Alexander Barck is a busy man, and his promotion schedule emanates an endearing German precision: we supposedly have 15 minutes to talk. However, it takes him a couple of minutes to come to the phone. And later in the conversation he breaks to converse with someone at Sonar Kollektiv headquarters. We end up with about eleven minutes in which to get the skinny on the Jazzanova tour in January. Luckily and unluckily, Clara Hill – fellow tour member and Kollektiv artist – is ill with a cold, so too unwell to chat. So at least we’re not talking 5 minutes each now… I can squeeze Alex for all the Jazz-chat he can muster!
For those who may not know, Jazzanova have been part of the Berlin based epicentre of nu jazz for the last 10 years or more. Labels like Compost and Sonar Kollektiv have played an instrumental role in profiling Latin, abstract hip hop, nujazz and jazz breaks, and Jazzanova’s releases and massive list of remixes have been front and centre in this movement of 21st century hepcats. Clara Hill has come to be known as a vocalist of note in the last 4 years or so, and her second full length release on Sonar Kollektiv was unleashed in November, 2006, featuring collaborations with At Jazz, Charles Webster, King Britt and many more. Alexander, representing the Jazzanova collective (which also incluces Claas Brieler, Jürgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering and Axel Reinemer) and Clara Hill are touring Australia this month to showcase Clara’s new album, ‘All That I Can Provide’, and the upcoming Jazzanova album to be released some time in 2007.
Pushed for time, I gave Alex the Toupee Ten Minute Intensive™ to tell us about the upcoming tour.
T: Tell us about the January tour in one minute or less!
A: It will be Clara and me. Jazzanova is now known as a DJ team only, and Clara is singing. The good thing is that we save travel costs and it is cheaper for audiences hopefully, but the bad thing is that you don’t get Clara’s live band, it will be more like a live PA, a showcase of her album. It’s actually preparation for a future live band appearance for our next Jazzanova album which comes out in 2007, and therefore we plan to have a live band presentation of it. Hopefully if the people want us they can afford us as well as a band when the album comes out – Australia is so far away, unfortunately it is always a money issue.
T: So Jazzanova isn’t a live act? How long has that been the case?
A: We have never played live. People think we are a live band, and there are people saying “I saw them live”, I can tell you we never did! When we started we were DJs. None of us is a musician, Jazzanova music is just sampling and programming, more like a technical view. But now we have developed so we could play live as a band. We’ve decided to do it for the next album. But until now, it has been the DJ thing. For the band, I probably will be on some effects and percussion. The band will be very good when it comes. The DJing this tour will be good too, in fact it will be even better because I know how to do that better!
T: And how does Clara Hill fit into your performance?
A: Clara’s showcase is integrated into what I do. I will probably start to play some music to get people set up, then she will do her thing. Clara sings on top of her backing tracks, my thing is that I play what I like, what fits to the place. Clara’s performance – if the people like it we can stretch it for two hours, but normally 40 minutes to one hour is what she does. The music she will perform is music from her first album, her new album and some collaborations. Her new album is called ‘All I Can Provide’, it is really self-made. All the collaborations she organised herself and contacted the people she wanted to work with and wrote all the songs. I think it is a very good album, better than the first album. The first was musically on a high level but there was no Clara left, this second album she grew with. I really like it. It’s an album for girls, for women, as she is describing her experiences with men. Men will like the music, maybe women will like the lyrics (laughs). It is out in Australia now, but I will bring some with me and at each gig, if you make a sign asking for a copy, I will give you one for free. You can print that!
T: Will you be showcasing new tracks from the upcoming Jazzanova album? What else will you play?
A: Of course I will test some new music forthcoming from our album, and other than that it’s mostly related music to our label which will come out in the future, or new mixes of old stuff. It’s mostly our music and friends. Also there are some special records which are always in the box, some records I can’t leave at home. Like some Osunlade productions I really like, then the Innervisions label and some old music – some jazz, some Latin, boogie and disco. There are records which are always very important to have with me – when I see the covers I feel better. I have one record from a band called Codek, from 1982. This is a very hard record to get – on eBay it is always 300 Euros. I bring it to make me feel good, I have it! I am putting it out right now on a compilation CD, and then I don’t have to bring the original anymore.
T: Will you be bringing all vinyl, then, or some CDs? A computer?
A: I am a bit of an audiophile and I think vinyl sounds better. The whole new mastering is just about loudness and not about sound. I play half vinyl, half CD these days, though. It’s good for my back because I have to carry the whole thing! I remember back in the day travelling with 2 DJ boxes! Some people just bring the computer which is even lighter, but it is not so trustworthy. Some people have problems with breakdowns, that’s not my thing. I need something in my hand to work with, that’s old skool I know, but I’m old skool.
T: This is your first visit to Australia, isn’t it?
A: It’s my first time in Australia, Jurgen (von Knoblauch) played several times, but this is my first time. I had a period where I didn’t do tours because my kids were so small, I didn’t want to go on long trips and I was more or less at home, [so] Jurgen did the big things. Now that my children are older, I can go. I’m looking forward to it, to the sun. I’m looking forward to the beaches. It’s very cold over here.
Alexander Barck of Jazzanova tours Australia this month, performaing with Clara Hill.
Fri 19 Jan – Melbourne at Miss Libertine w/ Clara Hill, DJ Fitchie, Kano, JPS & Ooh-ee
Sat 20 Jan – Sydney at Beck’s Festival Bar w/ Clara Hill, DJ Fitchie, Jamie Lloyd & The Resurrectors
Thu 25 Jan – Brisbane at Alhambra w/ Clara Hill, Nathan McLay & locals
Fri 26 Jan – Perth at The Bakery
