Toby Mak on Making Electronic Jazz with Soulspeak
One of Shanghai’s most respected jazz cats gets even cooler, teaming with electronic producer Soulspeak for some new adventures in sound. The Australian trumpeter gives us a preview of the Ran Music released collaborative disc that will be officially released on July 23 at Cafe Zarah.
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Congratulations on your new album with Soulspeak. How did you team up and was there a musical goal behind this collaboration?
Thanks very much! I first met Soulspeak several years back working with Tia Ray and the J-Crew team from Beijing. I think the main goal was just to explore new directions and to try and create an interesting musical dialogue between ourselves, and then just see where it led.
What is it about Soulspeak’s beats that drew you to want to work together on a disc?
I have tremendous respect for Soulspeak as an overall musician, but I think it's his very creative and organic approach to music making, also his openness to different genres, that really made me excited to work with him.
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Love in the Land of Robots has a really striking sound. Was it written with Soulspeak in the same room or was it more sharing musical ideas online?
Because I live in Shanghai and Souslpeak is in Beijing we were actually only in the same room once throughout the process! But it’s truly the digital age, and we are in China, so much WeChat discussion. (smiles)
This is one of many Shanghai related releases this year that has a sci-fi theme. What is it about Shanghai that lends itself to these futuristic type of themes?
Shanghai as a city just has that futuristic feel. It does seem a place which changes fast and adapts to new technologies quickly. It's also hard to think of a more Blade Runner-esque skyline than Shanghai’s.
When we spoke to Soulspeak a couple months ago, he mentioned that you’re both so busy with other gigs that there might not be an album release show. Is there any chance that this album will be performed in a live setting in the future?
Actually we are going to squeeze in a small release party at Cafe Zarah in Beijing on July 23. And I believe we will also be doing a set at the JZ Festival in Shanghai later this year.I would love to do a follow up album, but it might be a few years away!
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You also do electronic music as TTechmak - are there similarities between the two projects?
Speaking generally, the TTechmak project probably has a clearer jazz influence than the material with Soulspeak and features more live instruments. Soulspeak has more experience in electronic styles than me, so that side of things come out stronger.
Has making this album affected the music in your other projects?
Definitely. I was absolutely trying to learn some Soulspeak tricks, and gain some production knowledge from him through this collaboration. TTechmak Vol.2, which I'm working on now, has certainly been influenced.
Even though you’re from Australia, you’re a Shanghai jazz fixture. What is it about the city’s music that made you want to settle in?
I like the diversity of the musicians backgrounds we find in the Shanghai scene. This means we are constantly challenged to play in different genres with musicians from all parts of the globe. It's also been exciting to see the rapid development of so many great local Chinese jazz musicians.
Where can people usually see you play and are there any artists in China that you’d like to recommend?
I am currently touring every weekend with Li Rong Hao all through 2016. But you can catch me in Shanghai at the Wooden Box with my trio, Cotton Club on Wednesdays, and sometimes Heyday or On Stage. Looking forward to playing the new JZ Club which is opening in September too! For Shanghai jazz, check out Li Xiaochuan, Xiong Guanzhang, Peng Fei etc. For electronica, anything from SVBKVLT, Ran Music and Groove Bunny.
July 23, 3-7pm, free entry. Cafe Zarah, 42 Gulou Dong Dajie, by Andingmen Nei Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街42号（8403 9807）
Land in the Love of the Robots will be available at Ran Music's Bandcamp on July 21.
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