INDIE LIFE

Barrett Martin’s recent creative endeavors include a book and a related .

Drummer’s DIY Journey Continues to EVolve

any musicians who thrived during known in the rock world for his drumming taught music and theory classes at Antioch Mthe alternative-rock gold rush of on the last two studio by Screaming University . In addition to writing a the have, by now, hopped Trees and post- supergroup Mad blog for The Huffington Post, he has penned onto the nostalgia circuit to cash in on their Season, the 52-year-old has spent the major- two books—The Singing Earth: Adventures past glories. Others, however, have sought out ity of his life traveling the world, seeking from a World of Music (2017) and the recently new lands and new interests. Henry Bogdan, enlightenment and new musical terrain to released The Way of the Zen Cowboy: Fireside former bassist for neo-metal quartet Helmet, cultivate. Those journeys have included gov- Stories from a Globetrotting Rhythmatist. has carved out a comfortable niche as a gui- ernment-sponsored jaunts to Cuba, explora- (The latter book includes a free download of tarist for traditional Hawaiian music ensem- tions of the Peruvian rainforest and record- the Barrett Martin Group’s new album, Songs bles and old-time groups. And John ings with Brazilian singer and Of The Firebird.) Martin has filtered his ongo- Frusciante, ex-guitarist for Red Hot Chili with tribes in the Arctic National Wildlife ing interest in ethnomusicology, his own per- Peppers, now tests the outer limits of elec- Refuge in Alaska. sonal studies and his many stories from the tronic music as a solo artist. Martin’s travels and studies have led to field into smart, edifying prose meant to Few, though, have ventured as far, physi- two professional titles on his resume: educa- open up fellow curiosity-seekers to the possi- cally and musically, as Barrett Martin. Best tor and author. For the past seven years, he’s bilities of sound and culture.

46 DOWNBEAT SEPTEMBER 2019 “At the end of the day, it’s just one person cized post-rock tune “Requiem,” features an telling a story to other people,” Martin electric guitar line played by ’s said during a phone call from his home in and a steady acoustic strum from Port Townsend, Washington, situated on R.E.M. guitarist , with whom the Olympic Peninsula just west of Seattle. Martin has collaborated in the band Tuatara. “Music’s the same thing. I studied a lot of Also joining the festivities is jazz key- linguistics, because within music is a lan- boardist Wayne Horvitz, who adds squelch- guage. And what a lot of people don’t realize ing solos to two Firebird tracks. (Horvitz is that music itself is a language. We hear it and Buck also played on the Barrett Martin in European classical music and we hear it in Group’s 2018 album, Transcendence.) jazz. There’s a lot of very old, world instru- “Barrett fits in this tradition of artists mental music and it’s all a form of dialogue. who were well known in the rock scene and It’s a form of communication.” who have gone on to do great things and been The most direct route into what Martin really supportive figures,” said Horvitz, one seeks to express is through any of the seven of the founders of the jazz-centric Seattle studio albums he’s written and recorded with music venue the Royal Room. “So many his namesake ensemble. The free-flowing [musicians from] other cities with a scene band is a perfect outlet for its leader’s grow- like they had in the ’90s would have taken off ing interests, eschewing the heavy attack to New York or L.A. [But] all the big bands of former projects—such as the Screaming from the Seattle scene have stayed true to Trees and his early ’90s stint in the noise-rock Seattle and invested in it. I see this project as band —and focusing instead on being part of that vibe.” club-ready rhythms, jazz fusion and fearless Nowadays, Martin is fully committed to a world-beat jams. Sonically, things get partic- DIY approach. His albums and books are ularly interesting when Martin and his cohort released through his imprints, Sunyata start blending those genres together, creating Records and Sunyata Books. For the Barrett a vibe that works like small electrodes firing Martin Group albums, he handles every- into joints and muscles. Listeners can’t help thing: paying for studio time and paying his but move to them. musicians, as well as designing the packaging The Barrett Martin Group has honed that and filling orders for distribution. He does aesthetic on the ambitious Songs Of The the same for his books, overseeing the design Firebird, a double album with 20 tracks that and printing, and then distributing the titles were crafted to reflect some of the themes of via companies like Amazon and Barnes & The Way of the Zen Cowboy. Noble, or even shipping out copies himself. “At the same time as I was developing Martin’s need to control the means of these songs,” Martin recalled, “I was also production is, in part, a result of his uneasy writing these stories. I realized that they’re experiences working with record labels as a coming from the same being, and they’re member of , Mad Season really two sides of the same coin: a body and Tuatara. of music and a body of stories. [The music] “The Trees toured all over the world and sounded like a soundtrack to the stories, and didn’t make any money,” Martin said. “Then the stories gave me inspiration to come up Tuatara did our first record [1997’s Breaking with the song titles. As I was completing the The Ethers], and the president of Epic at the two, I would embed the song titles within the time loved it. That president got immediate- story as little secret clues.” ly fired and Tuatara got dropped in 1998. We While the two releases complement each were just abandoned. So, I thought, ‘All right, other well, the book and the album each can I’m going to start my own label.’” stand on their own as accomplished works In the years since that decision, Martin of art. Firebird, especially, feels like a per- has endured some bumps in the road—like fectly singular statement, driven by Martin’s losing all of his physical product held by a fluid, splashy playing—augmented through- distributor in the early ’00s. But today, his out by percussionists Lisette Garcia and small machine runs smoothly with the help Thione Diop—and a compositional style that of a dedicated group of folks who handle the flows between genres with ease. The versa- business activities that he doesn’t do himself, tile, 10-member ensemble can mesh the jerk- such as publicity and radio promotion. ing beats of drum ’n’ bass with post-bop horn “They’re all old-school professionals who figures or generate a Steve Reich-like pat- have adapted to the new business models tern played on marimba and kalimba to fuel and refined their approach,” Martin said of a gentle samba. his business collaborators. “We’re all these Firebird also stands out because Martin old veterans who keep going because we love recruited a few high-profile guests who hap- music. I mean, some part of us must love the pen to be his pals from the Northwest music music business or we wouldn’t keep doing it.” scene. One memorable track, the psychedeli- —Robert Ham

SEPTEMBER 2019 DOWNBEAT 47 INDIE LIFE CÉLINE RUDOLPH

Loueke wrote in an email while on tour in Europe. “We are connected when we play, and our vision of music is very similar.”

JOACHIM GERN That vision is, in a word, global—and according to Rudolph, this global vision is not one that many recording companies share. “I started the label to be independent and to make my music heard internationally,” she said. “A lot of labels—especially European labels— don’t think that way. So, you can record a lot of albums and stay in your country, but it’s hard to get heard outside of that. This is a step toward promoting [my music] outside of Germany— in other European countries and in the U.S.—I have this freedom now.” It’s hard to doubt Rudolph’s expertise in the matter, given her years of experience working with some of Europe’s best labels. She released Salvador—in both French and German versions—in 2011 on Verve/ Universal Music; Metamorflores in 2009 and Brazaventure in 2007 on Enja Records; and Book Of Travels in 1996 and Paintings in 1994 on Nabel Records. And on the Swiss imprint Céline Rudolph, shown here with collaborator Lionel Loueke, ZeroZero, she released Berlin, 1999 and says her upbringing readied her to embrace a global vision of music. Segredo, both in 1999. Loueke concurs with Rudolph’s assessment A Passion for of the challenges that polyglot, polymath musi- cians face in their efforts to reach an interna- tional audience. “The major labels are in cri- Borderless Music sis these days, as we all know,” he asserted. “I truly believe that it’s time for us musicians to erlin-based singer-songwriter Céline Brooklyn with an impressive assemblage of own our music, and I think that Céline is doing BRudolph grew up immersed in mul- protean musicians—guitarist/singer Lionel the right things for her career. She’s a positive ticulturalism, surrounded by differ- Loueke, pianist Leo Genovese, bass clari- voice in the music community, and she is mak- ent languages, the grooves of several conti- netist John Ellis, bassist Burniss Travis and ing a great impact as a singer and independent nents and the tones of various instruments. Her producer/drummer Jamire Williams—these label owner.” mother taught her French and introduced her individualistic compositions don’t land eas- With label ownership comes new responsi- to the melodic richness of chanson. Her father ily in any one bucket. bilities, however, especially regarding inter- taught her German and presented Rudolph Rudolph, however, is clear about what national promotion. Last year, Rudolph and with the compelling grooves of African drum- defines her sound. “My main approach to music Loueke toured seven West African coun- ming and the soft sweetness of Brazilian vocal is through jazz—always from the point of view tries with Obsession on behalf of the Goethe- jazz. And later, at Berlin University of the Arts, of a jazz musician,” she said. “So, in my music, Institut—Rudolph would like to devise a sim- she studied jazz under the tutelage of several the cultures blend and meld together, and the ilar jaunt to promote Pearls throughout the prominent American instrumentalists: vibra- music doesn’t fall apart. [Instead], the different United States. phonist David Friedman, drummer Jerry genres are very inspiring to me and lead me to “I’ve started touring the album in Europe Granelli and pianist Kirk Nurock. new horizons.” already, and I’m looking for partners in the “It’s a gift being raised with two languages, One of these new horizons was the 2017 for- States because I know it’s going to be really dif- because then your ear is very open to all differ- mation of the Obsessions label, undertak- ficult to organize a [U.S. tour] from here,” she ent sounds,” Rudolph said in a recent phone en in large part to self-release a duo album said. “My wish would be to find a partner who call to discuss her latest release, Pearls, newly of the same name, recorded with likemind- could [sponsor] the band, maybe with some of launched on her own label, Obsessions. “The ed musician Loueke. Born in Benin, trained at the original lineup.” ear is my tool—everything comes in through Berklee College of Music and the Thelonious As she contemplates her next steps as an the ear.” Monk Institute of Jazz, and now residing indie artist, what drives Rudolph—as ever— The distinctive aural impressions of in Luxembourg, Loueke’s musical interests is her passion for borderless sounds. “I’d love Rudolph’s upbringing find expression on the reflect Rudolph’s—French chanson, African to perform [the album] worldwide,” she con- album, more than a dozen tracks of origi- rhythms, American jazz. So, the fit seemed nat- cluded. “This music is my way of loving life.” nal songs, jams and radio edits. Recorded in ural. “Céline is indeed my musical soulmate,” —Suzanne Lorge

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DelmarkJulia A. Miller (left) and Elbio Barilari run Chicago’s Delmark Records. Focused on New Era of Creativity

fter six decades as the overachieving off- tary skills that served them well during the tran- Delmark, said, “That plays a big, important part, Aspring of founder , Delmark sition. “I have five music degrees, guitar perfor- that they are actually jazz musicians themselves. Records was purchased in May 2018 by mance and composition degrees, and it’s been They know what jazz musicians need and require, Julia A. Miller and Elbio Barilari. One year into a learning curve,” she said. “We bring different and know how to deal with temperamental musi- their ambitious five-year plan to bring the label things to this partnership. As the president of cians. We all care about the music and want to into the 21st century, this labor of love has been the business, if I didn’t take on those responsi- be treated with kid gloves, and that’s exactly “everything and more” they expected it to be, bilities of organizing things, the business would what they do.” It’s Too Hot For Words, scheduled said Miller, Delmark president and CEO. “And implode. A lot of people talk about Elbio as the for an August release, pairs Alexander with the we’re even ahead of our expectations for the first Uruguayan composer, and he’s more than that. Metropolitan Jazz Octet for a deep exploration of year.” Having a female CEO and a Latino artistic direc- the Billie Holiday catalog. Interviewed at Delmark’s combination tor [and vice president] gives us a unique perspec- Willie Buck, whose latest Delmark release, Riverside Studio, offices and warehouse on tive. We’re more than the sum of our parts.” Willie Buck Way, marks the dedication of a Chicago’s Northwest Side, the two musicians, Providing continuity as the third member of Chicago street to the bluesman, said he bare- educators and radio hosts admitted that Koester the team is Steve Wagner, Delmark’s label and ly gave the ownership change a thought while and his wife, Sue, have proven tough acts to fol- studio manager. Widely respected for delivering a working on the album. “I don’t see a lot chang- low. At the same time, they bring a different per- classic sound as engineer and producer on count- ing,” the Mississippi native said. spective than the octogenarian Koester, who less Delmark recordings, Wagner paused during An important benefit for Barilari and Miller often remarked that jazz and fans are unlike a recent editing job to discuss the studio’s recent in buying Delmark was finding a home for their other music consumers in that they prefer phys- purchase of Pro Tools music production software. own experimental jazz-rock group, Volcano ical products in the form of CDs or LPs, rather This addition to his toolbox, Wagner said, offers Radar. For Paquito Libre, their recent Delmark than streams or downloads. Not that the new him greater flexibility. “Steve is also an archivist,” release, Barilari recruited his old friend Paquito owners aren’t exploring retro formats. Miller said. “He knows all the technology, runs D’Rivera to play clarinet and alto saxophone. There are 782 products now offered on the the studio and organized all the masters.” “We exemplify the breadth of the label with our Delmark website, most of which are available Barilari and Miller said being musicians playing,” Miller said. “We look at Delmark as digitally. But while the site proclaims “A New Era themselves helps, too, enabling them to relate to a platform for creativity. Creative control and for Delmark Records,” the label is wooing audio- Delmark artists. “For example, we’d never ask a vision are really important to us, and that was philes with reel-to-reel reissues of classics from musician to sign a contract that we wouldn’t sign what Delmark was really all about. In our market, its catalog, starting with albums by , ourselves,” Miller pledged. we’re not a major-label thing. It’s a very specific , and . Prices Blues and jazz artists in Chicago and beyond creative and intellectual project, and we wanted range from $139 to $400, Barilari said. are on board. Veteran Chicago jazz singer Dee it to be a joyous outgrowth of what’s happening Miller said she and Barilari have complemen- Alexander, who is recording her first solo disc for with our label.” —Jeff Johnson

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