Steve Nelson-Raney

Could you introduce you to the french public ?
My background is in jazz (traditional and free) as well as contemporary classical music. Started playing jazz when young (piano, then saxophone) after studying traditional piano for some time. Interested early on in experimental forms of jazz that appeared in the 60s and from that avant garde classical music that seemed to be, in some ways, related. Composition was an interest of mine for many years, feeling close to New York School people like Feldman and especially Wolff; it's less an interest now but has had an impact on the way I improvise. I'm currently interested in a synthesis between composition and improvisation: developing (composing) musical language systems that are used as a basis for improvisation. And in the last few years, jazz has returned as a strong influence in my work. So, I'm very fortunate to live in a city where I can play free improvised music (with Hal Rammel  in particular) and various forms of jazz with players here. Solo playing continues to be exciting even though the venues are few. I teach in the Theory/Composition of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and direct the Contemporary Music Ensemble. Composition happens still on occasion.

When did you meet Hal Rammel ? Could you speak to us about your collaboration ?
Hal and I hooked up for the first time in 1994. I had heard him play and invited him over to play in my basement. We hit it off musically from the beginning, I think. I admired Hal's invention of instruments and his sensitivity to playing them. At the time, I was very interested in expanding my vocabulary on soprano and sopranino saxes in a textural way, so playing with Hal was exactly where I wanted to go. We did our first public performance after my SUMMER 1994 came out - the winter of 1995. Hal and I have similiar interests with regards to visual art also - we're both very interested in the same kind of photography, for example - so I think that has contributed to our musical togetherness. Playing with Hal has very much challenged my skills in terms of playing softly with control, as a lot of his playing is not amplified; that's an aspect of my sax playing that has changed and improved. Overall, I enjoy playing a traditional/pitch oriented instrument with a non-traditional/non-pitched one.

Can you tell us something about your last recording Breathing ?
BREATHING was a result of various sessions of playing together over a fairly long period of time - from playing in my basement to playing together in New York. We sorted through a lot of stuff that we had and wanted to represent a range of our work - which I think it does. Also, the package is a result of Hal's concept for Penumbra - where he wanted it to go visually and physically. The cover (each hand made - Hal's photo squares, my silver ink drawings) is an example of our visual art interests.

How did you approach improvisation ?
I approach improvising with Hal by simply trying to be as centered and as open as possible with my instruments (usually soprano and sopranino saxophone). I am absolutely not interested forcing a situation where I must do something different each time I play - that almost always happens by itself; rather, I'm interested in developing my language system(s) for the instruments and using that language to converse or respond with Hal or whoever I might be playing with, and allowing that language to expand and bring in new elements. Hal and I never plan our playing nor talk about 'directions' except to perhaps decide that we'll be conscious to laying out for the other to play a solo section at some point in the piece. Nothing else is planned out; we just play. As for tension, I'm not too sure about what you mean. Actually, I don't think the way Hal and I play creates much tension. It seems to be a lot about agreement and starting something together and heading toward a focal point together. Rarely do we play totally distinct things against each other for long periods of time.

Is it special for you to play with Hal ?
When we play it does create some sort of other place where we both live for the duration of the piece. I think that happens from similar sensibilities and interests, etc. and getting along together personally. We never talk about that. Also, I think we 'hear' things the same - like where the improvisation is going, which gives the piece a sense of togetherness and direction. Playing music is always (I should say 'usually') a wonderful, almost magical experience and, I think, not very effectively  talked about. That's the space that musicians are always looking for and why they keep playing.

Is The solo an other part of your work ?
Solo work:  Since I try to play every day, I play alone a lot. Rarely do I 'practice' as such; it's always playing - the same as if I were out in public and/or playing with other people. When I'm playing alone, my musical vocabulary gets developed and fine tuned. I have many compositions that I've done (written) for solo saxophone, but they seem not that important to play right now. So playing alone is just playing alone - whatever 's interesting; it may be playing tunes, with changes, as I've been doing a lot of recently, or the kind of material from 'Stream of Threads,' where all different textures come together under one umbrella. At this point, there are very few opportunities for me to play solo in public, which I regret.

What do you think about the health of the creative scene in the USA ?
Health of the New Music Scene :  I feel not very qualified to address the health question, as I don't tour and am rather isolated here. I really don't pay much attention to all of that, since it doesn't affect me. Rater, I'd prefer to put my energy toward developing some sort of a scene here (regardless of how small it is) that can survive in these times which show less and less interest in this stuff. One thing I've done to begin to address this has been my series of house concerts. I hope to step the frequency up this summer. I'm simply inviting friends over to play and announcing by mail that we're playing. I'd very much like to build a community of artists and other interested people around this idea. Other than enjoying reading reviews, etc. of things that happen in NY or Europe, I'm not at all affected by it one way or another. The people I listen to - I try to find people who are mining the same fields that I am, or think I am, so that would be some of the free jazz players; Cecil Taylor continues to be exciting; Charles Gayle, Test, Roscoe Mitchell are others.  Also I've been listening to some traditional jazz (like Rollins and Mulligan) lately. Not many composers interest me. Exceptions would be Christian Wolff and Peter Garland. I'm listening to practically no European improvisors at the present time. Also some few pieces of classical music I listen to - sometimes obsessively.

Could you speak to us about Dreamtime and The Great Lakes Improvisation Project ?
Dreamtime is an eclectic jazz trio that I play in - tenor sax or piano. The other two instruments are bass and drums. The 'tunes' include mine (some free Ornette type heads, mainly), jazz standards (Monk, Ornette, bop stuff, Coltrane) and other standards (with chord changes). It's very enjoyable to play in that format with a wide range of material with these great musicians. Since I play in many other contexts which are free improvisation oriented, playing 'tunes' (some of which have changes) is, I think, a healthy balance and is why this group is so enjoyable. The Great Lakes Improvisation Project is an umbrella that Hal Rammel and I started for presenting the music we do in the Milwaukee area. Hal plays with groups that do not involve me and I the same, so we now have a context for presenting all the music that we're involved in. A staple of GLIP has been Audiotrope, a free improvisation trio, which is Hal, myself and guitarist Thomas Gaudynski. We have discussed the possibility of expanding the concept of GLIP to bring in others from the area doing  work that is not music related, as visual artists, writers, etc., as we have done performances that use these elements. That would be a future goal, I guess, and building a community of artists here around that.

What do you want to do in music in the next future ?
My music for the future: My focus continues to be, simply, deveolping my playing as much as possible and playing with the best and most interesting players that I can. Although Milwaukee is not a great mecca for the music I'm interested in, there are some wonderful, creative musicians here and I'm happy to be here doing things with them. Given the state of things at the present time, I don't see much improving, as far as interest or support for art/music that strays from the mainstream. One simply continues or does not. I remain excited at the prospect of continuing what I do for as long as I'm can, regardless of the attention, or lack there of, that it may receive. Sometimes it seems that the whole thing may not have much to do with 'music', but rather, developing a practice that one does everyday and watches change over time. The wonderful payoffs and rewards are occasionally getting to play in public and/or with other people.

Interview by Sébastien Moig

  Discographie

- Summer 1994 - CODY - 1994
- The Zeus Series - CODY - 1999
- Breathing - Penumbra Music - 1999
- Cutting of the Edge of Time - Penumbra Music - 2001