Peter Brötzmann – missing some passion and a political discussion
Af Simon Christensen. Foto: Niklas Adrian Vindelev.
Den europæiske freejazz’ førsteelsker. Den tyske jernlunge fra Wuppertal og manden bag “Machine Gun”, Peter Brötzmann, er en hyppig dansk gæst og har også spillet med flere danske musikere. Med tiden nyder den nu 72-årige saxofonist anerkendelse ikke bare for sin betydning for freejazzen i Europa (contra den amerikanske skole) dengang, men også i dag hvor han fortsat er med til at tegne jazzscenen med såvel romantiske som brutale brøl gennem instrumentet.
P/A: What do you cherish about your collaborations with The Wild Man’s Band (Peter Friis and P.O. Jørgens)?
P/B: Beside all the musical abilities those two gentlemen have to offer over the years we developed a kind of distanced friendship which is rare in our field of music.
P/A: You have played in all kinds of formats of course, but what do you think about the duo-format with fx Paal Nilssen-Love, Nasheet Waits, Han Bennink?
P/B: Drums are the soul. The guts of the music, the drummer always was and still is the most important guy in the band, means – I often don’t need somebody else. It gives you all the freedom you need , it forces you to be concentrated every second and you have to put whatever you have into the conversation/fight.
P/A: What do you do to focus on your art and music – and keep developing your sound/way of playing – instead of all the stuff around the music?
P/B: Going for a walk in the woods, working on my little piece of garden, cleaning the horns, even doodling away here and than…
P/A: Who do you look up to in music or in general?
P/B: Never did, we all eat and shit, even fuck from time to time.
P/A: In your view, what are the conditions for experimental jazz i Europe and Denmark these years, compared to beginning of your career?
P/B: It’s all getting nice and clean and ‘professional’, missing some passion and a political discussion.
P/A: What is it that gives you power to keep on going and still having something to say after so many records and concerts?
P/B: I DON’T KNOW. I don’t tell you any secrets, but the best for the music is, if there is nothing happening, just let it flow. Hope it’s not too stupid, regards.
Info: Peter Brötzmann er pt. aktuel med fem-dobbeltalbummet “Long Story Short” med nogle af sin mest notable nylige grupper med gæster som Keiji Haino og John Tchicai iblandt. (Det lykkedes ikke at lave interviewet in person, så dette er uddrag fra mail).
