BRIGITTE BERAHA - Take Five No: 87
Can you tell us about your new album?
‘By the Cobbled Path’ is my first solo album, which I recorded at home and in surrounding nature during the lockdown. It’s essentially an ambient, electronic, experimental, improv and spoken word album. Chris Sharkey added some of his magic in post-production, mixing and mastering. It is the culmination of an Arts Council Grant Award which allowed me to have some lessons with Luciana Souza and Theo Bleckmann, experiment with the voice and various electronics (such as a looper and a delay pedal), write and record new work. Recording music on my own and from home was a new process for me, a really intense yet enjoyable experience. The initial idea was to ‘converse with nature’ and to see where that would take me. Because I could record at any time, I became a little obsessed with it and ultra-sensitive to the surrounding noises which kept transforming themselves into endless musical possibilities. A lot of what you will hear on the album are improvisations with the environment and sounds I was hearing at the time (i.e ‘Come On In’ or I Think Our Neighbours Might Be Aliens’) or around text I wrote. For example, the 11 minute ‘Moonstruck’ - a piece I wanted in 3 movements - has me improvising around a poem and a few compositional ideas. Like some of the other tracks, this was performed straight through as on a live gig, so there is similar excitement/ risk taking to playing live, despite not performing to anyone at the time!
What other projects are you currently involved in?
I also lead my own quartet ‘Lucid Dreamers’, featuring George Crowley (tenor/clarinets/electronics), Alcyona Mick (piano/synth) & Tim Giles (drums/electronics). We released our debut ‘Lucid Dreamers’ during the 1st lockdown in July 2020 and our 2nd album is due for release in the Spring 2022. I’m very excited that we should hopefully finally be touring throughout 2022 starting in February!
I’m also currently involved in a few projects that I co-lead: Solstice (Tori Freestone, John Turville, Jez Franks, Dave Manington & Will Glaser) with the new album ‘Food for Thought’ and a tour being planned for the Autumn 2022, Babelfish (with Barry Green, Chris Laurence & Paul Clarvis) which is ongoing and a new trio with Alan Barnes and Barry Green which was premiered at the London Jazz Festival this year.
I am also lucky to be part of other amazing projects such as Andre Canniere’s Band, Tori Freestone/ Alcyona Mick (their 2nd album which I am guesting on has just been recorded), Kevin Figes’ ‘Wallpaper Music’ (album launch in London 3rd December & Bristol 8th December), Josephine Davies’ ‘Orenda’, Chris Dowding’s ‘Alati’ (new album out soon) and a new trio led by John Turville featuring Robbie Robson.
‘By the Cobbled Path’ is my first solo album, which I recorded at home and in surrounding nature during the lockdown. It’s essentially an ambient, electronic, experimental, improv and spoken word album. Chris Sharkey added some of his magic in post-production, mixing and mastering. It is the culmination of an Arts Council Grant Award which allowed me to have some lessons with Luciana Souza and Theo Bleckmann, experiment with the voice and various electronics (such as a looper and a delay pedal), write and record new work. Recording music on my own and from home was a new process for me, a really intense yet enjoyable experience. The initial idea was to ‘converse with nature’ and to see where that would take me. Because I could record at any time, I became a little obsessed with it and ultra-sensitive to the surrounding noises which kept transforming themselves into endless musical possibilities. A lot of what you will hear on the album are improvisations with the environment and sounds I was hearing at the time (i.e ‘Come On In’ or I Think Our Neighbours Might Be Aliens’) or around text I wrote. For example, the 11 minute ‘Moonstruck’ - a piece I wanted in 3 movements - has me improvising around a poem and a few compositional ideas. Like some of the other tracks, this was performed straight through as on a live gig, so there is similar excitement/ risk taking to playing live, despite not performing to anyone at the time!
What other projects are you currently involved in?
I also lead my own quartet ‘Lucid Dreamers’, featuring George Crowley (tenor/clarinets/electronics), Alcyona Mick (piano/synth) & Tim Giles (drums/electronics). We released our debut ‘Lucid Dreamers’ during the 1st lockdown in July 2020 and our 2nd album is due for release in the Spring 2022. I’m very excited that we should hopefully finally be touring throughout 2022 starting in February!
I’m also currently involved in a few projects that I co-lead: Solstice (Tori Freestone, John Turville, Jez Franks, Dave Manington & Will Glaser) with the new album ‘Food for Thought’ and a tour being planned for the Autumn 2022, Babelfish (with Barry Green, Chris Laurence & Paul Clarvis) which is ongoing and a new trio with Alan Barnes and Barry Green which was premiered at the London Jazz Festival this year.
I am also lucky to be part of other amazing projects such as Andre Canniere’s Band, Tori Freestone/ Alcyona Mick (their 2nd album which I am guesting on has just been recorded), Kevin Figes’ ‘Wallpaper Music’ (album launch in London 3rd December & Bristol 8th December), Josephine Davies’ ‘Orenda’, Chris Dowding’s ‘Alati’ (new album out soon) and a new trio led by John Turville featuring Robbie Robson.
Click on the album cover to read our review
What are your currently listening to and what was the last CD or download you bought?
‘Viridescens’ by Francesco Cavalere & Tomoko Sauvage and ‘Shadow Plays’ by Craig Taborn.
What is your all-time favourite album and why?
I don’t think I have an all-time favourite album, it’s hard enough to choose a top 10 list. However, one that I occasionally come back to over the years is: “Bach - Pierre Cochereau Aux Grandes Orgues De Notre Dame de Paris” I’ve always been a big fan of organ music and Bach. Cochereau (who was also a great improviser) takes the music to new heights with an incredible sounding instrument. This music often seems to transcend any other, undoubtedly impactful also because it was first introduced to me by a friend at a very special time in my life. Mind you, there are a few more like these, for example Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’, Verdi’s la Traviata (Sutherland/ Pavarotti on Decca), The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ and Brian Eno’s ‘Apollo’ all spring to mind.
Who has caught your attention recently that we should be listening out for?
ELSAS. Elsa Hackett, a recent GSMD Jazz graduate has released a very bold and original debut EP ‘The Art of the Concrete’ which I hope is getting the attention it deserves! https://elsas.bandcamp.com/album/the-art-of-the-concrete
‘Viridescens’ by Francesco Cavalere & Tomoko Sauvage and ‘Shadow Plays’ by Craig Taborn.
What is your all-time favourite album and why?
I don’t think I have an all-time favourite album, it’s hard enough to choose a top 10 list. However, one that I occasionally come back to over the years is: “Bach - Pierre Cochereau Aux Grandes Orgues De Notre Dame de Paris” I’ve always been a big fan of organ music and Bach. Cochereau (who was also a great improviser) takes the music to new heights with an incredible sounding instrument. This music often seems to transcend any other, undoubtedly impactful also because it was first introduced to me by a friend at a very special time in my life. Mind you, there are a few more like these, for example Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’, Verdi’s la Traviata (Sutherland/ Pavarotti on Decca), The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ and Brian Eno’s ‘Apollo’ all spring to mind.
Who has caught your attention recently that we should be listening out for?
ELSAS. Elsa Hackett, a recent GSMD Jazz graduate has released a very bold and original debut EP ‘The Art of the Concrete’ which I hope is getting the attention it deserves! https://elsas.bandcamp.com/album/the-art-of-the-concrete
