Interview With: Albert and Gage, guests for Strings on Grass November 13, 2015 RSVP here. Listen here or podcast here. Interview Conducted By: Will Taylor Will: Christine Albert & Chris Gage are appearing with Strings Attached at our Strings on Grass series, coming up on November 13th—after being rescheduled two times because of rain in Austin!—So, we’re here to talk a little bit about the two of them, and some questions that I have pulled together, as well as some reflections that they have on working with Strings Attached. I hope this interview will get people excited about the show. The special thing about Strings Attached and our concerts, is that we have this one-time experience when we get together with singer-songwriters, and reimagine their music… sometimes to an extreme level. For instance, when we do Beatles tribute shows, we might reimagine the music in a completely different way than the original versions. Along with our ever popular cover shows, we love to collaborate with singer-songwriters in the Austin area,—like Eliza Gilkyson, Slaid Cleaves—which was the original direction our band took in the beginning, years ago. We bring to the table, certain things like jazz improvisation, or different vocal sounds, adding some color to the arrangements. We try to create a unique experience for people to come out and be intrigued. That’s the first thing that I wanted to talk about. If I remember correctly, we had a show about 10-15 years ago. Chris: Has is been that long? Christine: Yeah, I think so, I think it has. Will: Yeah, and it was at Saint David’s church, which is a beautiful space. Yeah, it’s a distant memory for me. I’m curious to see if you remember anything specifically about working with us… or anything in general about what we do. So yeah, my first question is: Was there anything notable about that performance? Chris: I just remember being thrilled to hear our songs envisioned by someone else. Like you said, everyone has a different take on music. Some people come from a more classical background, and some people have a little more jazz. You know, I do this gig at Strange Brew every week where I’m playing with somebody different every each time… it’s a lot of time the same songs, but each person is going to bring something different to it. And what you do with Strings Attached, is real inventive. And plus, you have a core group of people that do this a lot. And so they know what you’re thinking when you write an arrangement, and they can help you bring it to life. It’s just real exciting for me. Christine: Yeah, I think every artist has sort of a fantasy of hearing their music with strings or with an orchestra… more arranged in that way. For me, it brings an elegance to the music that we try to bring that to our performances at Don’s Depot. It’s not always there. Chris: Well, I turn on the string machine sometimes. (Christine laughs.) Christine: So especially at Saint Davids, and in that beautiful environment, it was almost mystical. And I imagine the Strings on Grass is a different kind of environment, but also brings a sort of natural, organic beauty to it that really compliments the music. Will: Exactly! Yes, that’s the same approach that we were taking with the original Strings Attached series in the church; was that context where people walk into it. It’s not just about hearing the music directly, but it’s the environment that you’re in. It really affects the emotional receiving of the song, or the music. So same thing, you’re right! With Strings on Grass, we’re in this beautiful, gorgeous yard with large trees, and there’s lights shining in the trees, along with the stars above. There’s something about hearing music in a natural setting. It’s very different from Saint David’s, but I think it’s very natural. You know, for instance, Karen and I love Kerrville (The folk festival). So there’s a little bit of a being-around-the-campfire feeling, and we really enjoy it. So people are coming for the experience. The full on music in nature experience. So we look forward to hearing your songs. It makes me think, are there in nature songs in there? (Will chuckles.) Maybe we should pick out a song that’s fitting for that setting. Christine: Yeah, we’ll have to look at that. Chris: How many of these have you done, Will? Will: We’ve been doing them for about a year, just over a year. So we’re probably at 12 or 13. Chris: Oh cool! Will: We’ve done one every month, and we take off the winter months, obviously. And yeah, I’m really enjoying putting these shows on. People enjoy bringing kids, but still are able to really enjoy the music. Some outdoor events, you know, people start to talk, and then the music becomes the background to conversations. So we’re still trying to bring over that respect for listening, which is what we started with at Saint David’s. Chris: Well we’re really looking forward to it. Will: That sounds great. So, okay, onto the other questions. There’s an artist whom I really respect, and I have been studying his book called Effortless Mastery. You may have heard about it when I sent you the list of questions. Kenny Warner talks about the idea of just getting out of the way of yourself and your ability to grow and thrive as an artist. It has a relation to mindfulness work, meditation, you know, the idea of just letting things happen. Like the song “Let it Be” that the Beatles wrote. So I’ve been very attracted to this idea of getting out of the way of myself, as a performer, as a creative person. There’s this quote in here, I’ll read it quickly: “Ultimately, musicians of the world must come to realize their potential of their calling. Like Shamans, we may service healers, metaphysicians, inciters, exciters, spiritual guides, and sources of inspiration. So if the musician is illuminated from within, he becomes a lamp that lights other lamps.” And it goes on. I was very attracted to that idea, and the fact that we could relate this to you, for instance how you have the swan songs organization. How do you resonate with this? Christine: Well, most of it does. In fact, all of that resonates with me especially because I do practice mindfulness meditation. Recently my mind has been very busy because I’m so active in other things. So I’m in a different mindset most of the day, and then I get to the performance, walk onstage, and start singing. When I find my mind racing, and I’m not really present, I actually close my eyes and practice meditation, in between the lines of the song. That’s by focusing on my breath, and being in the moment, it brings me back to why I’m there, and then it starts to become a gift to me when I can really get out of my own way. It’s certainly hard for me, because there’s so much going on in my life and in my brain. But that’s the technique that I use. And I have my own personal prayer that I wrote years and years ago that I say. For instance, every morning, or especially before a performance. One of the phrases in there is: “My life is a vehicle for divine love, and my music is the instrument of expression.” So I believe that the quote you just read resonates with me because of what I say to myself. Will: Mhm. And so you still find that you have to remind yourself when you get up there on stage. Christine: Totally. It doesn’t come naturally, but the more you do it, the more years you sing, as a performer, and I think just as a person who’s connected to why I do this, it’s obvious to me when I’m not connected, I’m like whoops! oops! oops! It’s kind of like when you’re meditating, and your thoughts start to take off, and thinking, and you have to bring it back to the breath. When I’m doing that on stage, I realize “Oh, I am really not here. I just created an agenda in my mind while I’m trying to sing a song. “ And that of course is not going to work for the entire performance. And I think I can feel it when I shift back. And I think Chris can feel it too, he’s like “okay! you’re here with me now.” He knows exactly when I’m not. And even if I’m singing all of the right notes, and getting all of the lyrics, it’s obvious when I’m not present.” Chris: Well it’s amazing how much you can think about while you play. And I look at it this way: We spend our whole lives learning, and preparing, but when you step on stage, and that one person has come because they love your music, or they need something out of that evening, well then it’s time to just let it seep out, explode out. And I know that when I totally forget that I’m taking a piano solo, for example, if I just let it fly, those are the ones that get responded to the most. Not if I’m trying to play like Fats Waller, or if I’m trying to make sure that my left hand is in time, you know. If I just explode, those are the ones that people react to. Will: I was going to ask you a question, related to that comment, actually. What does a great solo feel like, or look like to you? And part of what you’re saying, is you’re so out of the way, you really don’t even notice it. So that’s what you’re saying? Chris: Well it’s come from years of doing it, you know. There are solos that musicians have a term for, that you’re very aware of. It’s called noodling. And it’s just you know what notes go on the scale, and so you play some. But to me, a solo is like a whole song itself. It’s a whole competition. It has a beginning, and it has a rise, and it has to resolve itself at just the right time. It has to be emotional, it has to be clever at times, you know, but it more than anything, it has to just fit the mood of the piece that you’re in. Will: So I’ve got a little
