June 2008
JAZZ IN WALES IS NOT ALL BLUES
Cardiff might not be the home of jazz, but it’s certainly home
to one very talented jazz artist.
Former student of the Royal Welsh College of
Music and Drama, Pianist Dave Stapleton, is striking a chord with
critics the UK over, and he’s proving he didn’t need to relocate to
‘the big smoke’ to do it.
“You don’t have to move to London to be
successful”, explains Dave. “South Wales is very
healthy for jazz. A lot of people who have graduated from the Welsh
College of Music jazz course, people who have come into contact
with Keith Tippett - who often lectures there - are really doing
some original stuff.”
And that’s exactly what the young muso is
doing. Some very funky, very individual and unique, and very highly
praised ‘original stuff’.
His second album with his quintet, ‘The
House Always Wins’, released in September 07 under his own
record label Red Eye Music, has been described by The Guardian as
‘a real UK jazz revelation’, by The Independent as ‘fiery, bluesy
and unapologetically jazzy’, and Jazzwise as demonstrating a ‘wide
ranging musical vision’.
Stapleton graduated from RWCMD in 2002 with a
BMus in Classical Piano. Why did he choose this path rather than
specializing in the competitive Jazz Studies stream?
‘British jazz is caught between European and
American jazz, and not finding a distinctive voice.
“But having the classical influence in my
playing takes me more to the European side. I’m very conscious of
developing my own voice, and that’s why I’m glad I stuck with the
classical course at college and didn’t do the jazz course… jazz
music is about being organic, about being yourself. Europe has been
a huge influence, not only in my composing, but my playing as well.
I’m just after my own sound,’” Dave explains.
And he’s certainly finding his own unique
voice. His aim of steering The House Always Wins away from
the typical ‘American’ sound, and instead opting towards a
culmination of influences, has been lending the album to a very
innovative jazz fusion.
“I’ve been taking in a lot over the years,
and I think this album has quite a lot in it; there’s jazz, Latin,
blues, rock, classical influences… but very little ‘traditional’
jazz swing in there, no walking bass!” Dave says.
The Dave Stapleton Quintet was formed in 2004
and has appeared at the Brecon, Cheltenham and London Jazz
Festivals.
But it’s not only for his Quintet that his
innovative compositions are being created. He has also been working
on a ten minute solo for the principal viola player of the Welsh
National Opera, as well as a 15 minute piece for saxophone quartet
and piano- commissioned by the Luna Saxophone Quartet.
Whilst he is certainly keyed up in the jazz
field now, he says at first he ‘didn’t get it’.
“I saw Keith Tippett at college; he was
doing a free improvised class for classical students and I was 19
or 20… but by the second year I had learned to respect it, and in
my third year, I loved it.
“Keith really turned me on to being
creative with music, rather than being interpretive and he’s been
like my musical father really, lots of advice and so on.”
So, where does such a talented composer find
his inspiration?
“Actually, most ideas come when I least
expect it, when you’re not trying to think about them, like making
a piece of toast or waiting for the kettle to boil! That’s how it
seems to work for me, anyway!”
We hope you keep that kettle boiling,
Dave.