[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.