Sandro Zerafa is joining forces with three international musicians for a performance at the Manoel Theatre. Ramona Depares catches up with him.
You were one of the pioneers for rekindling a jazz culture in Malta. How has the scene evolved and what are your thoughts about it now?
The jazz scene in Malta has changed a lot in recent years. Nowadays, it’s younger, more dynamic and audacious. Until a few years ago, jazz had always been relegated to piano bar/background music status. Now we have real artistic projects, a jazz collective and myriad venues hosting live jazz. I think the Malta Jazz Festival is partly responsible for this.
It provided the impetus to nurture creativity and educate oneself about this music. Unfortunately, jazz is still quite absent on the cultural calendar and there are very few opportunities to watch jazz heavyweights perform apart from those three days at Ta’ Liesse.
There was a time when jazz and young people, even genuine music lovers, simply didn’t mix. Now, things seem to be changing locally, with regular events and an increased number of musicians taking to the genre. To what do you attribute this?
Although jazz will never be part of popular mainstream culture, there has been a phenomenon in recent years. Bands like The Bad Plus, Snarky Puppy, Brad Mehldau and Robert Glasper (although all extremely different acts) succeeded in allying certain elements of pop music/popular culture with jazz. This made jazz more appealing to the younger crowd.
To someone who grew up listening to pop and was never exposed to jazz, the genre can be a bit of a cultural shock, at first. It’s only natural that people born in the 1990s are attracted to this kind of jazz. Hopefully, they will end up tracing the roots of jazz. I say hopefully, as I strongly believe that in any style of jazz, one needs to have a foot in the past. A strong sense of tradition is essential.
Why does jazz have a bit of a rep as ‘the bad guy’ in music, with some describing it as inaccessible, or even boring?
I don’t know about the inaccessible/boring part. I guess that is simply a populist notion of any form of modernist artistic expression. But I can argue about jazz’s lack of popularity. There was a time when jazz was the music people used to dance to. It was the pop music of an era.
With the advent of rock and roll, jazz lost its dominant position in the music industry. It also naturally evolved into an increasingly complex music. It became a niche thing, though still attached to its popular roots. As one musician said, jazz is the most popular form of erudite music and the most erudite form of popular music.
Popular music has become increasingly homogenised, largely as a result of pressure from major labels and the increasingly capitalist environment of the music business
Popular music has become increasingly homogenised, largely as a result of pressure from major labels and the increasingly capitalist environment of the music business
I think that in the end it’s also a question of what you’re exposed to when you’re young. We are constantly fed increasingly homogenised music. Our ears become less discerning. Timbral and chordal variety in popular music have been on the decline since a while. And, obviously, jazz sits uneasily in this environment.
How do you describe your own style of jazz?
Difficult to answer. I always felt torn between many different styles. I guess my music reflects this constant search to find my voice. I think the result is quite colourful.
What can you tell us about the musicians you chose to collaborate with for your upcoming concert. What attracted you to pick them?
I am always looking for musicians who can push me to the next level of what I can do. Every time I play with Yonathan Avishai I feel that the music will take a different direction. He always manages to surprise me with his intensity and simplicity. He also has a strong sense of jazz tradition which is something I deeply appreciate in a musician.
Lukmil Perez has a very organic sense of time and he takes great risks and he also has a great sound which envelopes the whole band. Yoni is my longest collaborator to date. I think we share a lot together in the way we perceive music. He is a great, no-bullshit kind of musician.
Somehow, jazz seems to offer more scope/is more open to the idea of collaboration between musicians than other genres. To what do you attribute this?
Jazz imitates life, drawing upon everyday human interactions. Jazz is also a language. That magic of creating music, with no rehearsals and never having met the musicians beforehand, through the common understanding and knowledge of this language is unique to jazz and other improvised music. The collaboration between musicians is at the heart of this genre.
You’ve gone on record as saying that radios and TV stations are guilty of underestimating the audiences by assuming they won’t enjoy certain genres like jazz. How did this come about? Is this slowly changing in Malta?
As I mentioned earlier, popular music has become increasingly homogenised, largely as a result of pressure from major labels and the increasingly capitalist environment of the music business. This can be felt in every aspect, from the radio playlists, the mastering process (a louder, more compressed sound) to the increasing lack of variety in popular music.
Is there a place for jazz and creative music in all this? The assumption is that these styles alienate people. The reality is that these are not bankable forms of music. Ultimately, it has to do with the desire to provide quality over the bankable. But, unfortunately, that does not seem to be a priority in recent times. I am not saying that everyone should, and will, enjoy jazz. But I know for sure there are many people out there who are potential jazz lovers, there are many people who enjoy great music and that radios and TV stations can have an educational role.
As artistic director of the jazz festival you are known for attempting to strike a balance between what is popular/a fusion of genres and the purer forms of jazz. Why do you feel that this is important?
I think it’s a great way to introduce people to great music they’re missing out on. The fusion genre has a wide public appeal and can attract people who are not necessarily exposed to jazz. By having contrasting double bills, the layman will get to discover the purer kind of jazz. I strongly believe in the educational role of the festival.
Your last album, The Bigger Picture, received extremely good reviews. Are you working on any new recordings right now?
I am working on new material which will be recorded in June. The band will feature Yonathan, Yoni and Lukmil, and also some special guests. This recording will be made possible through the support of the Malta Arts Fund. I will be playing some of the new works at the upcoming Manoel Theatre concert.
What can we expect from the Manoel concert?
Honest music. And some incredible musicians.
What are you currently up to in Paris?
Playing, composing, practising, teaching, travelling, raising a seven-year-old child, drinking non-recommended amounts of coffee, seriously indulging in the French culinary and oenological delights and trying to be a better person.
Jazz with Sandro Zerafa, Yonathan Avishai, Yoni Zelnik and Lukmil Perez takes place on Wednesday at 8pm at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt