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==ChatGPT version==
Piotr Nowicki talks with the guitarist
(Due to the extensive material, we have decided to present Allan Holdsworth's profile in two parts. In this section, we are publishing an interview conducted last autumn. In the next issue, we will discuss his extensive discography, equipment, and interesting facts from his biography.)
COLTRANE OF GUITAR
Allan Holdsworth's name is mainly associated with the band U.K. Some guitar fans remember him from albums by Tony Williams, Jean Luc Ponty, GONG, and SOFT MACHINE. He's often called the Coltrane of the guitar, although such labels don't mean much to him personally. Masters like Van Halen, Zappa, Santana, and Joe Zawinul regard him as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, yet he remains in the shadows. He is known, especially in our circles, to a narrow audience, although more and more people are discovering the charm of his challenging but very interesting and original music. Musicians appreciate him for his creativity and attitude - he is perpetually dissatisfied with what he played in the past, always seeking something new. He defined modern legato playing on the guitar and is a master of tremolo use. He perfected the use of the SynthAxe, an instrument designed to bring sound synthesis into the realm of the guitar. Thanks to his unconventional approach to harmony and the development of his own theory of scales based on mathematical permutations of intervals, he became one of the few guitar innovators. He possesses a technique that still impresses to this day. As Eddie Van Halen once said, "What I do on the neck with both hands, he does with one." He can be appreciated not only for intellectualism and a conceptual approach to the instrument but also for the emotions expressed in his harmonies and dramatic solos, where solo lines are always a pretext to showcase harmonic structures. His phrasing is an unparalleled model. Listening to him demands dedication and concentration. His albums are sometimes uneven, but that's the result of constant exploration. This artist never rests on his laurels, which is why buying one of his albums after a few years may lead to a completely different musical experience. He has a large and devoted fan base scattered around the world. Every self-respecting guitarist sooner or later comes across his records. He's not the idol type; he doesn't play on heavily advertised super-guitars (although you could see him on advertising pages recently), he doesn't have a record contract, and he doesn't like it when someone tells him what to play. Perhaps by working with good producers, he would record entirely different, maybe better, perhaps more palatable albums for a broader audience. However, he doesn't trust anyone; he composes, records, produces, and mixes his own albums, wanting complete control over the music he releases under his name. Hence, he despises bootlegs. He also dislikes critics, the showbiz, and discussions about music, which he claims you either play or listen to. You won't find his music on radio stations, simply because it can't be unequivocally classified as jazz or rock, and the word "fusion" is already outdated. In his sounds, you can find impressionism reminiscent of classical music, elements of jazz improvisation, rock expression, and progressive coolness.
MUSICAL CAREER
He hails from Bradford, Yorkshire, where he was born on August 6, 1946. His musical education was greatly influenced by his father, a jazz pianist and enthusiast who taught him the basics and, most importantly, surrounded him with music. Albums by Django Reinhardt, Jimmy Rainey, Charlie Christian, later Joe Pass and John Coltrane, had a significant impact on him, as he admits. He learned to play several instruments (see the interview). His first band was called IGGINBOTTOM, and he even recorded an album with them in 1969. After the group disbanded, Holdsworth returned to his daily activities while occasionally playing in local clubs at night. At that time, he viewed music as a hobby, but over time, it began to take up more and more of his time. He moved successively to Manchester and London, playing in clubs, partly thanks to the discovery of his talent by saxophonist Ray Warleigh. This period was marked by new experiences and acquaintances. One of his acquaintances, Jon Hiseman (ex-COLLOSEUM), formed his band TEMPEST, with Allan Holdsworth as the guitarist and Paul Williams as the singer. After recording their debut album, a series of concerts, and his departure from the group, the artist began performing with the group NUCLEUS. In 1973, he played concerts with SOFT MACHINE and became a member of the band in the spring of the following year. He gained recognition in the music industry as a guitarist and musician, and in 1975, he joined Tony Williams' LIFETIME. After leaving the group due to "financial uncertainties" in 1976, he recorded his first solo album, "Velvet Darkness." A year later, he appeared on GONG's album and collaborated with Jean-Luc Ponty. During the same period, he also played with Bill Bruford, who invited him to a recording session for his album "Feels Good To Me." Thanks to the album "In The Dead of the Night" by the band U.K., his name became known to a wider audience of music lovers, including many guitarists who closely followed his career and music development from that point on. However, he left the group, recorded more albums with Bruford, and contemplated a solo career. With nothing else to do, he repaired amplifiers and sold equipment accumulated during concert tours with U.K. He began rehearsals with his good friend Jack Bruce (ex-CREAM) and Jon Hiseman. In the United Kingdom at that time, punk was reigning supreme, and no one cared about the music they had to offer. In the meantime, he met the fantastic young drummer Gary Husband, with whom he formed a new band. Along with Paul Carmichael (bass) and old friend Paul Williams, they recorded the album I.O.U. (the name suggests it's about borrowed money, and indeed, without it, there would be no album). It was released in 1982 (reissued in 1986), and in the meantime, Holdsworth even considered seriously quitting music altogether. He moved to California, and his big fan, Eddie Van Halen, convinced the Warner Bros executives to the extent that they signed a record deal with Holdsworth. In 1983, the legendary EP "Road Games" was released, which is now almost unavailable on the market. However, this marked the end of Warner's collaboration with the artist. Holdsworth's solo career began, yielding instrumental albums starting with "Metal Fatigue" (1986) and ending with "None Too Soon" (1996). A fan of Tetley beer, he loves bicycle rides and the TV series "Star Trek." He has a wife, Claire, with whom he raises three children.
CONCERT
I spoke with Allan Holdsworth before his concert at the Quasimodo club in Berlin, where he performed alongside Chad Wackerman (drums) and Dave Carpenter (bass). The Berlin performance was part of their European tour, organized after the success of previous shows in late February and March 1997. Allan Holdsworth's trio performed the following songs in Berlin: "Sixteen Men Of Tain" – a new melody from the upcoming album, "Looking Glass" from the album "Atavachron," "Above + Below," "E-tune (Material Real)" – another new track, and "Water On The Brain" from the album "Road Games," in which Carpenter excellently stepped into the shoes of the famous predecessor, Jeff Berlin, and delivered an astounding bass solo. After playing the new song "Running on Fumes," Allan Holdsworth commented on the enthusiastic fan response with the words, "This is a new song; you can't imagine how we f...ed it up." They performed "Funnels" in a somewhat swinging version, significantly altered from the original on the "Atavachron" album, featuring an excellent drum solo by Chad Wackerman. After a short break, they returned to the stage to play "Letters of Marque" from the "I.O.U." album, another new composition "0-1-2-7-4," and again from "I.O.U.," this time "Where Is the One." "House of Mirrors" from "Hard Hat Area" didn't sound as good as on the album, and the guitarist used a Roland VG-8 instead of the SynthAxe, if I recall correctly. "Texas" was another new song of the evening, followed by "Shallow Sea" from "I.O.U.," the galloping "Proto Cosmos" dedicated to Tony Williams, and finally, the encore, "Tokyo Dream" from "Road Games," which was welcomed with applause. For the encore, they played "Mr. Berwell" from "Atavachron," as far as I remember. As you can see, most of the material came from the albums "Atavachron" and "I.O.U." I'm not sure if this was driven by sentiment, which the artist holds for these albums, or rather their versatility and adaptability to the trio format. However, in my opinion, there was a lack of keyboard instruments in the background, which, besides creating atmosphere, would have provided a harmonic backdrop for the solos. Although Dave Carpenter did his best by playing various bass patterns, including regular and spread chords (sometimes it sounded like he was using a "sweep" technique on the bass!), he couldn't replicate the rich harmonies when Holdsworth played a solo. The master himself, as always, was focused and showed that despite his age, his fingers had not lost their agility. Speed, precision, and most importantly, his unique improvisations, which required the audience to keep up with his thoughts and narratives, were showcased. Comparing his live performance to what he recorded on albums, I had the feeling that his guitar style was slowly evolving, and the character of improvisations, especially in the new songs, hinted at another facet of the artist. We'll see what we find on the new album. Strangely, he didn't use the tremolo at all, and as fans may recall, using the "whammy bar" (which, incidentally, Van Halen cleverly emulated) added a specific atmosphere to his solos. Dave Carpenter skillfully handled the solo parts during the evening, playing at times similar to Jimmie Johnson, extremely technically proficient and musical. Chad Wackerman set the pace with very economical movements, and it was clear that the section's cooperation was working well. Allan Holdsworth is worth listening to and watching live, as it's an opportunity to hear improvisations that have not been recorded on any album yet. It's high time for the artist to consider a live album, although he often says that he won't record one too quickly.
GiB Special (Interview)
Guitar and Bass: Are you currently recording an album?
Allan Holdsworth: Yes, I intend to, but the problem is that I need a record contract. It's very difficult when you play this kind of music. We've just finished nearly a new album; we finished recording six songs before going on tour, and when we return, we'll do three more. I hope the album will be released in January.
GiB: Who are you playing with on the new record?
A.H: Gary Novak on drums, Dave Carpenter on bass, and myself. In one of the songs, Alan Pasqua plays the piano, and on two tracks, Walt Fowler plays the trumpet.
GiB: What led you to record with different musicians than before? (Editor's note: Allan Holdsworth typically recorded several of his albums with a relatively stable lineup, including Jimmy Johnson, Gary Willis, or Skuli Sverrisson on bass, and either Chad Wackerman or Gary Husband on drums. On keyboards, it was often Alan Pasqua or Steve Hunt, with Gordon Beck occasionally on piano.)
A.H: Things change over the years. I've always played with Gary Husband because he's a unique person to me, especially when it comes to a similar feeling for music. He's played with me whenever he could. Jimmy Johnson also played with me, as did Skuli Sverrisson from Iceland. So, I had Gary, Skuli, and Steve Hunt on keyboards in my group (this lineup recorded Holdsworth's album "Hard Hat Area" - editor's note). It was a great band, but it was tough to keep it going - touring and traveling was too expensive, and it was hard to make any money. I made an agreement with Dave Carpenter, who is a great bassist (he played, among other things, on Scott Henderson's "Tore Down House," his latest solo album), that we should put together a band based on local, easily accessible musicians, along with Gary Novak on drums. We did a small tour, but I had problems again scheduling it, so it looks like Chad Wackerman, who's playing with me during this mini-tour in Europe, will play in the remaining three tracks on the album.
GiB: The issue is finding a record label that would release your music. Are there any chances of you signing a contract that would at least allow you some comfort when recording future albums? In Europe, Jean-Marie Salhani is such a daring figure. (Editor's note: Holdsworth's albums were mainly released by American labels Enigma and later Restless. The latter holds the rights to his albums in the US. Allan often mentions that no one puts effort into promoting his records, but he can't afford to buy back the entire US catalog. In Japan, the most recent albums were released under Polydor. In Europe, all his solo albums are released by JMS-Cream Records in Paris. Many albums on the market are bootlegs.)
GiB: Yes, here in Europe, it will be released by J. M. Salhani, but I have no idea how to release it outside Europe. I don't have any record contract. That's why I often run into problems when someone releases my unreleased recordings as bootlegs. This time, a guy who sang in my band over 10 years ago, Paul Williams (he sang on "Road Games," "I.O.U.," and "Metal Fatigue" – editor's note), did that. I can't believe what he did. He had some tapes that he never told me about. He remixed them and released them. To make matters worse, these are tapes from 1985, which he released as some new album. It really pissed me off because it's very hard to sign a record contract when people behave like he did. He never told me about this, and he didn't sign any contracts with anyone who played in the band at that time. He made money off my music, my band, and my name, which he put on the record. I'm really p***ed off at him for what he did. Right now, I'm taking legal action against him... I really can't believe what he did. Why didn't he name the album after himself? This guy is an idiot. The problem is that moves like this tarnish my image. People see the album in stores, so my request would be for them to be kind enough not to buy this album.
GiB: These situations seem to happen to you quite often, I would say regularly. I remember that you recorded many albums quickly, you weren't satisfied with some sessions, yet they appeared on records. Often, what was recorded accidentally or stealthily was released without consulting you. Do you remember your first session with the IGGINBOTTOMS BAND? You recorded quickly, and I think you don't have very fond memories of that experience today?
A.H: That was a completely different situation because we shouldn't have recorded back then, really. You know, I was playing too briefly. It's like a picture of someone completely different, actually like a three-year-old musical child in swaddling clothes. Those are such distant times... and I'm only interested in my new music. What I recorded in the past means much less to me.
GiB: If I remember correctly, drummer John Stevens also illegally released material that is now feverishly sought after by collectors?
A.H: Yes, John Stevens did the same thing. He actually took advantage of the fact that I'm not very famous, and I'm not able to take everyone to court and sue them for releasing bootlegs. He also showed what kind of a**hole he is. I think I might have said too much because he's no longer alive...
GiB: Do others make a lot of money from you?
A.H: They certainly make some, but these are not the sums that a record company could fight for, possibly involving someone going to jail. Normally, if I had more money, Paul Williams, for re-releasing material from an old video cassette under my name, would end up behind bars.
GiB: I know you're a demanding artist, and you don't like it when someone releases songs that you don't want to associate with because of their quality.
A.H: There are still things that I don't like, and there's nothing I can do about it. Like I said, I don't have a contract in the States, and while it wouldn't have been too hard to sign one earlier, now no one will sign one with me right away, for sure. I think I'll release the new album on my own, along with a friend who has a music store. He has enough money to finance this project. In Japan, the album will be released by Polydor/PolyGram, in Europe by JMS. I've also contacted a German distributor regarding the bootleg, and he assured me that they won't sell it, so maybe we can get someone in Germany. In the States, I'll have to ask or force Paul Williams to stop selling that awful record.
GiB: Will you also sell the new album through the Internet? Many musicians, especially independent ones, do this now.
A.H: The new one? Yes, we can do that, and we probably will.
GiB: At the same time, I know you're working on other projects, including another album with drummer Andrea Marcelli?
A.H: Yes, we started the album, but we stopped working on it. It's a joint project, most of the material is already recorded, including the basic tracks, but we need to record our solos and those of other musicians.
GiB: Do you like collaborating with other artists on such terms as with Marcelli?
A.H: I like him and his music. It's different, and for me, it's incredibly nice to record something different from what I normally do. That's why I enjoyed what I recorded with the Johansson brothers (referring to the album "Heavy Machinery" – editor's note) because I would never write or play such an album, but I had a lot of fun playing it. It was fresh and exciting in its own way. Yes, I like doing different things, especially if they're unusual. (From my information, Holdsworth was supposed to appear on the F/X album by the WALK AWAY group, but it didn't work out due to scheduling conflicts – editor's note.)
GiB: In your career, you also had an episode under the name LEVEL 42. Is that the kind of "intelligent pop music" as you yourself described it, that you would like to play if anyone invited you to collaborate?
A.H: Playing with a pop group? No, I wouldn't be able to stand being in that kind of group; I'd probably go crazy...
GiB: Are you referring to playing the same tunes every night?
A.H: Yes, in general, it's about music that annoys me. Someone else could probably do that job better than me. Besides, you're dealing with show business. I don't want to say anything bad about the band because it's a good group, and I like those people, especially Mark King and of course, Gary Husband, with whom I've worked for years. I particularly enjoyed recording the album, and I would probably be able to do it again someday. (Allan Holdsworth played on the album and tour, replacing the late Alan Murphy, who was considered the second, after Holdsworth, English guitar in this difficult-to-name genre. Let's agree that it's modern improvised music – editor's note.)
GiB: Going back to more distant times: I know you stopped playing acoustic guitar because of the percussive character of the sound. I read somewhere that you played the violin, and I found annotations about this instrument on several album covers. Why did you pick up the violin, and why did you stop playing it?
A.H: I never really started and stopped playing that instrument. I played many instruments: oboe, clarinet, saxophone, violin, and viola. However, I never really played them. I was just curious about other instruments. I was curious about the violin, and besides, I was amazed at how quickly and without too much effort, I made some progress. I remember it was a few months to half a year. I stopped playing because it's a difficult instrument, and it took time away from my guitar. Besides, I couldn't play chords. I even wanted to play the saxophone at one point, but the inability to produce harmonies made me stop playing. Chords are a very important part of what I like and what I do in music.
GiB: At one point, you had a problem choosing which instrument to play: SynthAxe or guitar...
A.H: I like the SynthAxe solo, and I like it more now than the guitar because it brings me closer to what I wanted to achieve with an instrument, which I couldn't do with the guitar. Especially after playing it for a few years. It was something completely new to me on "Atavachron." I got that instrument just before recording the album. I didn't know it at all. Later on "Sand" and "Secret," especially when I was recording "Sand," I felt satisfied with what I had done, compared to the guitar...
GiB: Oh yes, the track "Spokes" is fantastic...
A.H: Yes, I felt like I managed to work out the right sound, find myself... But they (the company that produced SynthAxe) stopped making it, so I started to worry about getting attached to such an instrument. If it broke, I would be lost. So I pretty much gave up on SynthAxe and went back to the guitar.
GiB: Is the guitar an instrument that still presents new challenges for you, or will you perhaps be looking for another synthesizer model?
A.H: No, I'll stick with the guitar. Every instrument presents enough challenges to keep me busy for, let's say, ten of my "lives." I could live for 1000 years and still know nothing about music. The more you learn, the more you realize you know nothing. It's endless. I never really knew anything. Now I know more than before, but really, I know nothing...
GiB: It's strange to hear this from an artist who many musicians and critics consider an innovator. You have many enthusiasts of your music; some even place you among the greatest guitarists and musicians of our time...
A.H: Well, yes? It's amazing (with a smile), I appreciate that...
GiB: I read that your approach to harmony is based on finding permutations of scales, their notes, and chords, which reminded me of Johann Sebastian Bach, who was considered a great musical mathematician by many. Classical music must also inspire you, right?
A.H: I've always liked what that man did and other classical musicians. I like Bach, Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, Stravinsky. I like that period when Bartok and Debussy lived, that "romantic" style. I like this music; it's great and has had a big influence on me. When I was a child, before I knew anything, when I was about three years old, I couldn't understand why one music made me cry, and another made me happy. I didn't know what it was. Music is something special, magical to me... But I still don't know what it is...
GiB: Your father played a significant role in your childhood. Thanks to him, you got to know many jazz records?
A.H: Well, my father was a really great musician and a talented artist, and also... a football player. He had a talent for everything he touched...
GiB: You dedicated one of your songs on "Metal Fatigue" to him...
A.H: There are several songs that I dedicated to him. Not only on that album, but also on "Secret"...
GiB: Which one?
A.H: "Endomorph"... Yes, my father was incredible; he never really achieved anything. Towards the end, he completely quit music, which I couldn't understand when I started playing myself. Now I understand why he did it – he simply didn't have the opportunity I have, which is playing for an audience that is open to music. He found himself in a city where there was no outlet for his talent. Besides, after the war, he didn't want to be away from home and lose contact with his family, so he simply found a regular job, a source of income. Towards the end of his life, he stopped enjoying it... He helped me immensely. He couldn't play the guitar, but he knew everything about this instrument, which frets corresponded to which notes, chords. Eventually, he became quite a decent guitarist, teaching me all these things (laughter). It was incredible...
GiB: As far as I know, you don't teach guitar yourself...
A.H: How could I teach others when I don't know anything myself? There are people who enjoy teaching and can teach you everything you want to know about what everyone else is already doing. I'm trying to find a different path; I want to do something more. There must be more than one way to do something. You know, I like bebop; I grew up listening to it, but I don't feel the need to play that kind of music because, for me, it's a shallow shortcut to the real meaning of "improvisation." There are too many really great musicians who do it, so...
GiB: You're right; I've noticed that while listening to many otherwise well-known and respected contemporary musicians. They keep playing similarly, imitating something that has already been invented – the same things.
A.H: Yes, when you recognize the chords, note lines, scales, you come to the conclusion that you've heard it before. In most cases, the people who played it first did it the best; they were ready to cross certain boundaries, go to the other side. For me, that's the "something" that music is really about.
GiB: When you mentioned going to the other side, it reminded me of your song "At the Edge" from the album "The Things you see..." This album is evidence of your musical encounter with Gordon Beck, a fantastic but perhaps underrated pianist. Together, you create extraordinary compositions. Why didn't you record more music together?
A.H: Later, we recorded another album together as a duet (referring to "With a Heart in my song") and realized "None Too Soon." I love him; he's a great and extraordinary musician. We work well together. He's one of the few musicians with whom I feel a musical connection and similarity. It turns out that he also likes what I do with my music. That's why he asked me if we wouldn't make the album "None Too Soon" together. He said, "You know, people really don't understand what you're doing, so maybe we could record an album with jazz or regular tunes. People could hear what you do with familiar songs as a background. They'd probably understand you and your musical thinking better." I agreed.
GiB: Why did Gordon play an electric piano?
A.H: Because we recorded it at my house. I didn't have the money to rent a studio. We recorded it in my home studio; I have a small studio at home...
GiB: The Brewery?
A.H: Yes. It's just a garage; it looks much bigger than it actually is.
GiB: I read that the house you live in is also extraordinary...
A.H: Yes, it has a dome shape, it's round. It was inexpensive, and the garage was already built. The move didn't cost us much because the house I used to live in with my family, although smaller, was in a more expensive neighborhood. So we moved to the suburbs of San Diego. In that large garage, a friend of mine who's a carpenter built the studio. I mixed "Hard Hat Area" there, and we recorded "None Too Soon" and the latest album.
GiB: Do you record on analog tape?
A.H: Yes, I borrow one. I couldn't afford it for "None Too Soon" because I didn't have the money, so I recorded it on ADATs. I don't like them; they don't sound good, but I had to make the best of the time and working conditions.
GiB: Regarding money: I know that often you don't have enough to finish work on an album. Is it not the most frustrating moment when, in addition to your musical pursuits, seemingly prosaic but still challenging financial obstacles stand in your way?
A.H: That's why I have a home studio. Before setting it up, I collected equipment for a few years, bit by bit, until I had enough to create the studio. I don't even have a tape machine, just a good console and some sound processing equipment. A good console is half the battle; I bought it a few years ago. (Holdsworth uses a Trident console - author's note.)
GiB: In one of your interviews, I read that there was a point in your life when you were selling your own guitars just to survive?
A.H: I sold all my guitars to mix the "I.O.U." album. When we finished the work, I didn't have any guitars. That's when I met Grover Jackson from Charvel, a fantastic guy who made me about five or six different guitars, including two special ones, beautiful red and white ones that I had for many years. Gorgeous instruments. He just gave them to me. So when I came to the States and had no guitars with me, he gave me not one but two, a great guy.
GIB: You moved to America in 1982. Was it a difficult decision to leave everything in England and go into the unknown?
AH: No, it was pretty easy because in England, I was unemployed as a musician. I couldn't work in England.
GiB: Were those tough times for you?
A.H: It wasn't a bad thing; I don't think of it that way. Many musicians have to do other things. I earned a living in various places: factories, workshops, bike shops. But when I saw my name in American guitar magazines like "Guitar Player," I thought maybe someone in America would be interested in my music. One of our musician friends was living in California at the time, so we went there with the band and stayed at his place. We played a few shows, and that's when we met Mike Varney. He helped us book some gigs at clubs, which surprisingly sold really well. It was amazing, performing to packed rooms after a period when we usually played to empty chairs, and there were no chances of getting any tours at all.
GiB: You mentioned Varney's name. You recorded an album with Frank Gambale for his label...
A.H: Yes, but that was Mark Varney, his brother. Mike helped us with the tours, and I played with Gambale for Mark. It's a good album. I love Frank and the other musicians I played with then, even though I realized that the album's producer, Mike Varney, wanted a "guitar war" all the time. I didn't agree with his concept, so I played some parts on the SynthAxe. I thought its sound would provide a good contrast to the guitar, rather than following the pattern of playing guitar solos one after another.
GiB: Since we've touched on the topic of other guitarists, I'd like you to talk about your connections with Eddie Van Halen. I know he helped finalize the contract with Warner Brothers, and you were supposed to record something together. At least that's what I gathered from one of the interviews he gave to "Guitar World" magazine...
A.H: Yes, he probably would have been involved in "Road Games." But it turned out to be a huge disaster. You know, Eddie is a wonderful, noble guy; I really like him a lot. He helped me a great deal, especially in getting the Warner contract. However, it didn't work out because they wanted me to play a type of music that I wasn't interested in. I just didn't see the point in signing with a major label if they wouldn't allow me to do what I usually do. If someone from a big record label came now and said, "We'll give you a contract, but you can't play what you play," I wouldn't be interested in that either.
GiB: Well, jazz critics don't consider you a jazzman, and for rock fans, you're "off-topic," too jazzy. Do you think this kind of labeling, assigning someone's music to genres, is necessary?
A.H.: No, but it seems that everyone wants some classification. The category of "jazz" isn't strict. My father usually said that the word "jazz" was a label assigned to improvisation over harmonic and rhythmic structures, regardless of what it was. After styles developed, they became a traditional form. Now we have the second generation of traditional jazz, modern jazz. Styles like Bebop have become classics, and that's great; many really great musicians keep that genre alive. However, it's not something that resonates with me. I like to listen to it from time to time, but... it's not for me. A chord sequence is a chord sequence. On "None Too Soon," we recorded such songs. I didn't know any of them, so I learned them like any other melodies. The chords were the same, but I recorded the solo parts as if I were playing them in my original compositions. So there was no difference; only the format was different. I'm not interested in it in the long run... In the meantime, I asked Holdsworth if he could say a few words about his approach to harmony. "It's too difficult, let's drop it," he cut it short.
GiB: In the discussion club that exists in your online fan club, I read opinions that "NTS" is an album where you can't feel the swing, and the blame was placed on the drummer, Kirk Covington. What do you think about such criticism? As far as I know, Willis and Covington were recommended to you by Scott Henderson (Scott plays with them in his band TRIBAL TECH - ed.).
A.H.: I invited Gary Willis to work on the album because I love him; he's a fantastic bass player. I wanted him to feel comfortable with someone who would sit behind the drums. I gave him free rein, and he chose Kirk. I like what he played, maybe it's not good for everyone. This is not an album for everyone; people can throw it in the trash. It doesn't matter whether you like it or not. What time is it now? At this moment, there's about half an hour left until the concert, so our conversation ended. I didn't have time to ask many other questions, so I felt somewhat unsatisfied. Perhaps the conversation can be continued when Holdsworth finally comes to our country. Apparently, there have been a few attempts to arrange his performances here. He was even supposed to perform in Warsaw and Krakow in the autumn of last year. Manager Patrizzio Chiozza comforted me by saying that it's rarely possible to persuade Allan to do an interview, especially not before a concert. I guess I was lucky...
Piotr Nowicki
CDN
Acknowledgments: Thanks to - Patrizzio Chiozza, Jean Marie Salhani, Giorgio & all crew at the Quasimodo Club.
