Interviews during concert tour
Last month Barbara has been on tour in Germany. The upcoming concert in Halle at the Ulrichskirche, a former church that now has been turned into a concert hall, was a good opportunity for the local city magazines to talk to her.
How, when and why did you begin to play Jazz on church organs?
I have always been interested in church organs, and when a promoter asked me 1994 if I would play a concert organ at the Würzburger Bachtage I immediately agreed. Since then I have played at more than 150 church and concert organs world wide. The variety of sounds and the capacity of a pipe organ is something special, as if one had a whole orchestra at his disposal. Additionally, the atmosphere in the church is something special for the audience and the spirituality of the place has a strong impact on the concert situation.
What is the difference between a pipe organ and your "regular" instrument, the Hammond organ?
There is a big difference. The distance between the single keys at the pedals of a church organ is wider and there is no sustain on the bass notes. Thus, playing bass lines on the pedals is completely different. Generally a church organ is much more cumbersome. It needs more power to play the keys and pedals. It takes time to produce the sound in the pipes. Large pipes have more delay than small ones. Another thing is that the artist has to cope with the special acoustic situation in each church with echoes and reverb. All this is a challenge for me.
How would you describe your repertoire? Is there reminiscence to the location?
I compose for the church organ. Nevertheless, I play some of the pieces on Hammond, too, in a different arrangement. A main part of my music is of course the improvisation. Between elaborated parts of the compositions there are always free parts. Again and again I'm fascinated by the grand sound of the pipes. This inspires me to quote Bach or Mendelssohn sometimes during the improvisation. Over all I play the whole broad scale of Jazz: Swing, Blues, Latin, Ballads, Modern, Jazz Waltz, Funk and also classical inspired elements. I try to offer an interesting and diversified program and feel happy if not only jazz fans find the way to my concerts.
In your concerts there is often a video transmission that makes visible for the audience how you play with hands and feet...
Normally the organist is invisible in a church, which makes sense in context with liturgy. In my concerts I set value on showing my music and the instrument to the audience. This is why my concerts are displayed on video screen in the sanctuary. For me it is also a means to keep contact with the audience because I introduce my pieces with some words or I explain one thing or another and get feedback from the audience through my moderation which is important for me.
An other magazine called "FRIZZ" featured Barbara on occasion of her concert in Halle in its current issue and besides general information about the musician an interview was included.
It is the seventh "Women in Jazz" festival where national and international female jazz musicians met. What experience did you make as a female musician in the male dominated jazz scene?
First of all I appreciate such festival series. But the aspect that gives this headline should not be taken too serious. In the end it's all about music. Many things have turned better in the scene. I think that I can encourage young women to follow my example being band leader, which I have been straight from the beginning. Of course it is difficult and still you have to be a very good musician being a woman to compete successfully. But, according to more and more reckoned female jazz artists, it has become a bit easier.
The roots to your career as organist and composer have been laid 35 years ago. You won many prizes and awards. What is your impetus?
It's the music. Mainly I play my own compositions. And I have my own style to play organ. I love the organ, the sound of the organ, it has always been my instrument. I wanted to put it into the focus because an organ has so many sound skills that it's much more than an accompanying instrument. I would play it even if I was the only person in the world who likes this instrument. I began with the Hammond organ but nowadays I play as many pipe organ concerts as Hammond concerts.
What is special about the organ and how do jazz and this instrument fit together?
Well, there are only a few organists and I began with the Hammond at young age in the 1970ties. I played my first concerts when I still was in school. After graduation in 1983 I began touring. The Hammond wasn't really popular at that time. But I didn't mind. Of course people asked themselves why such a young girl decided to play such a monster instrument. But on the other hand it raised interest and this may be one reason why the Hammond finally celebrated its revival - especially in Germany, not to say: in Europe. One has to differ between pipe organ and Hammond organ. The Hammond is a typical jazz instrument, and jazz fans know why. You have an endless scale of sounds and this is great for playing jazz because jazz lives from improvisation and spontaneity on stage.
The organ as a "royal" instrument?
Yes, the organ is often called the queen of instruments and this is true. It is the only instruments where you have to play independently with all four extremities. This is fascinating and challenging at the same time. Church and concert organs provide so many and natural sounds that they deserve being more than a musical companion during worship. You can play it like an orchestra and this has something that moves and touches people.
You have your own record label "Bebab", you proceed in many projects and you are often on tour. What do you do in your leisure time and: are you sometimes fed up with the organ?
The first answer is simple becaoue I don't have leisure time because of the many projects and the work offside the stage. I have to practise, to manage myself and I have my own record company. Perhaps the hour per day walking my dog is leisure time. But yes, there are moments when I want no part of the organ. Then I listen to many different styles of music, jazz, and other. But when I compose I need the silence.
Last month Barbara has been on tour in Germany. The upcoming concert in Halle at the Ulrichskirche, a former church that now has been turned into a concert hall, was a good opportunity for the local city magazines to talk to her.
How, when and why did you begin to play Jazz on church organs?
I have always been interested in church organs, and when a promoter asked me 1994 if I would play a concert organ at the Würzburger Bachtage I immediately agreed. Since then I have played at more than 150 church and concert organs world wide. The variety of sounds and the capacity of a pipe organ is something special, as if one had a whole orchestra at his disposal. Additionally, the atmosphere in the church is something special for the audience and the spirituality of the place has a strong impact on the concert situation.
What is the difference between a pipe organ and your "regular" instrument, the Hammond organ?
There is a big difference. The distance between the single keys at the pedals of a church organ is wider and there is no sustain on the bass notes. Thus, playing bass lines on the pedals is completely different. Generally a church organ is much more cumbersome. It needs more power to play the keys and pedals. It takes time to produce the sound in the pipes. Large pipes have more delay than small ones. Another thing is that the artist has to cope with the special acoustic situation in each church with echoes and reverb. All this is a challenge for me.
How would you describe your repertoire? Is there reminiscence to the location?
I compose for the church organ. Nevertheless, I play some of the pieces on Hammond, too, in a different arrangement. A main part of my music is of course the improvisation. Between elaborated parts of the compositions there are always free parts. Again and again I'm fascinated by the grand sound of the pipes. This inspires me to quote Bach or Mendelssohn sometimes during the improvisation. Over all I play the whole broad scale of Jazz: Swing, Blues, Latin, Ballads, Modern, Jazz Waltz, Funk and also classical inspired elements. I try to offer an interesting and diversified program and feel happy if not only jazz fans find the way to my concerts.
In your concerts there is often a video transmission that makes visible for the audience how you play with hands and feet...
Normally the organist is invisible in a church, which makes sense in context with liturgy. In my concerts I set value on showing my music and the instrument to the audience. This is why my concerts are displayed on video screen in the sanctuary. For me it is also a means to keep contact with the audience because I introduce my pieces with some words or I explain one thing or another and get feedback from the audience through my moderation which is important for me.
An other magazine called "FRIZZ" featured Barbara on occasion of her concert in Halle in its current issue and besides general information about the musician an interview was included.
It is the seventh "Women in Jazz" festival where national and international female jazz musicians met. What experience did you make as a female musician in the male dominated jazz scene?
First of all I appreciate such festival series. But the aspect that gives this headline should not be taken too serious. In the end it's all about music. Many things have turned better in the scene. I think that I can encourage young women to follow my example being band leader, which I have been straight from the beginning. Of course it is difficult and still you have to be a very good musician being a woman to compete successfully. But, according to more and more reckoned female jazz artists, it has become a bit easier.
The roots to your career as organist and composer have been laid 35 years ago. You won many prizes and awards. What is your impetus?
It's the music. Mainly I play my own compositions. And I have my own style to play organ. I love the organ, the sound of the organ, it has always been my instrument. I wanted to put it into the focus because an organ has so many sound skills that it's much more than an accompanying instrument. I would play it even if I was the only person in the world who likes this instrument. I began with the Hammond organ but nowadays I play as many pipe organ concerts as Hammond concerts.
What is special about the organ and how do jazz and this instrument fit together?
Well, there are only a few organists and I began with the Hammond at young age in the 1970ties. I played my first concerts when I still was in school. After graduation in 1983 I began touring. The Hammond wasn't really popular at that time. But I didn't mind. Of course people asked themselves why such a young girl decided to play such a monster instrument. But on the other hand it raised interest and this may be one reason why the Hammond finally celebrated its revival - especially in Germany, not to say: in Europe. One has to differ between pipe organ and Hammond organ. The Hammond is a typical jazz instrument, and jazz fans know why. You have an endless scale of sounds and this is great for playing jazz because jazz lives from improvisation and spontaneity on stage.
The organ as a "royal" instrument?
Yes, the organ is often called the queen of instruments and this is true. It is the only instruments where you have to play independently with all four extremities. This is fascinating and challenging at the same time. Church and concert organs provide so many and natural sounds that they deserve being more than a musical companion during worship. You can play it like an orchestra and this has something that moves and touches people.
You have your own record label "Bebab", you proceed in many projects and you are often on tour. What do you do in your leisure time and: are you sometimes fed up with the organ?
The first answer is simple becaoue I don't have leisure time because of the many projects and the work offside the stage. I have to practise, to manage myself and I have my own record company. Perhaps the hour per day walking my dog is leisure time. But yes, there are moments when I want no part of the organ. Then I listen to many different styles of music, jazz, and other. But when I compose I need the silence.
Date / time / venue (concert type)
20.04.2012 20.00 Unterengstringen/CH - 8103, Musik Günthart, Orgelsurium (Duo)
27.04.2012 20.00 Kaiserslautern/D - 67655, Stiftskirche (Solo/church organ)
06.05.2012 20.00 Zagreb/HR - 10000, Koncertna Dvorana Vatroslava Lisinskog (Solo & HGM Jazzorkestar Zagreb)
10.05.2012 20.30 Berlin/D - 10827, 55arts Club im Havanna Club (Trio)
13.05.2012 19.30 Wachtendonk/D - 47669, Bürgerhaus Altes Kloster (Duo)
16.05.2012 20.00 Wiehl/D - 51674, Ev. Kirche, Wiehler Jazztage (Solo/church organ)
27.05.2012 17.00 Bordesholm/D - 24582, Klosterkirche (Duo/church organ)
03.06.2012 16.00 Syke/D - 28857, Christuskirche (Solo/church organ)
21.07.2012 14.00 Wiesen/A - 7203, Jazzfest Wiesen, Ottakringer Arena (Duo)
31.07.2012 21.00 Hundisburg/D - 39343, Technisches Denkmal Ziegelei, SMA Jazznacht, 20.Hundisburger Sommermusikakademie(Solo)
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