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Walter Norris Duo: from another star
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[ front cover | forward | interview | critics | discography | credits | song list | back cover ]
AN INTERVIEW BY JÖRG ENGELS
"Although your music speaks for itself, how would you describe it?"
"Perhaps a metamorphosis of traditional music best describes my efforts with composition and improvisation in that I deal with diatonic-chromatic harmony (diatonic; music that remains in one tonality ... or chromatic; which is diatonic also but contains, in addition, a modulated section and/or phrases belonging to another tonality) and practice molding and reshaping all phrases of notes and chords until I achieve a musically transformed result. Call it Modern Baroque if you like ... but that is exactly what Be Bop is."
"But why do you continue with diatonic-chromatic when, and most composers agree, that world of music has been exhausted?"
"Today composing and arranging diatonic-chromatic music, uniquely, is extremely difficult because we are following the successful output of so many great musicians before us, each of whom apparently exhausted most all musical possibilities, yet, young minds being different and belonging to future generations will digest and transform traditional music, just as in the past, and their new contribution will sound fresh to our ears. The process is evolutionary. Think of how differently Coltrane's conception is from Parker's and both used diatonic-chromatic harmony."
"Could you explain your idea of romanticism?"
"For me, romanticism means music expressed with emotional warmth but I would also describe my playing as sensuous; emotions expressed by the senses. I play romantically and feel that I should because, after all, those who don't, usually have little or no affinity for romanticism whatsoever."
"Is there a correlation, for you, between romantic expression and the more thorough intellectual approach?"
"After working with an intellectual approach, I can express myself and the music more freely because I can then afford the risk of allowing my senses to dominate while playing. In other words, to let myself go freely and uninhibited into the music as I play. With an intellectual approach you complete your homework; analysing and mastering in as many ways possible all technical detail so that you possess an insight, and interpret convincingly with emotional warmth."
"You recently started your own label?"
"Yes, and by forming SUNBURST RECORDINGS, I can now approve each step of development within an entire production. I want the best quality and taste not only for music but with cover design and recorded sound as well. And, I've found a working team that I'm impressed with."
"Would you give a brief comment on the titles you have recorded?"
FROM ANOTHER STAR: "Although my theme is in 13/8 time, the second measure is rhythmically reversed from the first which provides a more flexible floating feel to the overall rhythmic pattern. An example for two measures: three quarter notes plus a dotted quarter followed by two quarters / two quarter notes plus a dotted quarter followed by three quarters."
IMAGES ENHANCED: "I became involved with a harmonic sequence many years ago and recently decided to use the intervalic-ingredients to construct the harmonic progressions and voicings for this title."
YESTERDAY'S GARDENIA: "Written in 1940 by Sammy Mysels and, in my opinion, it certainly was harmonically years ahead of the times."
ELYSIUM: "In 1739 J. S. Bach composed 'Four Duets' and the first, harmonically, reminds me of the standard title 'No Moon at all' ... So, I wrote Elysium to fit over Bach's descending harmonic progression."
ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE: "This Jerome Kern classic is perhaps the only song in ternary form with a second section, consisting of eight measures, written in the dominant key of the first. A delightful challenge to reharmonise."
SUNHAZED: "This is a revised version of 'Enkephalins' which I recorded on 'Winter Rose' (enja CD 3067-2) in 1980 with Aladar Pege."
NEW FLAME: "A composition by the young Berlin saxophonist, Gregoire Peters, and I'm most impressed with it since, although melodically structured differently, it still exemplifies the tradition of song writing."
A CREST OF AMBER: "Written to have a similarity with traditional love song ballads."
DARD BROWS: "I worked with six intervals G-D-Eb-C-Bb-E, and the theme eventually blossomed."
TIGER RAG: "This closing title is a take-off on Dizzy Gillespie's arrangement of De Costa's most memorable, Tiger Rag."
"What projects have you planned for the near future?"
"I'll soon publish and offer on internet a technical book entitled, 'Essentials for Pianist-Improvisers." Also, I'm preparing a second book, auto-biographical, pertaining to, in my opinion, the 'golden age of jazz." Afterwards, I'll produce a CD of my compositions, all of which have been revised since originally recorded."
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