Written interview with guitarist and composer Margaret Slovak.
Jazz Blues EU: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Margaret Slovak – I started playing the guitar at age 11 and began composing music at age 14. I started performing at age 16, and began playing professionally at age 24, after I graduated with a music degree from The Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington.
JBEU: – What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
Margaret Slovak – I was born in Denver, CO, and lived there until I was 18 years old. I went to college in Seattle, Washington and Kansas City, Missouri. I also lived in New York City and Portland, Oregon. I currently live in Austin, Texas; I moved here in 2012 from NY.
Each place I have lived has been inspirational in the development of my playing and composing, especially New York, where I lived twice for a total of 10 years. Being exposed to so many incredible NYC jazz musicians was a huge learning experience.
In my birth hometown of Denver, where I grew up, nature was a big inspiration. From every spot in Denver, you can see beautiful mountains; I spent a lot of time in the mountains when I was a teenager. The beauty of nature translates into music.
My current hometown of Austin, Texas is very different from anywhere else that I have lived. Austin has a rich and varied music scene; jazz is just one part of it. The cool thing about Austin is that the musicians of different genres of music often play and create with each other, so the distinct styles of music are not as separated as they are in other places. You have jazz musicians playing with blues musicians, singer-songwriters, world beat musicians, alternative rock musicians and classical musicians. Also, the residents of Austin and the surrounding area are very passionate about music; it is an everyday part of life here. I perform in clubs, bars, restaurants, cancer centers, hospice, retail stores, private homes, parks and many other places.
This multi-faceted dynamic in Austin is very inspiring and invigorating, and it has helped me to embrace and utilize other styles of music in my playing and composing.
JBEU: – What performers have been your inspiration?
Margaret Slovak – There are too many to list, but my main guitar influences are Jim Hall, Ralph Towner, John Abercrombie, Dale Bruning, Pat Metheny, Ed Bickert and Emily Remler. I was fortunate to have been able to study with Messrs. Towner, Abercrombie and Bruning.
Some of my main influences of other instruments are Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson, Fred Hersch, Paul Desmond and Charles Lloyd.
JBEU: – What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
Margaret Slovak – I basically run my own little record company for my recordings, Slovak Music. The amount of time that I have to spend on the business side producing, releasing, and promoting my albums, plus doing my own booking for gigs, is staggering; it takes time away from my practicing and composing. My hope in 2025 is that I can get expert help with some of these business tasks so that I have more time to practice, compose, paint and focus more on the creative side of being a musician/composer.
JBEU: – What do you base your success on?
Margaret Slovak – For me, the biggest success is if I am able to touch the listener’s heart and soul with my music and transport them to another place through my playing and composing.
JBEU: – Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
Margaret Slovak – One of my earliest collaborations after graduating from music school was getting to record with pianist Fred Hersch, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummer Michael Sarin in NYC in 1989. This was really my first professional recording (For the Moment) although I did not release it until 2007, after my first 2 albums were out.
I had just moved to NYC the year before. Although I had done some demo recording before, during and after college, this was my first “real” recording session. Fred Hersch was so great; he helped me pick the studio and engineer, taught me how to rehearse for the recording sessions, and also coached me on how to work efficiently in the studio. Michael Formanek and Michael Sarin were also very inspiring to work with. Even though most of my recorded material contains my original music, during rehearsals for all of my albums, I welcome the ideas and input of the other musicians.
My 2022 trio release with the amazing NYC bassist Harvie S and the wonderful drummer Michael Sarin, Ballad for Brad, was also a very inspiring project. Even though the 10 songs were all written by me, Harvie and Michael’s musical voices and ideas were instrumental (no pun intended) in creating a deeper trio interplay.
The ideas and sonic considerations of someone I am working with who plays an instrument other than my own has also greatly expanded my musical palette; it helps me to see music with a broader brushstroke and enriches my guitaristic explorations.
Up to this point, I have composed and arranged my music myself in a singular solo creative process, although I have been open to ideas of other players. However, with our new CD, bassist Chris Maresh and I worked on and developed the arrangements together during rehearsals in a way that was very fun and expansive. I would like to try composing music with Chris and other musicians at some point in the future.
JBEU: – What was your latest musical release?
Margaret Slovak – My latest release is an instrumental duo album with the wonderful Austin bassist Chris Maresh entitled A Star’s Light Does Fall. It is a very different project for me; we recorded 11 of our instrumental jazz arrangements of classic, non-traditional and not-as-well-known Christmas songs. It is my first album of non-original music.
JBEU: – Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Margaret Slovak, Chris Maresh – A Star’s Light Does Fall and what inspired its creation?
Margaret Slovak – Since 1994, I have played for patients in medical settings such as hospice, hospitals, cancer centers and elder care homes. During the holiday season, patients seem to find comfort in hearing Christmas music, and they have often asked me if I had an album of Christmas songs. So our goal with this album was to record some songs in an emotionally open and reflective way that could bring comfort and peace to people facing life and health challenges and/or grieving the recent loss of a loved one.
Chris and I started playing together in November 2023 and felt an immediate deep musical connection. We discovered that we each had 50% Czech heritage; our Czech fathers were musicians, and our Czech ancestors were from Moravian villages less than 90 miles from each other in the former Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic).
JBEU: – How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
Margaret Slovak – This new album has brought me to a new place of being open to collaborating with other musicians more deeply in the actual creative process. It was also very freeing to record an album of non-original music with an open, interactive feel; I hope to transfer this openness and collaborative spirit into future original musical projects.
JBEU: – How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
Margaret Slovak – Almost every piece of music I have written has been inspired by a person, place or event that has touched and affected my heart in a deep way; I try to transfer the emotions I feel directly into the music. I also paint a bit, and often compose music and paint at the same time in a collaborative process; the music informs the painting and vice-versa. My first release, Undying Hope, a collection of my solo guitar compositions and a few standards, has a painting for each original composition.
Although I use my music theory and compositional studies in my composing, I find that I get to a purer and truer creative and emotional place when I let go of trying to write something with a particular technical musical component in mind, and just let my heart, ears and intuition guide me. Composing is really a sacred practice for me.
JBEU: – As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
Margaret Slovak – I really never try to record or compose something that has commercial appeal; I just follow my heart and create what I am feeling at that time. Even though some might view an album of Christmas music as a commercial effort, that was not our intent with this new Christmas album. We really just wanted to touch people’s hearts.
JBEU: – What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
Margaret Slovak – When I released my first album in 1998, the digital platforms and social media did not exist. I did not even have my own website until 2005! I have had to learn how to enter into and exist within the new digital platforms. Although I see the possibilities of social media, I am still a bit old-school; I mainly promote my music through my website and emails. I do have an Instagram that I use to announce gigs and projects, and I do have my music on digital platforms such as SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Music and You Tube Music. But it is still a bit of a mystery to me. I try to balance the old and new school stuff, but I also don’t want to spend hours a day on social media; I would rather spend more time creating, practicing and performing music.
JBEU: – Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
Margaret Slovak – The first time I toured in Europe in 1991, I was floored by the depth and focus of the European audience members. The first gig I did in Europe was in a little bar in a small village outside of Munich; I don’t remember the exact name. When we set up onstage, the bar was very noisy with the friendly energy of the local townspeople merrily eating and drinking after a long workweek. However, once we started to tune up and prepare to play, everyone in the bar stopped talking and gave us their total attention; you could hear a pin drop. They listened deeply with their hearts; it really brought the music to a new level. I felt a deep connection to the audience members that night. They were so kind and presented me with a bouquet of flowers at the end of the night! I try to find that connection now with my audience every time I play.
JBEU: – In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
Margaret Slovak – Although the streaming platforms do provide more outlets for independent musicians to get their music out into the world, I do feel a little overwhelmed by all of the possibilities, and I miss the chance to share physical album artwork and liner notes with listeners. I also put a lot of work and thought into the order of the songs that appear on my albums; that often gets lost in streaming, because people shuffle between different songs rather than listening to them in the artists’ intended order.
Even though physical media sales are down, I still produce physical CD’s. I love being able to sign them for people and give them something tangible that they can hold in their hands; it enriches the listening experience by allowing them to view album artwork that is bigger than a postage stamp and liner notes that are readable.
I also get a little overwhelmed by all of the technical work that is necessary to get music out into the world these days; although I’m learning more each day about how to work with all of this stuff, the time required to adequately get things out there takes away from my creative time. As I mentioned, I hope to get more help with this in the future; I am wearing a lot of different hats and juggling a lot of business work.
JBEU: – Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
Margaret Slovak – I still do a lot of things old school; I post things on my website, send emails out, and print out little postcards announcing my gigs and album releases; I physically hand these out to people. I’m honored when one of my cards ends up on somebody’s refrigerator! I do a few Instagram posts each month, but I try to personalize them.
I know there is more I could be doing, but I try to connect with my audience and fans in a more personal way; I appreciate their support and listening hearts and ears.
JBEU: – How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
Margaret Slovak – My website is probably the best way to find out what I’m up to with performances and album releases: www.margaretslovak.com. My Instagram account also has posts about gigs & CD’s: https://www.instagram.com/margaretslovakguitar.
I greatly appreciate the support of my fans at my public concerts, performances in cancer centers and medical settings, and listeners who hear my music on CDs and streaming platforms. Without the wonderful listening ears and hearts of you all, I would be creating music in a void. Your energy and warmth inspires me to continue to create new music, and it brings a new level of emotion to my performances; when I feel your hearts during my shows, it elevates everything!
Interview by Olivia Peevas
