I talk with guitarist, composer, bandleader and musical polymath John Schott, whose work spans the genres of jazz, pop, folk and contemporary composition.
johnCapSQMost artists, either through their own natural inclination or following commercial considerations, limit their work, and thereby also their Musical Brand Image to a particular identifiable style or genre. My guest John Schott has not done this.
Instead he has followed his Hoover-esque appetite for music of all types and styles, and his own music has incorporated these diverse influences, from traditional musics from every continent to American jazz, folk and pop traditions to 20th century serial and post-serial composition. If I seem to imply that this makes him a dilettante, you misunderstand me: he’s a deep and serious student of musical tradition, and of the culture and way of life of musicians. The result has been an array of recorded compositions, large and small, for ensembles large and small, in an unprecedently wide array of styles. Our hours-long conversation was a blast and ranged over a wide array of subjects – it took me weeks to figure out how to cut it down to size for this podcast! But I concentrated in the editing on his more philosophical insights about the place of music in culture and the lives of musicians.
the artists seem to downplay their achievement as something they just tossed together in the living room during pandemic lock down. Yet, it is a highly original take on the classic drums/sax duo. A huge range of musical ground is covered, and emotional content. A great album in any context, I listen to it often. bob3
A truly psychedelic jazz record, “Bloom Anubis” ventures out into uncharted territory, with ominous tones & sci-fi synths. Bandcamp New & Notable May 15, 2021
This collaboration between guitarist Lucas Brode and drummer G. Calvin Weston is a freewheeling hybrid of experimentalism, jazz, and more. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 28, 2023
Marvelous experimental music from this Tel Aviv musician that fuses outré noise with almost folk-like arrangements. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 13, 2022
An ambitious cross-genre journey from the Richmond Avant Improv Collective, who bring in 17 (!) guest musicians to fill out their vision. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 12, 2021