As demonstrated on its latest album, "Small Reveal," Canadian quintet Aidan Knight continues to make introspective, intelligent music.
The band, www.aidanknight, will perform March 27 in a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, supporting James Vincent McMorrow.
I had the chance to talk to frontman Aidan Knight about the album and the band's current activities.
Q - Great talking to you. You recently premiered the video for "Margaret Downe," which was directed by William Wilkinson and Oliver Brooks. What was your vision for the video and do you think the end result fulfilled your vision?
Will and Oliver can take all the credit for their amazing work in that video. They put all of it together in about 2 weeks, and shot it in two days.
It's incredible to me that we live in a time where it's possible to put something like that together so quickly.
Q - What was the thinking in recording "Small Reveal" in 10 different locations? How did you think that helped the album's overall sound?
It's a common thread in creative people: how can we make this thing great, in less time, for less? We had some kind friends and family who allowed us to use their spaces to destroy sound in.
It shaped the overall sound in the sense that we had to put things back together afterwards.
Q - I understand that part of the album was recorded in a cabin and that you had to create a makeshift studio. How was that process?
Long. Many wheelbarrows. No cars on the island.
It sounds romantic - the concept of it, kind of a Canadiana/Bon Iver/vacation but the reality was swimming in the ocean everyday, recording while looking into the woods and cooking whole fish with your close friends.
And then you tear it all down in wheelbarrows and take a ferry home.
Q - You have referred to "Small Reveal" as being the first full collaborative effort with your band. Do you think that was a natural evolution of the band? Was it a more fulfilling experience for you working that closely with your band, as opposed to working on your own?
It was natural, yeah. The guys (Olivier, David, Colin, Julia) and I have been touring and making music since 2009. There's a closeness and natural collaboration that happens when you play together longer and longer.
I can only imagine a family band must be an intense musical bond.
Q - I am sure you have heard your music described in many ways. How would you describe your music and who are your biggest musical influences?
I don't describe my music much anymore, but I do count many musical heroes: Constantines, Julie Doiron, Wilco, The Clash, Broken Social Scene, Emmylou Harris, The Band and David Bowie.
Q - Do you have any dream projects or collaborations?
Any of those guys up there would be dreamy.
Q - What can we expect from the band after the current tour ends?
I think the expectation is to write more music and record it, but we'll have to see what life brings. It's already been a great year, wouldn't want to overdo it.
Led by the powerful vocals of Rachel Bonacquisti, Chicago band Burnside & Hooker has injected a fresh sound into the local music scene through its intoxicating mix of folk, soul and indie pop/rock.
Burnside & Hooker will perform March 21 at Goose Island's Wrigleyville Brewpub, 3535 N. Clark St., Chicago. Honey & the 45s, Mystery Loves Company and The J.R. Miller Project are also part of the bill.
The show starts at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, available by going to www.ticketriver.com. The show is part of Merch Madness, where one can get tickets for free with the purchase of band merchandise. I had the chance to talk to guitarist Mike Vogus about the show and the band's current activities.
Q - Great to talk to you. Of course, the band is part of Merch Madness. What
made you want to be part of this promotion? Do you have any favorite
venues to play in Chicago?
There are quite a few reasons we wanted to
play this show. We've always had a great experience working with Swizzle
Steve.
The first show we played as Burnside & Hooker was at Goose
Island, so we have a good history with them. When they brought the idea
of Merch Madness to us, we thought it was a great way to [offer] our
fans something new and different.
Then we found out we'd be playing with
Honey & The 45s and Mystery Loves Company; it was a no-brainer!
We have been fortunate to play most of the great venues in the city -
Goose Island, Beat Kitchen, Schuba's, Lincoln Hall, Metro, House of
Blues... any place where people show up is a great venue!
Q - Last year, you released your debut album, "Rail Yard Hymns." In sitting
down to record the album, what were your goals and do you think you
accomplished them?
We had a few goals and I think we accomplished most
of them. First and foremost, we wanted to have something to shop around
the city for booking shows and getting radio play. http://burnsideandhooker.bandcamp.com Our sound is
constantly evolving the longer we play together and the more we write
together. I think the album captures the essence of who we are as a band.
I
think on our next recording, we'll try to capture more of the feeling of
our live shows. We really didn't go for that this time around and I
think that will be the goal for the next one.
Q - So what's the chemistry of the band like? Does each member have
something unique to contribute to the band? Is six members a good size
for the band?
Similar to the music, our chemistry is constantly
evolving, as well. We are definitely starting to hit our stride a bit,
and it feels like with every practice, every show and every new song we
write that we are getting better and tighter as a group. And the more we
play together, each member continues to contribute more and more.
Each person definitely contributed unique elements to the album and to
the live show. We all have unique backgrounds and influences, and when
we pull that all together we get a very interesting sound and style.
Rachel (vocals) has brought in a hefty dose of blues and jazz, Diana
(viola, keys, vocals) is classically trained and plays in a metal cover
band, Teddy (cello) is also classically trained and is in to the current
indie scene, and Michael (drummer) used to be a rapper and loves hip
hop.
I grew up playing in alternative rock bands... so as you can see
the styles are all over the map. But we feel that having all of the
influences will keep our style interesting and unique and will appeal to
a lot of people.
Q - What do you think of the Chicago music scene and where do you see
yourself fitting into it?
Personally, I love the Chicago music scene.
There are so many interesting bands and people in this city.
We've made
some great relationships in the scene, and we hope some of them like us!
I've always felt that we would know we're successful when people in
other bands in the city will say "Burnside & Hooker, yeah I've heard
of those guys, they're good!"
Q - What are the band's short-term and long-term goals?
Short-term, we are
focusing on shows and festivals for the summer and we're targeting
getting back in the studio towards the end of the year. Long-term, we
just want to keep playing together and make music that has a positive
impact on the Chicago scene.
With its strong harmonies and catchy melodies, Chicago power-pop band Magatha
Trysty is a band that demands your attention.
The band will perform March 21 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., Chicago. Tickets are $6 in advance and $9 at the door, available by going to www.metrochicago.com.
Husband and wife team Christopher David and Catherine Louise front Magatha Trysty, which is also comprised of Billy Blastoff on bass and backing vocals along with drummer John Monaghan.
I had the chance to talk to Louise about the upcoming show.
Q - Great talking to you. Will you be
previewing a lot of songs from your new album at the Metro show? What should
people expect from the new album and how would you compare it to your first
album, "Your Clothes Will Wear Themselves?"
Absolutely. Metro crowd, expect to
hear new things! The audience should anticipate a few old favorites, but
mainly a preview of things to come.
In general, this new album just has
more depth. We'll always love our first record - always.
But, there was an element
of,
"OH MY GOSH, WE ARE MAKING A RECORD, LET'S RELEASE IT RIGHT NOW!" to
it that will be absent with this one.
We're taking our time. And we're
focusing
on our strengths: narrative songwriting, lush harmonies, more complex
arrangements.
Q - You front Magatha
Trysty with your husband. Do you think the band has a better
chemistry because of that relationship? I understand that the two of you met in
college. How did you decide to form a band and what were your goals?
I'd
like to think that our relationship lends to the band's
chemistry. A few of the songs on the upcoming record are a bit bleak, so
I'd hate for people to read too much into that. Musically, though, it
definitely gives us more of a connection.
When we met, we were both musicians. Chris had previously fronted a
pretty successful band, and I was studying classical voice and piano. We
started writing some alt-country-style tunes together, actually, and then we
sort of came to the realization that what we were writing would be better with
more musicians.
More noise. We're not naturally quiet people!
And we also
realized that we were itching to do something that was more "pop." And
Chris is such a rock guy... we just wanted to do something that would let us
branch out a bit more.
Q - What is the story behind the band's name? Do you think it gives
the band an extra edge because you have such an unusual name, that people might
want to check you out because of your name?
Ahhh, the band name. OK, the short story is, it's named after our
cat, Agatha.
She's a rescue, and her previous owner was a writer. We liked
that. And, since we give all of our pets stupid nicknames, "Agatha"
became "Magatha," and "Trysty" was our attempt, clever or
not, to allude to the relationships that are the center of so many of our songs.
As for whether or not we have an extra edge, I'm not sure. People tend to
forget the name, or say "huh?" the first time they hear it.
But,
really, there are so many odd names out there. I'm not sure "Magatha
Trysty" is any weirder than "Porno for Pyros."
But we like it,
and it's personal, and it hearkens back to when Chris and I were just starting
to write music together, in our little apartment, with our scrawny rescue cat.
So it means something.
Q - What do you think of the Chicago music scene and how do you see Magatha Trysty fitting into it? Are there other bands in the
Chicago area that you listen to and admire what they are doing?
Chicago is tough. That's not sour
grapes; I'm not just talking about getting people out to our own shows.
In
general, Chicago is a tough place to draw. But Chicago's talent is seriously
unparalleled.
It's ridiculously diverse. Admittedly, there are places where the
local scene is much more alive - Brooklyn, Raleigh and Nashville, among others.
But,
even though those places may boast larger draws, I defy anyone to find a city
more talented than Chicago. As for Chicago bands and musicians who have caught
our attention - gosh, there are so many. Panther Style; Tristen; Elements of
Style; 10,000 Light Years; Mooner; The Blisters... Chicago is overrun with
talented musicians.
Maybe that's why more people don't GO to shows. They're all
out playing their own.
Q - Who are your biggest musical influences and how you see them
influencing your music?
Too many. I grew up on opera, The Beatles, Patsy Cline, and Roy
Orbison.
I love a memorable melody. I love a big voice. In college, I went
crazy for The New Pornographers and never looked back.
Our harmonies and
arrangements, at least as far as I'm concerned, are composed with them at least
partially in mind. If you sprinkle in a bit of R.E.M. and some late 50s girl
groups, you've pretty much got me figured out.
As for Chris, he's strongly influenced by classic power pop. The
Raspberries, Cheap Trick, Big Star - that's where it started. But, he's also a
big KISS fan.
Actually, "big" is an understatement. He's a rock guy at heart.
If you couple Chris' and my influences with Billy and John's, you
kind of start to understand our sound. Billy was in The Vindictives; he's got a
punk background, and that comes through, even in our pop-centric style. John is
an obsessive listener and absorber, and a lifelong musician: all styles, all
genres - which helps to shape our overall sound.
Q - The band is not signed to a label. How much harder does that
make it in getting your name out there and promoting the band? Would you ever
want to be signed to a label?
Do you know something? Do you know someone? We're in!
Seriously,
though, yes, we'd absolutely be interested in the right label. But, we'll
always want to have control over our sound.
As for whether or not that makes
things more difficult...well, yeah, I'm sure it does, in a way. We would like
the universe to listen to our songs, and we don't think that's so much to ask. And the right label might make that easier.
Q - What are the band's short-term and long-term goals?
Short-term? Play a ridiculously
wonderful Metro show. Record our next album, which will make our first album pale in
comparison. Be heard by many.
Long term? I don't know. Album three.
And four. And world domination. Also, a cure for cancer. A musical cure for
cancer.
Those who don't already appreciate the music of Chicago-based The Chris Greene Quartet will find even more to appreciate on the group's latest album, "Music Appreciation." The group shows off its formidable chops on the album. To celebrate the release of "Music Appreciation," The Chris Greene Quartet, www.chrisgreenejazz.com, will perform March 8 at Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway Ave., Chicago. The show starts at 8 p.m. and there is a $12 cover charge. More information is at www.greenmilljazz.com. I had the chance to talk to Greene about the new album.
Q - Great
talking to you again. Of course, your new album, "Music Appreciation,"
is being released this week. In sitting down to record the album, what
were your goals and do you think you achieved them? How do you think it
compares to your past efforts?
Our goals for recording a new album never start out too lofty. We’d
added 13 new songs to our repertoire since “A Group Effort” - our
previous CD - that hadn’t yet been recorded.
We’d just come off of a
two-month weekly residency at Andy’s Jazz Club. We’d also done several
weekend stints at Pete Millers’ in Evanston (our home base of sorts) and
other supportive venues in the northern and western suburbs. I always
look forward to making music with my guys, but the new material was
starting to take shape in really cool ways that I couldn’t have
anticipated. And the responses from audiences were getting more and more
enthusiastic. I booked three days of studio time at Uptown Recording. Our
producer and engineer (Joe Tortorici and Rob Ruccia, respectively) came
up with some creative ways to capture the band’s sound and vibe in a
studio setting. Because we’d been playing together so much, most of the
songs on the new album are first or second takes. We finished recording
all 13 songs in a day and a half.
“A Group Effort” was a live album, so it gave people a chance to hear
what our live show is like. “Music Appreciation” hopefully serves to
show the listener the breadth and range of all the styles of music we
like and…appreciate.
Q - The album features both originals and interpretations of other people's
songs. How did you go about choosing those songs to interpret and what
did you want to do with them?
That’s simple: we play the songs that we like. The John Coltrane, Wayne
Shorter and Charles Mingus covers on the album are pretty
self-explanatory; we’re students of jazz history and we dig playing
standards, but it’s important to us put a distinctive stamp on those
songs.
So we’ll make changes in the feel, style or meter of the song. If
it’s musically interesting for us, I believe we can make it interesting
for any audience.
So, for instance - we turned Coltrane’s “Equinox”
from a modal tune into a dub reggae song. And we turned the Mingus song
into something resembling a 1940s slow grind, rhythm-and-blues song.
It’s also important to me to pick songs for the band that are already
quirky, distinctive and challenging. I’ve been an admirer of (Chicago
keyboardist, vocalist, bandleader) William Kurk’s music for about 7
years now. I love his writing. I knew I wanted to include a song of his
in our repertoire. So his “Day of Honor” seemed like the perfect tune
for CGQ. Same thing with (Brazilian composer and singer) Ed Motta. He
writes stuff that is both challenging and soulful. His tune “Papuera”
(in 5/8 time) seemed like a natural fit for us.
Q - How did growing up in Evanston shape your musical background? How do you
think your approach to making music has changed over the years?
Evanston is one of the most racially, culturally, and economically
diverse suburbs that I can think of. I grew up around all types of
people, and as a result, I got exposed to many different types of music. I started playing saxophone at 10 years old, and I started playing in
my junior high school jazz band two years later, but I didn’t get super
serious about learning how to improvise until my junior year of high
school. I was a Prince fan and 80s hip-hop fanatic up to that point. I
don’t think my approach to making music has changed that much over the
years: I inundate myself with (hopefully) good music from other people
and then I’ll practice my horn and write. Hopefully some good music will
come out of me in the process.
Q - Since your music roams through a number of musical genres, do you
consider yourself strictly a jazz musician? What is your definition of
jazz?
For lack of a better term, I am a jazz musician, and CGQ is a jazz band.
But I’m constantly on the lookout for good music - of any style or
genre - that’s going to make me better at my craft.
As a collective,
we’re reasonably versed in most aspects of jazz history and technique
from Louis Armstrong to the present. At the same time, it isn’t 1945 or
1959 or 1970, so there’s a lot of other music that each of us have dealt
with individually before we decided to become jazz musicians - hip-hop,
classical, funk, rock, R&B, gospel, etc. It’s all part of our
makeup as artists, so to me it’s all valid if it’s done with nuance and
integrity. As far as my definition of jazz goes, I’m with Kurt Elling
when he says, “Jazz is like porn; I know it when I see it.”
Q - What do you think of the Chicago music scene as opposed to music scenes
in other parts of the country? How do you see yourself fitting into the
scene?
I’ve always played mainly around Chicago musicians, so I can’t speak on
music scenes in other cities. However, I can say our scene is a little
more fragmented than it was in the mid to late 90s. The rock guys are
over here and the jazz guys…well…the fusion guys are in one place, the
creative/free guys are in another, the mainstream traditionalists are in
another, and the smooth guys are in another. I’m sure I sound like an
old man, but there seemed to be a lot more cross-pollination and
experimentation back then. As far as CGQ fitting into the local scene
goes - I like the fact that on any given night, our audience can consist
of jazz aficionados and people who just want to have a good time. Is it
our legacy to bring all those people together? Time will tell.
Q - You are a musician that has always been in demand and most recently
appeared on Shawn Maxwell's new CD/project, "Shawn Maxwell's Alliance."
And you have worked with the likes of Common and The Temptations. Why do
you think so many musicians have sought you out and what have you
learned from your experiences?
I have no clue. I’m humbled and flattered when anyone hires me to do
anything. This town is overrun with great saxophone players. That said,
I’d like to think versatility, stylistic range, a good sound, and a
strong work ethic play a part in any band leader’s decision to
collaborate with me.
I learn something from every musical situation I’ve
ever been in. From the pop and soul people you mentioned, I’ve learned
the value of entertaining people with a kick ass show. And Shawn Maxwell
has the most integrity of any musician I’ve met. He plays his music on
his own terms and makes no apologies for it. That’s the kind of musician
I like to be around.
Q - Do you have any dream projects or collaborations?
Right now, I’m happy to be working with my band as often as I do. But
I’m always down to rock a stage with anyone making good and honest music
from the heart. Local, regional national, international - I don’t care.
By ERIC SCHELKOPF Chicago's Otherworld Theatre Company knows the value of science fiction and fantasy in helping us understand each other better. In that same fashion, Otherworld Theatre, www.otherworldtheatre.org, this month will present the Midwest premiere of "Of Dice and Men." The production will run from March 6-30 at The Public House Theatre, 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago. Tickets are $15, and are available at www.pubhousetheatre.com. I had the chance to talk artistic director and founder Tiffany Keane about the upcoming production. Q - Great talking to you. Otherworld Theatre Company next month will present the Midwest premiere of "Of Dice and Men." What made you want to direct the play in the first place?
Initially, we struggled with finding the right fantasy play for Otherworld Theatre to produce.
We had just ended our production of Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." The
production left us so invigorated and inspired.
We received such an
amazing response from our patrons - how they were impacted by the
storytelling. The best compliment came from a middle aged couple who
came up to me after the show and told me that they were going to start
reading more.
To me, it solidified to me why the work we were doing was
important. It answered the question for us to why putting science fiction on stage is important.
So after "Fahrenheit 451," we needed a play to answer that question for our fantasy storytelling.
After reading at least 30 fantasy plays and books that we could have adapted, I stumbled on Cameron McNary's
"Of Dice and Men" accidentally while searching for a book. I remember
reading the one sentence synopsis: "Set in 2006, the play is about a
group of Dungeons and Dragons players and what happens when one of the
players enlists to go into the Marines."
I
immediately contacted Cameron and asked him if I could read his script.
I remember how weirdly nervous I was waiting for him to respond.
I was
researching the play - how the script was showcased as a staged reading
at PAX - how people waited in line for hours to see the show. How people reacted to the storytelling. I was anxious and excited.
Cameron
promptly sent me the script. From the first page I was hooked and by
the last page, these characters had become my best friends.
John Francis,
who serves as Dungeon Master for the narrative as well as the game, has
a crisis. As his good friend enlists to the military, why does he feel
compelled to play make-believe and play Dungeons and Dragons?
Is it
childish to play make-believe when there are greater things at stake?
Now,
to answer your question, I wanted to direct this play because the
characters were asking the same questions I was at the time. Why does fantasy matter? Why is what we imagine important?
What do we get from fantastical storytelling? At the end of the day, that's all gaming that
is: it's a group of friends who sit around the table to tell each other
stories.
So, if you want those answers, go see this play.
Q - How did you go about choosing the cast and what do you think they bring to the roles?
The cast is a great blend of actors in our ensemble and people we who auditioned for particular roles. My focus in casting this show in particular was finding the right dynamic between characters and to pair the right energies.
We
started our process with a table reading of the script, and for that we
pooled mostly from our ensemble. The chemistry around table between the
actors was so palpable, I knew they had to be in the show.
Casting the
two characters of Linda and Brandon was initially a challenge, but in
the end I found the right people.
Every
actor brings something unique to their roles, but what I love about
this cast is what they bring to each other. They all listen to each
other actively.
I
have seen the show countless times in rehearsal, and I am never bored
for a second. I am always intrigued by the chain of reactions that
ripple throughout the cast.
When I watch them, it seems like they have
all been friends for years when in reality they have only known each
other for a year at the most.
Q - What messages do you want people to
come away from the play? Is it a message that everyone can appreciate,
even those who are not fans of science fiction or fantasy?
The
messages I would like people to walk away with: The power of
storytelling, friendship, and how people use those stories to face
adversity in their real lives.
You
do not have to be a gamer to appreciate "Of Dice and Men." I wasn't a
gamer before I started this rehearsal process and I fell in love with the play.
It maybe about gamers, but it speaks to everyone. As the playwright Cameron McNary
said, "You don't have to be a gamer to get "Of Dice and Men" and more
than you have to be a 19th-century Russian Jew to get "Fiddler on the
Roof."
Gamers who have seen
the play have said they felt like someone was finally telling their
story; non-gamers have said they felt touched by hearing it."
Q - What makes science fiction and fantasy so intriguing to you?
They
are two different facets of human imagination. Fantasy is the human
potential in face of adversity taken to the extreme with the addition of
the supernatural.
Science fiction a hypothesis in the consequences of
human potential. I love that Otherworld Theatre has the opportunity to tell those stories side by side and offers us a unique lens into our own humanity.
Q - You are the artistic director and founder of Otherworld Theatre. What was your idea in creating the Otherworld Theatre in the first place? How far do you think the theatre has come in meeting its goals since being started in June 2012?
Otherworld
Theatre Company was propelled by the loss of the author Ray Bradbury.
He passed shortly after I graduated in May from Columbia College in 2012.
I was facing an unseeable future with a theatre degree, and it scared me to death.
My directing thesis was a production of "1984,"
and I saw the potential in pursuing science fiction and fantasy on
stage, but I felt so young. There are so many theatre companies in
Chicago, over 300, and the thought of starting my own theatre company
right out of school terrified me.
But
then we lost Ray Bradbury. He was a personal hero of mine - he inspired
me to be a storyteller. I felt a great emptiness with his passing and
held such regret that I was never able to meet him.
That is when I had
the idea to meet him through his work- to direct "Fahrenheit 451" - and to do that, I would have to produce and if I am producing, I might as well start a company.
Hence, Otherworld Theatre was born.
Otherworld's first goal was so put up the Ray Bradbury festival. It wasn't that I didn't have lofty dreams for Otherworld,
but that is what the focus was.
We had fundraisers, parties, film
festivals - I was desperate to do anything that would make sure that The
Ray Bradbury Festival would happen and would happen right.
That goal was
reached and has just skyrocketed since then to the point of receiving
national attention. I'm still in a state of shock.
Q - It seems that Otherworld
Theatre has carved out a pretty unique niche in the theatre world. Do
you think that has given you an edge, especially since there are so many
theatre options out there?
I am sure it gives us an edge, but that was never my goal when I created Otherworld
Theatre Company. I just truly enjoy science fiction and fantasy stories
and wanted to tell them on stage and sought out like-minded people.
I
hope our true edge is that people recognize that we are a passionate
theatre company passionate about what we do.
Q - What's next for the theatre? What productions would you like to see Otherworld Theatre tackle?
So many goals. So many dreams.
We
are looking into having a reading series of new work. "The Paragon
Plays" will be a series of staged readings of new science fiction and fantasy plays where we can have our patrons actively engaged in our play
selection process.
Also,
after the success of The Ray Bradbury Festival, we are looking into
celebrating one famous science fiction or fantasy author a year.
We are
in talks now of who we are thinking for our next festival, but we can't
currently release any further information. It'll have to be a surprise.