Written interview with pianist, composer Carmen Staaf – Sounding Line.
Jazz Blues European Union: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Carmen Staaf: – I started performing as a jazz musician around age 15 or 16, while I was in high school.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
I’m from Seattle, Washington. Seattle has a very strong jazz scene, especially the jazz education ecosystem. I played in big bands in middle and high school, and listened to my band director (Clarence Acox) play drums with local heroes around town. We were playing Basie and Ellington charts, and my friends and I would also listen to records during lunch and jam at our houses on weekends. This all gave me a connection to, and deep love for, the straight ahead jazz tradition.
What performers have been your inspiration?
Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bobby McFerrin, Danilo Pérez, among many others…
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
It’s difficult to sustain momentum in our careers since we have to do everything as independent artists: administrative work, publicity, organizing rehearsals, etc., in addition to composing and practicing (and as a side person, I also spend a lot of time working on music for the various bands I play in, as well as my own projects as a leader). Sometimes it’s hard to find time in the day for the creative work with everything else that needs to get done! But I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to perform and travel as an independent musician.
What do you base your success on?
I try to stay inspired by what I love, what matters most to me – the sounds, rhythms, melodies and concepts that make me feel something, that resonate as exciting and true in some way. If I am pursuing projects that are meaningful to me, continuing to grow, and playing with musicians to whom I feel connected, this is success to me.
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
I have collaborated quite a bit with the drummer Allison Miller. We have played in many settings together, from working with tap and Kathak dancers to co-leading the band Science Fair; we also released a duo album a couple years ago. Since we’ve worked together so much, we can write with each other’s sounds in mind, which provides a jumping-off point for composing. I’m also part of the collective band Contra Punctus with Mike McGinnis, Gui Duvignau and Hamir Atwal. There’s a freedom to follow each other anywhere in this band, so the music has become very open-ended, with anyone able to lead at any moment. Our first record is coming out this May.
What was your latest musical release?
I released “Sounding Line” on Sunnyside in 2025.
Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Carmen Staaf – Sounding Line and what inspired its creation?
“Sounding Line” was inspired by the connection between Mary Lou Williams and Thelonious Monk, both as pianist/composers and in their personal friendship. I was interested in the musical relationships I heard between aspects of Williams’s compositions, especially harmonically, and Monk tunes I knew (for example, the chromatic dominant chord movement in both “Aries” from Williams’s “Zodiac Suite” and Monk’s “Epistrophy”). Thinking about the dialogue between the two led to the idea of playing in different duos to explore these connections through new conversations. The album features many wonderful players from the Bay Area including Ambrose Akinmusire, Ben Goldberg, John Santos, Hamir Atwal, Dillon Vado and Darren Johnston.
How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
This album reflects my continued interest in finding inspiration in the tradition, while seeing it from new (to me, at least) angles. I don’t want to be limited to either a “straightahead” or “free” approach; I like to find the space where these worlds overlap.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
I’m often inspired by a feeling or mood; I have pieces that express all kinds of emotions and experiences. My process is often vocally-based – if I can get quiet at the piano and hear something in my inner ear, I will try to sing it first and then find it on the piano. I often write relatively simple melodies because of this, but then I harmonize them or add rhythmic elements that sometimes create more complexity.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
In my own musical pursuits, I am not really interested in making a commercial product. I feel that as soon as I worry about commercial appeal, I’m not listening to that inner voice anymore, I’m starting to imagine other voices. This turns the process into something insecure, since we can’t really know how to succeed in this music anyway, and then I’m guessing, rather than trusting what feels right to me. So I’d rather just try to get as close as I can to what feels exciting and true to me.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
Social media is a necessary evil, I would say, since our communities are now global and diffuse. We need to use it to connect with people who might be interested in hearing us live or on recordings. But the apps are designed to be addictive and can be awful for our mental health. So it’s a difficult balance to achieve (if it even is achievable), but I’m trying to find ways to embrace it while keeping perspective on what actually matters, which is the human to human connection.
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
I was in a band called Parlour Game, which was co-led by Jenny Scheinman and Allison Miller, with Tony Scherr on bass. We put out an album in 2019 and toured around that time. Getting the opportunity to develop original music together over time with such a great band really impacted me, and I learned a lot from that experience.
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
Streaming revenue is so minuscule for most musicians, especially independent creative musicians. It’s always been tough to make a living through performing and recording, but it’s even harder now that people are able to listen to our music virtually for free, after we’ve invested a lot of time and money into studio and production costs, not to mention years of training and investment in instruments, etc. I think live performance is still going to be the most important way for jazz musicians to connect with audiences, and selling records at shows is still significant. But the current situation of streaming platforms not really paying artists means it won’t be sustainable for musicians to keep creating recordings unless something changes. I think there are a lot of discerning listeners who won’t be satisfied with AI slop, though, so there will always be a need not only for great live music but also for creative artists to continue making albums.
Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
I think face-to-face interactions at shows are the most important way to build community. But since the community is so spread out, digital tools are incredibly helpful. Besides my website and social media like Instagram and Facebook, I have an old-fashioned mailing list, and have gone back to sending emails when I have news to share. I also think educational workshops and panels are an important way to expand our networks and share what we’re doing, since students are the next generation of artists and they are eager to build on what is currently happening in the scene.
How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
I am active on Instagram as well as via my website, www.carmenstaaf.com I hope folks enjoy Sounding Line, and please keep an eye out for Contra Punctus and other projects coming out this year!
By Olivia Peevas
