Katzen Kapell interview 2004
Agarta - The Prog music dimension
by Ruggero Formenti
Q: We have the opportunity to speak with this scandinavian band, surely one of the most original of the last years.
Could you please tell us a brief history of Katzen Kapell (the influences, the beginning, how did the musicians meet, the common musical ideas?
Catharina/Magnus:
The members of the very first version of the group Katzen Kapell studied jazzmusic together for a few years in the south of Sweden.This was between 1982-85.Back in Stockholm we played with drummer Lasse Lundbom and formed the group in 1986.
Guitarist Luciano Scalercio(now Lutte Berg) left the band to move to Italy after a year.
In 1990-91 , the group extended to six members with violinplayer Eva Lindal and percussionist Kjell Nordeson. Bassist Peter Adolfsson quit 2002 and was replaced by Gustaf Hielm (from Meshuggah). In the beginning, the sound was a mixture of different influences from the composers:
A. Circusmusic and Piazolla-inspired tango-(Catharina Backman).
B. Frank Zappa, Nino Rota and Stravinsky -(Magnus Andersson).
C. Peter Adolfsson´s interest in flamenco,tango and filmmusic.
D. Also,we often wanted to add some bizarre humor to the music.
Lasse Lundbom contributed with his extended rock/punk/funk drumming combined with classical percussion and have now started to write material for the group.
Eva Lindal added her virtuosity from her work in the classical and contemporary music scene. Her improvisations on the violin is intense and innovative in the aspect of sound.
Kjell Nordeson is a skillful improviser on his main instrument in Katzen Kapell: the vibraphone. As a percussionist he often uses instruments like finger cymbals or guiro which give the music an oriental or latin american touch.
Q: I think that your music could be described as a strange mix of folk, rock,chamber music, jazz, tango, and progressive (a la Samla Mammas Manna and Zappa);do you agree with this (obviously simplified) definition?
Gustav:
Yes, of course there are traces of other kinds of music as well but those are the more obvious ones.
Catharina:
I agree and want to add oriental and rock influences as well.
Eva:
I agree, I really find that KK:s music is a beautiful mix of Argentinian tango, Zappa, jazz,"classical chamber music" and improvisation.
Q: Which aspect of your music do you think are really innovative elements? and which ones are taken from the tradition or comparable to other artists works?
Gustav:
I don't know about "innovative or not" really, but the fact that regardless of what kind of music we draw inspiration from it still sounds like Katzen kapell and not a showcase of different styles is in my opinion one of our greatest fortes.
Eva:
What I think is innovative are the compositions themselves; music from three different band-members, strong and very personal.Three different temperaments. Sometimes I hear some Piazzolla or Zappa in the music, but still, it`s not......
Catharina:
It´s hard to point out one single element.What I think is special for Katzen Kapell is the way we work as a group with the musical material.It is often very structured and well notated by the composer.But there is an improvised part in almost all songs.We try to eliminate the difference between the written and the improvised.When everyone in the group knows the material well,we play around quite freely with all the musical components. The result is a music formed not only by the composer but by the entire group.The innovative elements (if there are any) are products of that way of working.
Magnus:
We have one uniqe thing and that´s Catharina Backman herself. Her solos on the accordeon,her compositions,her lyrics,her singing with the accordeon is 100% personal.Also ,the sound of a melody played by Eva and Catharina in unison!They create a new instrument.
Q: Do you think that today it's still possible to do something new in the musical scene?
Gustav:
Absolutely. Contrary to popular belief it wasn't any easier to create something new before. New music is music never heard. There's a lot of music left never heard.
Eva:
Absolutely
Catharina:
It is always possible.
Magnus:
We´ve been doing it for the last 15 years,but no one knows about it. I think it´s a question of combinations and visions. You can still make a scandal if you play a certain music in a wrong room.Or if you are lucky, you can make billions of dollars, like Andre 3000, sing greasy lovesongs in combination with Coltrane, and do it as a hiphop artist.That is not expected and I think it´s great.
Q:Which kind of public do you think you could reach with your music?
Gustav:
Everybody with an open mind. What has surprised me is that a lot of people with little or no exposure of music outside the top40 finds it very accesible.
Catharina:
The music works quite well to all kinds of audiences.Our problem is that the musical scene in Sweden is small and very dependent of genre.The jazz clubs claim that Katzen Kapell is not jazz.World music scenes say that it´s not folk music and so on. But performing in front of an audience works always great either it is in a rock festival or a jazz club.
Magnus:
Everybody that likes music. Our concerts is very visual with a lot of instruments on stage and we´re all dressed up like we´re playing in a nightclub in Las Vegas. Catharina often introduces the songs with crazy stories so that the audience can get a picture of what the song could be about.When we play, people laugh and sometimes they cry. Our dream is to tour in Europe and Japan, but we don´t have any manager!
Q:What do you think about the current musical scene? Which artists do you prefer?
Gustav:
We live in such a golden age of music. As long as you ignore the music industry mainstream and are willing to look elsewhere I can't think of a better time for music enthusiasts than now.
Eva:
At the moment I actually listen to mostly baroque, jazz and improvised music.The artists I like just now are Stefano Scoda- nibbio when he plays his own solopieces for doublebass; that`s just like improvised music.To get fire and power into my making music on the violin I listen to Cecilia Bartoli singing baroque music. Also, I listen a lot to Per-Henrik Wallin, the swedish jazzpianist.
Catharina:
I prefer live acts to recorded music.The last thing that really touched me was a performance by Zingaro,cirque d’équestre in Paris.It was not even focused on the music.The show was called Loungta,cheveaux de vent.The orchestra consisted of ten monks from Dalai Lamas monastery in Tibet singing,blowing in horns and playing percussion!Before that I enjoyed mandoline players Mike Marshall and Chris Thile playing “newgrass” in Boulder,USA.Equilibristic and beautiful.
Magnus:
I´m not really familiar with the current scene.I have no idea what is happening in the “progressive” scene.But it seems that world music continues to grow.I like rumanian cimbalon, Mali singer Dimi Mint Abba and Kora player Diabate.In the popular field I like Outkast,Ben Folds and D´Angelo.The voice of Mary J. Blige is fantastic but the production is dead and so is MTV. Nothing seems to happen in the jazz world.Maybe some musicians use samplers and drum machines….I´m waiting for the next revolution. For the last 2 months I´ve been listening to Hermeto Pascoal. He´s a true genius. When you´re into him everything else sound boring and pretentious.In the classical field I enjoy John Adams and Arvo Pärt.I have my listening periods.Sometimes it´s only Miles.
Q:What about the future (Katzen Kapell projects, solo projects.)?
Eva:
We have to do a new CD, there are so many new tunes to record. Before that we should play more often; festivals, touring. Europe.
Catharina:
Katzen Kapell wants to play outside Sweden in clubs and festivals all around Europe.There are plans for a third CD which I think can be released during 2005. We are about to be involved in a film project writing music for the screen for the first time as a group. As a solo project I am looking forward to compose my third opera.To stretch out in time and space with a large symphony orchestra,mixed choir,soloists and dancers.I am just waiting for a comission…
Magnus:
We have to do more concerts to try out the new compositions. Then,maybe after a year we can record them. I don´t know if we´re going in to the studio or record live. Maybe we start our own record label. We are about to update our website and keep it updated. For myself,I want to write some stuff for orchestra.I´ve done some filmscores and hoping to get a comission for a feature film this year.Anyhow,I will work on a documentary on Einstein.
Q: Do you want to add something?
Catharina:
The new way of downloading music from the internet instead of buying expensive CD:s will increase the need of live performances on stage and on DVD.The visual live act is important again,That is good for Katzen Kapell!
Thank you very much for your kindness.
Katzen kapell:
Thank you. Our pleasure.