EFG London Jazz Festival: Interview with Sam Crockatt
Pianist Sam Leak interviews saxophonist Sam Crockatt ahead of his EFG London Jazz Festival concert, at Greenwich’s ‘Oliver’s Jazz Bar,’ on Wednesday 20th November.
SL: Can you tell us a bit about your London Jazz Festival gig this year?
SC: I’m very much looking forward this gig! The first set will be trio with Dave Smith (Robert Plant, Cloudmakers) on drums and Riaan Vosloo on bass. I moved down to the West Country eight years ago and have been really lucky to find such great musicians to play with! The music will be a bit of a mixture — a few originals, some arrangements of folk tunes and a couple from the jazz canon. In the second set in really excited that you (Sam Leak!) will be joining us. We’ll play some more of my tunes and arrangements and see where it takes us!
SL: I’d like to quiz you on some of your compositions, which I love. Let’s start with ‘Canon,’ from your album Mell’s Bells.
This is an interesting composition bookended by a canon in an E dorian tonality. What inspired you to compose a canon? Do you compose, or have you ever composed, classical music? Are there other examples of canons in the ‘jazz canon’ which have inspired you?
SC: This didn’t start out life as a canon. I found that line and liked the sound of it so decided to try and build something out of it. I’m always interested in finding the most I can out of one idea — I remember Peter Churchill talking about that in my composition classes — so I looked at different ways of using it. I recorded myself playing it and tried some different ideas like using it as a baseline and realised it worked well in canon. I kept going round trying starting the 2nd time in different places till I found the best, then played that over the recording whilst my wife played the 3rd part over the top till we found the best sound. I decided that the drums could join in the same place as as a 4th part.
SL: The saxophone, piano, and bass each seem to enter when the previous instrument hits the C# in the melody. From then on in it seems to free up a bit. The canon at the end is similarly loose. What was the instruction for the band at this point?
SC: One of my favourite sounds is a big, diatonic swirl! It seemed like a nice idea that once the canon was established that we break it apart and free up over that basic sound. Similarly at the very end we go back to the original canon — this time starting big and gradually break it down to a single line so it mirrors the start.
SL: Once the canon comes to a close, you use the theme (now in Eb dorian) as the basis for a melody in a fast loose 8s feel tune, that reminds me stylistically of some of the music on Kenny Wheeler’s ‘Gnu High.’ What were your compositional influences for this section?
SC: I guess Kenny wheeler was an influence in the way of transposing a melody over different changes. I was just trying to keep stretching the idea out! I tried that idea over a lot of different chords till I found what I thought sounded best. After I have the basic outline of a tune I ‘listen’ to it over and over in my head, trying to find the shape and ideas for different textures.
SL: Your improvising on this recording is very melodic, with a series of strong impassioned statements, fired on by the rhythm section. What is running through your mind when you’re improvising on a tune like this?
SC: Thanks! I try to play melodically and play off the rhythm section as much as possible. For me it’s about sound and trying to find interesting textures.
SL: Let’s now have a look at ‘A Stroll on the Knoll,’ which is also from ‘Mell’s Bells.’ This is a very catchy tune! It reminds me stylistically of Dewey Redman, and of ‘Old and New Dreams.’ What were your compositional influences for this one?
SC: I was practising and found the original theme so recorded myself playing it and moving it around, with an improvised second section. It came out sounding nice so I transcribed it worked out what I’d done. After that I added the drum solo section. I often find that tunes or fragments of tunes come from playing freely whilst I’m practising. If I find something I like I record it on my phone and come back to it at some point. I have loads of them! Sometimes I trawl back and find little ideas from years ago and try to fashion them into something.
SL: There isn’t a piano on this album track. What prompted this choice?
SC: I love the trio format and always include a tune on my albums. This one seemed a good tune for trio — it has that dark sound that fits a harmony-less vibe. I have always enjoyed listening to the trio recordings of Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson in particular.
SL: The improvising sounds quite heavily pentatonic to me, perhaps with hints of later Coltrane. Can you remember what inspired your improvisational approach on this?
SC: I guess the tune has a minor pentatonic sound and the blowing is a continuation of that, with a few ‘out’ moments. I am a big fan of Coltrane and especially on an open minor tune it’s hard for that not to come through!
SL: Are you checking out any other music in the London Jazz Festival this year? What would you recommend people go and see?
As I don’t live in London any more I won’t be around for most of it. I’d love to see all of the gigs at Oliver’s! I think I’d especially like to see my old friend and ridiculous vibes player Jim Hart playing with James Maddren’s quartet on Tuesday the 19th- all amazing musicians!
Sam Crockatt plays at Olivers Jazz Bar, as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, on Wednesday 20th November. You can buy tickets here: http://bit.ly/LJF-samcrockatt
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