Interview with #BarbaraDennerlein

Barbara Dennerlein was back again in Bühl after her last concerts in 2011 and 2014. On occasion of the "Jazztival Bühl" Klaus-Peter Maier, journalist from the "Bühler Neueste Nachrichten" newspaper, talked to the organist from Munich about her music and he instrument, with which she restored new popularity to jazz: the Hammond organ.

"Stirring dialogue between organ and saxophone" entitled our newspaper six years ago the article about your performance with Peter Lehel. What does the audience can expect for this time?

Dennerlein: Honestly, I haven't written the set list yet. In this regard I am very spontaneous. I mainly play my originals, and this is - as I hope - an exciting bunch of different styles. Like in a movie, it should not become boring, and there should be something for everyone. I like to provide a broad bandwidth in my concerts. Blues, swing, funk, but also Latin and sometimes uneven bars or spherical sounds - most probably a bit of all these things.

Jazz is freedom, you once said in an interview. Does playing solo mean even more freedom for you as musician?

Dennerlein: Yes, playing solo means much more freedom, because you act completely independent. Playing together has the advantage that you get mutual inspiration. But solos are very special. You are free to act spontaneous in a way that is impossible in a band. On one hand, the organ has much power but on the other hand it is very filigree, with beautiful soft and colourful sounds, if you know how to work with the registration. A second instrument covers quite a lot, of course. Playing solo with the sounds and creating these impressions is fascinating me. 

You are familiar with the pipe or church organ as well as with the legendary Hammond B3, you fell in love with that sound at young age. Why does this electro-mechanic instrument, that was a must for rock bands especially in the 60ties and 70ties, captivates you?

Dennerlein: In rock music the Hammond organ plays rather a role as keyboard. Most of the rock and jazz organists don't play the pedal at all. The distinctive tube sound is one thing, but the organ can much more. You can accompany, you can play the bass, you can play solo or with several voices - it's just like a whole band. My dear gone colleague Oscar Klein used to say: the organ is the smallest big band of the world. You have a point there, also with the nice term of the "Queen of instruments". To play ambidextrous with all four extremities is a challenge. The sound possibilities are fascinating, and you can groove particularly with the Hammond. You can play everything, from soft to screams, from soulful ballads to heavy funk tunes. And I am fascinated by this unmistakeable sound of these old electro-magnetic instruments. 

But you combine this sound with modern means…

Dennerlein: I have learnt from the start to play with pedals and I always loved the bass sound. When the midi technique came up I let built in additional pins in all keyboards. With this I can combine synthesizers and samplers with my Hammond. I have a sampled double bass sound which I play on the pedals and some self-programmed synthesizer sounds for the manuals. Meanwhile you might say this is vintage. I came to this sound somehow, and I still love it. The additional synthesizer sounds are in the long run a bit soulless but the Hammond isn't, because each tone sounds different and this is much more vivid. 

The concert evening in the Bürgerhaus has the motto "Women in Jazz". Is jazz still preserved for men or is this stereotype overcome?  

Dennerlein: I would not say that it is overcome. When I began, I was one of very few women. This has thankfully changed in favour of female musicians. Nowadays there are many fantastic female musicians, but of course the majority are still men. This process will go on.  Generally I think, one should put the focus on the music. Back then it was often said that a woman must play twice as good, and this is still true in a certain sense. I think especially young female musicians make certain experiences. But it always depends on the people.

What about newcomers in jazz anyway?

Dennerlein: There are a lot of well educated young musicians. But the problem which is not easy to change is, that there are not enough opportunities to perform. It's a lack of money for culture and art purposes today. It is sad: the first savings are made in the culture budgets, and for jazz in any way. If there weren't people and clubs who are much committed to promote concerts and festivals the situation would be horrible.

Regarding this, which meaning have especially smaller jazz festivals like this one in Bühl?

Dennerlein: Especially the smaller festivals are very important, because they give musicians a chance who are good but are not established yet. At big festivals you find always the same names. These people are in and are promoted by their record company with much money. They are touring from one big festival to the next. For the other, also very good musicians - and we have a good jazz scene in Germany - it is more difficult. But this has been so all the time. I know it from my first years of profession: there was lot of money for American acts and almost nothing left for German musicians. This is a drawback insofar as it is very difficult for all non-Americans to play in the USA, today more than in earlier years. It needs an enormous effort and costs, and the administration makes it almost impossible. On the other hand Americans have no problems co come to Europe and play here.

Does a jazz musician can live from the music today in Germany?

Dennerlein: That is possible, but you have to play and work a lot for it. Nowadays, promoters get hundreds of e-mails and requests from musicians. To stand out of the crowd requires something special.

What significance have live performances for you today?

Dennerlein: They are still the most important thing. Jazz musicians were never able to live from their CD sales, and the download and streaming services the musicians have almost no revenues - homoeopathic doses so to say, absolutely ridiculous. It is sad that those who deliver the base for music business with their art earn the least. The more important it is for us musicians to perform.