "Once I know what that length is, then it¹s like, åOkay, I have a frame here, and I¹m going to create this piece.¹ It¹s not like, åOh God, I¹ve got to fill 18 minutes.¹ You have in your head that you¹re doing a mural as opposed to a little tiny piece, a little thing in a small frame."
What are the other things that get conveyed to the artist with a commission? Are there specific things the piece is supposed to accomplish for the 'commissioner'?
AllAboutJazz.com - DanMcClenaghan - Concert In The Garden
"With classical music, it's all about the composer; with jazz, its more about the instrumentalists. There's just too much personality in every solo here to think they are completely scripted; but then they all fit so seamlessly into the greater whole it's hard to believe it's total improvisation."
But to me, this music is very Maria Schneider, which seems to fit this definition of classical. Any comments on this?
"I hesitate to single anyone out on such a collective effort, but Kimbrough is a major factor in the success here. I've listened to his sound on Ben Allison's discsãeg. Buzz (Palmetto, '04)ãand thought him a real talent, but his work here is truly inspired, with transcendent ideas flowing from his keyboard on three separate solo slots; and you've got to think that the dancer in Maria Schneider is taking him by the hand and leading him onto different level of musicality."
Use this in conjunction with the excerpt of the transition from Part 2 to 3.
Are there other artists in this that showed something new in this, from her standpoint? People she may want to use again in this certain way?
Ex Cathedra - The Ear: Concert In The Garden
Maria blogged.
Other:
Classical versus Jazz. Does she see a difference in her writing
Large Emsemble, Orchestral, writing in a classical versus a Jazz vein. Are there some boundaries that separate the two? Does she fell like she's in one camp over the other?
Ingrid Jensen: When they come in for recording, it seems like they haven't heard all of this with the entire band before. So they are getting used to hearing the other stuff, which both helps (to give context) and can be a distraction.
These are such large and complex pieces. Does she see them in their entirety or is it more little parts that she is connecting to make the whole?
Collaboration with Phish.
What's next?
How did she come to this focus on writing large ensemble pieces as opposed to smaller tunes or playing?
How did Jazz and improvisation become a focus as opposed to a more 'classical' route?
What part did formal education play in her development?
While the process of preparing for recording seems to be an all encompassing occupation, what does she do when she's not in that mode? What is a 'normal' day like?
She's a birder. How did she get into that?
The 'work' of being an orchestra leader. How does all of the mind-time spent with the details of coordinating an orchestra affect her creative process? Does it maybe serve as a form of distraction to give her some perspective on the work?
artistShare
VO
For a music fan, interested in the process, the insights in the News sections where the most interesting. The 'what goes on in the normal course of the day' in making music.
There needs to be easier way for feedback and response to the postings.
Would more real-time feedback be a distraction or something else? Has she thought at all about how this might impact the creative process? It seems the focus right now is on a new distribution model, albeit for expanded 'content', as opposed to a newly interactive creative process.
There also seems to be lacking of a way to view all of this chronologically together...to get a pictures of the process as opposed to the pieces of the process.
Also, the cross linking between the different types of media should be easier to get to. For instance, when writing about a piece, there should be a link to the score or recording studio layout right there for clicking and viewing.
