The Vorarlberg pianist DAVID HELBOCK originally planned to record an album with his former mentor and now friend PETER MADSEN. This initially rather simple idea, however, developed over time into something musically big, into an “affair of the heart”, as described in the press release. “Austrian Syndicate” (ACT Music) is a multi-layered production: on the one hand it is a tribute to his teacher, on the other hand it is a homage to the legendary Austrian jazz musician JOE ZAWINUL, who is one of his great musical role models. It’s also a reunion with old companions and friends, and a truly exciting musical exploration of a variety of styles. In an interview with Michael Ternai, DAVID HELBOCK talks about the development of AUSTRAN SYNDICATE from the idea to today’s form, the role that PETER MADSEN played in terms of his musical career and the influence JOE ZAWINUL had on him.
The press text says that this album is something special for you. What makes it special for you?
David Helbock: It’s special on many levels. The basic idea was initially that I wanted to make an album with my former teacher Peter Madsen. He actually showed me everything I know about jazz today. He was probably the most important person in my life as a teacher and has become a close friend over time. With this album I just wanted to give something back to him.
I wanted to combine Peter with a good international rhythm section in this project and quickly found my former trio. I have traveled the world with Raphael Preuschl and Herbert Pirker for many years and I also have a very close friendship with them. Then I also added the Claudio player, whom I have known longer than either of them, since my time at the Feldkirch Conservatory. You see, this band is really just friends to whom I owe a lot. This fact alone makes the Austrian Syndicate something very special for me. Hence the name – Syndicate – the band is like a family.
And as for the music?
David Helbock: Musically it is just as special for me, even if the musical idea of this project only gradually became concrete. With every step, a new musical level has been added. What I quickly realized at the beginning was that Peter actually only plays piano, which meant for me that I had to unpack all my synthesizers and keyboards. In this constellation, the synthesizers and keyboards inevitably led to Joe Zawinul. If someone combines jazz with keyboards, they just can’t get past Zawinul. He was an important influence for me. I’ve seen him live, I think, twenty times. That’s why there’s a piece by him on the album that I’ve rearranged. But I didn’t want to make a cover album – but I wanted to continue the open spirit of Zawinul.
We then also looked for guests who had something to do with him at some point, and so the whole project grew steadily.
Austrian Syndicate (c) Severin_Koller
Does the fact that Peter was your teacher and you’ve done so much together with Raphael and Herbert also explain the sentence in the press release that this album is also a return to the roots?
David Helbock: I do not know this. The keyboards actually came to me later through Peter. When he moved to Vorarlberg about twenty years ago, he founded the group CIA (Collective of Improvising Artists). I was already his student back then and he asked me if I wanted to join this group. But up until then I had only played the piano. So, in order to participate, I had to start learning about keyboards. I was 18 years old then, so a bit older.
What was fascinating to observe at our first rehearsal was that everyone – Peter, Raphael and Herbert hardly knew each other before that – found each other straight away and immediately sounded like a band, probably because I have a long-standing musical relationship with everyone involved .
You just mentioned the band nature of this project. Your name is on the album, but if you look at the names of those who composed the pieces, you can see that almost everyone actually made a contribution. More band thoughts are hardly possible. Does this circumstance also raise this project to a higher level for you?
David Helbock: In any case. Hence the picture with the ant as the cover for the album, which the Tyrolean artist Peter Kogler made available to us. I think this picture shows what Austrian Syndicate is all about. The ants as team workers who, together with the others, create a large ant mountain for them.
But you also have to say that Peter already takes on the role of co-leader in this band. He ended up writing half of the plays. The other half is mine. Raphael also contributed a piece and Herbert and Claudio also made a significant contribution with their inputs. The reason my name is now on the cover is because I organized everything and brought the band together.
As a gifted pianist, how was it for you not to step into the role of the pianist?
David Helbock: That’s something special with Peter. I don’t think that would work so well with another pianist. Peter and I know each other too well and we know how each other ticks musically.
In any case, it was very inspiring for me to unpack the old keyboards again after a long time. I also bought new synthesizers. One is called osmosis. Each key is touch-sensitive and you can change the sound by moving your fingers even after you have played it. It’s brand new on the market and came out just before we started recording.
But sound has always been important to me. I’ve always looked inside the piano and looked for new sounds. That certainly helped me on the keyboards and synths.
Also musically your record covers a huge range. One can no longer really speak of classical jazz here. There is fusion, many elements from various global musics, etc.
David Helbock: I think the stylistic diversity can be attributed to the guests, among other things. With Alex Acuña and Lakecia Benjamin taking part in pieces and Dhafer Youssef singing in others, the music immediately takes on a completely different horizon. The fact that the pieces ultimately sound the way they do now has gradually developed. When at some point the idea of Zawinul came up, the name Austrian Syndicate came up anyway and at the same time there was also a focus on Austria. And who is the second best composer in Austria? Mozart, of course. And then I arranged a piece of that for the album. And so in the end it was also clear that when you have Zawinul and Mozart on one record, you get blown away by stylistic thinking.
But this musical breadth anchored itself in my thinking very early on. And responsible for that is Peter Madsen. I got that from him. He has played with the biggest stars from different fields. Straight jazz with Stan Getz, modern jazz with Chris Potter, free jazz with Don Cherry or funk with Fred Wesley. I was really influenced by his openness.
The album is a tribute to Joe Zawinul. What is your specific connection to this artist?
David Helbock (c) Severin Koller
David Helbock: I saw Zawinul live very early on. He played relatively often in Vorarlberg because he had very good connections with Old cinema had in Rankweil. And he was there at least once a year with his Syndicate. I guess I was about ten when I first heard it. And from then on, once a year. Then when I was 17, 18 we had a band with which we supported him. That’s where I first met him and, above all, his band. Then there was his book written in interview form, which I devoured, and other interviews of him that I read.
He just really fascinated me as a guy. How he left for America with almost nothing in his pocket and started a world career there. Anyone who really cares about sound simply can’t get past Zawinul.
In any case, the demand for Austrian Syndicate seems to be high, if you look at your tour calendar.
David Helbock: You can say that, but it was really a lot of work to put this tour on its feet, it’s gotten a lot more difficult since Corona. But in October and November we play almost every day. And there are already a few concerts coming up next year. What I still wish for is that we can play some big festivals next summer, I’m in contact with many and I’m confident.
We already played some really cool festivals before the album was released. Among other things in San Sebastian in Spain Jazzaldia Festival. It’s one of the biggest, I think, and certainly the oldest jazz festival in Europe.
You already said that this project is special for you. Is it also one that is intended for the longer term? Is a second record by Austrian Syndicate conceivable?
David Helbock: I can well imagine that, but I’m not dealing with that at the moment. We will see. But of course I would be happy.
Many thanks for the interview.
Michael Ternai
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Livetermine can be found at http://www.davidhelbock.com/live
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Links:
David Helbock / Austrian Syndicate
David Helbock (Facebook)
ACT