Written interview with London based contemporary improvising pianist, composer Bruno Heinen’s The W – Mikrokosmos
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?
Bruno Heinen: – Thank you for inviting me. I started playing at the age of four. I come from three generations of classical musicians and grew up playing classical music. I was introduced to the world of jazz by my uncle (jazz pianist Johannes Heinen) in my teens. He gave me a few records that changed my life. Coltrane – A Love Supreme, Evans – Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Shorter – Night Dreamer, Ellington – Piano in the Foreground. I went to college as a classical pianist and composer but was the happiest improvising and writing. My classical teacher at the time was cool though and encouraged my interest in twentieth century music. I played a lot of Bartók, Ligeti, Schoenberg, Kurtág etc. I was really drawn to that music and that music has continued to influence my practice as an improviser and composer. I am particularly interested in Eastern European folk melodies and the polytonal approach of Bartók, the additive rhythms of Ligeti and the period in the last century of early Schoenberg where all the previous harmonic traditions begin to break down and unravel. Mix all that with my love of Ellington’s piano playing and the approach of trios like those led by Ahmad Jamal and McCoy Tyner, and I guess that is what my music is about.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
I have roots in many places, including NYC, Germany and Eastern Europe, but consider London to be my home. I have been here for most of my life and love the scene here. The rich diversity of music here runs deep, and that has certainly had an impact on my music and writing. As well as my own music, I feel lucky to work with artists such as Palestinian singer/musicologist Reem Kelani, the Gnawa band Arfoud Brothers and Sisters, chamber jazz/folk artist Alice Zawadzki amongst others, there are so many great musicians here.
What performers have been your inspiration?
It’s the great writers that have influenced me most: Wayne, Ellington, Monk, Trane, Henderson, Mingus, Strayhorn etc. And then of course many, contemporary classical composers.
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
I am a positive person, but of course, if you are an independent artist leading your own projects, you are required to do everything yourself, and there are so many times when you are stretched, get turned down for things, don’t get replies, are not in the right frame of mind to hustle, and it is hard not always easy to keep positive. However, there are good sides to having the freedom to do things your way, and I feel lucky to be making it work somehow.
What do you base your success on?
I feel a performance or recording is successful if it translates to an emotional response from my audience.
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
That’s the whole thing for me – what other musicians bring to my music. I have just recorded with Nasheet Waits and Mark Lewandowski. They brought something completely different to my music – Nasheet’s elastic approach to time, and Mark’s driving feel pushed me to a new place in my tunes, and I am so excited to share the music.
What was your latest musical release?
Bruno Heinen’s the W – Mikrokosmos…
Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Bruno Heinen’s The W – Mikrokosmos what inspired its creation?
The project has been inspired by book 6 of Bartók’s Mikrokosmos. I have very fond memories of my grandmother teaching me many of these pieces as a child, and the project is about that really. I took melodic cells and harmonic concepts from Bartók’s work and we improvised freely on them with my group The W, featuring Heidi Vogel on vocals, Andrea Di Biase on Bass and Gene Calderazzo on drums. I then gave the whole thing to jazz/electronica artist Maria Chiara Argiró and we produced the record together. It is out now on German label TYXart.
How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
It follows on from many years of using twentieth century classical music as a springboard for new jazz composition and improvisation.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
I always have a starting point. I am currently working on my forthcoming publication The Jazz Composition Handbook, a book that invites the reader to embrace open-ended parameters, based on traits of the great composers of jazz as a practical tool for generating new ideas and how they can employ space, tension/release, economy of ideas and melodic/harmonic/rhythmic strength.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
Of course, I would like my music to have broad appeal, but ultimately, it has to be honest music at the same time.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
I didn’t grow up using technology and social media to promote my music, so it doesn’t come naturally, but I know there are many useful elements.
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
Seeing Elvin Jones and his Jazz Machine at Ronnie Scott’s in the early 2000’s was a life-affirming experience. That night, the UK group Partisans were supporting – Phil Robson (guitar), Julian Siegel (reeds), Thad Kelly (bass), and Gene Calderazzo (drums). Seeing Gene play that night has changed my sound. I knew I wanted to play with him, and he continues to be a central influence on how I write for the groups I have with him now.
In terms of a memorable performance of mine, playing Bernstein at the Barbican with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle was certainly a highlight.
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
I can see both good and bad things about the changes to how people engage with music.
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 like to talk to people. That’s what were doing when we play too, communicating on stage through the music.
How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
Keep going to gigs – nothing beats the live experience.
By Olivia Peevas
