The artists featured on piano1, the label section1’s new compilation devoted fully to solo piano compositions, got two pointers: piano needs to be the primary instrument, and the piece should not function any vocals. Artists like Kelly Moran, the acclaimed pianist and composer whose contribution opens the vinyl model of the album, are used to experimenting with the pure sound of the instrument, weaving a dance between emotion and approach. However for others, like Japanese singer-songwriter Ichiko Aoba and Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy, whose major instrument is the guitar, the venture posed an fascinating, even mysterious, problem. Listening to piano1 is a chance to listen to musicians with various relationships to the instrument discover a easy immediate that incites a curious mixture of comfortability and complexity: Danish artist ML Buch interprets her hypnagogic dream-pop on ‘Attending to Know Every Different’, fidgeting with a grand piano’s clear precision; Brad Oberhofer captures a dusty, wistful intimacy; and ambient veteran Laraaji’s piece is intricate and playful, much less inclined to slide into dreamy territory. However whereas it conjures a variety of moods that speaks to its variety of expertise, piano1 is fantastic to sink into as a complete, an invite – because it was for each contributor – to decelerate, drift off slightly, and maybe begin remembering.
We requested some the artists featured on piano1, which is out right this moment, to speak about their earliest recollections of the piano and the way contributing to the venture reignited or deepened their relationship with it. Try their responses and take heed to the album under.
Laraaji
My earliest expertise of the piano was by the church on the age of ten, when no church service was in progress, and I used to be alone with the piano. I might discover it with enthusiasm. My mom lovingly acknowledged this and invested in an upright piano for the home in addition to piano classes. This assist began me on my quest of mastering improvisational music by the piano. Right this moment, my expression potential by the keyboard is vastly developed, and one in all my favourite musical expressions by the piano is spontaneous improvisational waltzes.
Hand Habits
My earliest recollections of piano: a dusty piece of furnishings, out of tune, intimidating, music locked away and inaccessible behind approach and data. The piano was the place the place the embarrassing household images stay. An altar for wood santas, candelabras, final week’s spam. The piano was a thriller to me… a spot the place melody doesn’t fairly sound correct.
In school, I dreaded piano class. I bought misplaced in the entire traces and areas that appeared to exist past all margins. In February of 2023 I used to be requested to carry out two of my songs on the piano at Carnegie Corridor. Throughout this time, I took classes and began very very slowly creating a cushty but nonetheless mysterious relationship with the piano. I used to be proven the deep and unfurling realm of resonance, the mounted voicings solely present in one place per octave, the sympathetic colours that appear to endlessly blossom and probability beneath my contact.
I’ve all the time primarily written and composed on the guitar and have spent most of my life monogamously with guitar as my channel. I nonetheless really feel intimidated by the piano, however this composition has impressed me to discover the advanced simplicity that this instrument has to supply. Being part of section1’s compilation motivated me to compose from a spot of curiosity and comply with my ear.
Brad Oberhofer
I’ve surprisingly few early recollections of piano, given there was all the time one in my lounge rising up. I briefly took classes round age 8 in Tacoma, WA. My trainer smoked a ton of cigarettes and picked up dollhouses. There have been a number of dollhouses and miniatures round the lounge the place I took classes. She had this weird and magical aura about her, on prime of being an unbelievable pianist and trainer. She was a deeply sort and empathetic particular person, with a toughness about her. She sometimes taught classes out of her dad and mom’ home, who had been each live performance pianists. Her dad and mom had been collectors, too: protecting the partitions of their residence – which struck me as grand and castle-like once I was younger – with dozens of pendulum clocks. To exist there was to witness a fraction of my trainer’s unusual and mystical childhood. When my classes ended, I may expertise that spectrum of unusual clocks, chiming otherwise in unison.
Contributing to this compilation has resulted in my first ever solo piano piece pressed to vinyl, and I can solely think about that if my childhood trainer had been to listen to me enjoying solo piano on a file, she’d be proud.
The Kimba Unit
My earliest recollections of the piano could be at first of highschool (I used to be a late bloomer) making an attempt to repeat and be taught songs from D’angelo, Prince, Stevie… that household tree. This venture made me extra snug with simplicity. There’s infinite issues you’ll be able to uncover about your self and your craft whenever you carry restraint into your observe.
Alan Wyffels
I’ve been enjoying the piano for so long as I can bear in mind and it has all the time been my predominant outlet for creativity, curiosity and self-regulation. Once I sit right down to play the piano it’s by no means with the intention to “write a tune” – I simply play. The seeds of the piece I contributed to the piano1 have been floating round in my improvisations for a few years. However given the task I used to be motivated to flesh out the concepts into some form of starting, center and finish.
Matthew Tavares
My earliest reminiscence of the piano is once I went to a bunch piano lesson with my mother. I used to be 4 years previous and I completely hated it. I didn’t go to a different lesson till I used to be 9 once I all of the sudden needed to strive once more and I fell in love with the instrument. Regardless that I owe my complete musical profession to the piano, I haven’t actually considered it a lot the previous 5 years. I play right here and there nevertheless it hasn’t been the main focus of my musical life. Generally I overlook I may even play the piano lol. Once I do play it’s usually improvising items and recording it on iPhone, which felt like essentially the most pure factor to contribute. Getting requested to be part of this venture made me do not forget that one of many deepest relationships I’ve is with the piano, I had merely forgotten.
piano1 is out now through section1.
