CALLUM AU & CLAIRE MARTIN - Take Five No: 76
Photograph by Kenny McCracken
Can you tell us about your new album?
Callum: It's been an absolute dream come true to make this album with Claire. I've wanted to do something like this for ages - my favourite albums growing up were all the large big band & strings albums of the 50s and 60s like Songs for Swingin' Lovers and the Ella Songbook albums, so it has always been an ambition of mine to make something like this happen. Working with Claire has been really easy - she of course needs no introduction as one of the country's best ever interpreters of popular song - but she has also been 100% on board with the entire project and a huge help at every step of the process. I should also mention producer and lead trumpeter Louis Dowdeswell, who did all the mixing and was responsible for a huge amount of the creative decisions in post-production - he is one of the hardest working and most talented musicians I know, and deserves a huge amount of credit for how the record sounds.
Claire: Callum's album has been one of the highlights of my entire career. A chance to sing these amazing songs with Callum's arrangements truly is a dream come true for a singer. These musicians are the best of the best and I hope it catapults Callum into the arena he deserves!
What other projects are you currently involved in?
Callum: I'm currently working on Louis Dowdeswell's top secret second big band album, a recording project with 30 trombonists from LA and London, and a couple of tracks for Jamie Cullum's upcoming Christmas album. As an arranger, I haven't been hit as hard by the virus as people who are primarily performers - although I'm working a lot less than I was, I'm still able to keep busy, which is nice.
Claire: I'm working on a collection of songs by my dear late mentor the wonderful Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, plus thinking about what new material I can do with my great Swedish trio. There are no gigs on but lots of music to get through. Teaching on zoom has it's drawbacks - but actually is a lifesaver for many of us at the moment.
What are your currently listening to and what was the last CD or download you bought?
Callum: The last album I bought was 'Serenade in Blue' by Johnny Gregory & the Cascading Strings. Pete Long introduced me to this group - they make for perfect dinner party music.
My listening tastes are fairly eclectic - I listen to a lot of classical music, 80s pop music (Michael Jackson, Airplay, Earth Wind and Fire, etc), big bands, and even the occasional jazz album! I do find my music listening time has been curtailed somewhat recently as, like the rest of the world, I haven't been using public transport nearly as much.
Claire: I'm absolutely obsessed with Christian Sands - a young pianist from America who really is something else. His trio are so tight! He can play almost every style and is super slick and wonderfully rehearsed. I'd love to meet him!
Callum: It's been an absolute dream come true to make this album with Claire. I've wanted to do something like this for ages - my favourite albums growing up were all the large big band & strings albums of the 50s and 60s like Songs for Swingin' Lovers and the Ella Songbook albums, so it has always been an ambition of mine to make something like this happen. Working with Claire has been really easy - she of course needs no introduction as one of the country's best ever interpreters of popular song - but she has also been 100% on board with the entire project and a huge help at every step of the process. I should also mention producer and lead trumpeter Louis Dowdeswell, who did all the mixing and was responsible for a huge amount of the creative decisions in post-production - he is one of the hardest working and most talented musicians I know, and deserves a huge amount of credit for how the record sounds.
Claire: Callum's album has been one of the highlights of my entire career. A chance to sing these amazing songs with Callum's arrangements truly is a dream come true for a singer. These musicians are the best of the best and I hope it catapults Callum into the arena he deserves!
What other projects are you currently involved in?
Callum: I'm currently working on Louis Dowdeswell's top secret second big band album, a recording project with 30 trombonists from LA and London, and a couple of tracks for Jamie Cullum's upcoming Christmas album. As an arranger, I haven't been hit as hard by the virus as people who are primarily performers - although I'm working a lot less than I was, I'm still able to keep busy, which is nice.
Claire: I'm working on a collection of songs by my dear late mentor the wonderful Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, plus thinking about what new material I can do with my great Swedish trio. There are no gigs on but lots of music to get through. Teaching on zoom has it's drawbacks - but actually is a lifesaver for many of us at the moment.
What are your currently listening to and what was the last CD or download you bought?
Callum: The last album I bought was 'Serenade in Blue' by Johnny Gregory & the Cascading Strings. Pete Long introduced me to this group - they make for perfect dinner party music.
My listening tastes are fairly eclectic - I listen to a lot of classical music, 80s pop music (Michael Jackson, Airplay, Earth Wind and Fire, etc), big bands, and even the occasional jazz album! I do find my music listening time has been curtailed somewhat recently as, like the rest of the world, I haven't been using public transport nearly as much.
Claire: I'm absolutely obsessed with Christian Sands - a young pianist from America who really is something else. His trio are so tight! He can play almost every style and is super slick and wonderfully rehearsed. I'd love to meet him!
Click on the album cover to read our review
What is your all-time favourite album and why?
Callum: Too many to choose from, but from an overall perspective it has to be Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. The orchestra plays beautifully, Vince Mendoza's arrangements are masterful, and Joni's vocals are breathtaking. I particularly like the treatments of the two non-standards (Both Sides Now and A Case of You) - they're very cleverly done and capture the atmosphere of the songs perfectly.
Claire: My all-time favourite album is Pat Metheny 'The First Circle' which was the first Metheny album I got into in my early twenties. I remember singing on the QEII and we sailed into New York harbour at dawn and I had this on my sony walkman and hadn't been to bed at all that night so as not to miss the sunrise. It was a mega moment for a kid from Collier's Wood. I later interviewed Pat and recited that story and cried like a baby. He was very sweet!! His music has punctuated some very important moments in my life.
Who has caught your attention recently that we should be listening out for?
Callum: I was fortunate enough to play on Jake Willson's album 'A Piece of the Action' recently - this is an absolutely incredible piece of work and well worth listening out for.
I also really enjoyed working on Tom Smith's new Big Band track, Swansea Uproar. Some great soloists there and a fun lively swinging big band too. (I believe that should be live by the time the interview is published - there is no link yet, feel free to add).
Just before the lockdown, a 19 year old trombonist called Daniel Higham came in on a few gigs with the Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra. He's a terrific player, and definitely one to watch out for in the future!
Claire: Everyone should hear the incredible singer Veronica Swift!! She's in her early twenties and is the REAL DEAL. She is working with Benny Green and scatting her heart out with Wynton, so she's on her way! I've mentioned Christian Sands already. I'm also fascinated with the brilliant vocalist/lyricist Imogen Ryall who has been such a help with my recent recordings, she is an amazing singer and a truly brilliant and original songwriter. There's been a lot of time to listen to music which has been one of the few things that's good in this present situation we are in.
Callum: Too many to choose from, but from an overall perspective it has to be Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. The orchestra plays beautifully, Vince Mendoza's arrangements are masterful, and Joni's vocals are breathtaking. I particularly like the treatments of the two non-standards (Both Sides Now and A Case of You) - they're very cleverly done and capture the atmosphere of the songs perfectly.
Claire: My all-time favourite album is Pat Metheny 'The First Circle' which was the first Metheny album I got into in my early twenties. I remember singing on the QEII and we sailed into New York harbour at dawn and I had this on my sony walkman and hadn't been to bed at all that night so as not to miss the sunrise. It was a mega moment for a kid from Collier's Wood. I later interviewed Pat and recited that story and cried like a baby. He was very sweet!! His music has punctuated some very important moments in my life.
Who has caught your attention recently that we should be listening out for?
Callum: I was fortunate enough to play on Jake Willson's album 'A Piece of the Action' recently - this is an absolutely incredible piece of work and well worth listening out for.
I also really enjoyed working on Tom Smith's new Big Band track, Swansea Uproar. Some great soloists there and a fun lively swinging big band too. (I believe that should be live by the time the interview is published - there is no link yet, feel free to add).
Just before the lockdown, a 19 year old trombonist called Daniel Higham came in on a few gigs with the Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra. He's a terrific player, and definitely one to watch out for in the future!
Claire: Everyone should hear the incredible singer Veronica Swift!! She's in her early twenties and is the REAL DEAL. She is working with Benny Green and scatting her heart out with Wynton, so she's on her way! I've mentioned Christian Sands already. I'm also fascinated with the brilliant vocalist/lyricist Imogen Ryall who has been such a help with my recent recordings, she is an amazing singer and a truly brilliant and original songwriter. There's been a lot of time to listen to music which has been one of the few things that's good in this present situation we are in.
