File: TTInterview02052015
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[Music]

Q: Let's

talk right about your new album solo,

works. Here we have a copy of it

and this is your fourth studio album.

What was some inspiration you

drew from

to make this fourth one. A: Well the

first three CDs were all with

band. So I play the fiddle, the violin, and

I would have a great band backing me up

playing my original compositions. But for

this one

I chose to write pieces just for solo

violin,

or violin and voice, or piano and voice,

or also the Swedish nickel harper. So

they're all solo compositions on this

one.

So I'm all alone. Q: And what are you hoping

people take away from this. What is a

message you want to maybe

convey through it? A: I think it's a real

listening CD.

It draws people in

due to its intimate nature just being

one performer and also the material

that's on there it's reflective.

A lot of it is a bit of a journey

taking you on a journey when you're

listening to it.

Either in a narrative way, sort of

painting a picture or telling a story, or

just

the music itself taking you into an

emotional space.

So it's a nice listening adventure. Q: And

are you exactly and

are you trying to maybe reach different

emotions through the different songs?

Maybe

again take them on that adventure going

upside down? A:  I think that that naturally

happens with what I write because I tend

to write things,

write music in all sorts of different

styles and different flavors.

So, some tunes are more up, some tunes are

more reflective,

some might be sad, some are more joyful.

the, the gist of the whole CD came out of

improvisation to begin with because I

love to improvise. I love to just make up

things on the spot.

And I was doing that one day in a little

chapel in Italy

and someone heard it and suggested that

I'd do a concert of that.

When I did that concert and people

came in and engaged with me in that way

where I was playing solo, I realized that

there was something very special there.

A special connection between audience

and performer and

a special requirement for me as the

performer and the composer

to write pieces that supplied everything.

I supplied the melody, the rhythm, the

harmony, all in one.

For one instrument. So it was a really

fun challenge to take on.

Q: And you were saying this happened in

Italy. Your music's taken you

all around the world, and have you maybe

drawn inspiration from the places you've

traveled?

I read that you've taught all around the

world as well too.

A: Yes I like to try to add a little bit of

teaching

when I'm traveling and the funny thing

is that whenever I'm traveling that's

when

I get inspired to write music the most.

When I'm at home, I guess, there's

a lot of the mundane. You know doctor's

appointments,

take the dog for a walk, whatever it is,

and I'm always playing when I'm at home.

But

the compositional thing tends to happen

the most when I'm traveling. I'm not sure

why.

So lucky for me I get to travel a lot

with my music

and that has led to a lot of especially

with this CD.

A lot of the compositions were composed

while I was traveling.

Q: Back to the

groups that you've collaborated with.

Such a wide

wide range of artists. From James Taylor,

Led Zeppelin,

Blue Rodeo, and such a wide range of

genres. As well, what are some things you

consider when doing

soul work like this, that you also have

to

kind of be aware of when doing work with

such artists. A: Right, well it really is

in a way it's like two different careers.

I've been a side person for

a lot of different singer-songwriters

and for bands,

and then I have my my solo career as

well.

So they are different but they're also

very similar.

I've learned a lot from playing with

some amazing musicians.

I've learned the grace that they have

on stage, the generosity that they have,

in sharing their music with the people

they're collaborating with on stage and

with their audience in a very...

a lot of the great musicians are very

humble and very modest and

I think that's, for me that's been a very

important lesson to learn.

That music comes from a place like

that.

It doesn't come from it being all about

yourself. It's all about the music which

is just out there

and then practically, I mean you learn

a lot from

working with people that have experience.

You learn

how to get up there on stage and make it

work no matter what happens. You know I

had one

day where I hit the mic stand with my

violin and the whole

fiddle went out of tune all four strings

and the bridge collapsed

and I had to come in and sing on the

chorus and I knew I had a solo coming

right after the course so

while I'm singing the chorus I'm having

to retune my fiddle

put the bridge back up and then start

soloing.

So, the more you do it, like

with anything, you know the better it

feels and the more experience you gain.

Q: Incredible. Well that's all the time we

have today.

Thank you so much for joining us, and you

can get Anne's new album

Soulworks out now. You will be at the

Heliconian Hall in Yorkville tomorrow

for an album signing and

a performance as well. A:  CD release concert

tomorrow night yes.