It just had to be: LUKAS KRANZELBINDER’S band SHAKE STEW is releasing another album in 2023 – and what an album it is. “LILA” (released October 13th) combines the earthy grooves and melodic flights known from the band with a new approach – partly through collaboration with star producer MARCO KLEEBAUER. Quo vadis, SHAKE STEW? Philip Yaeger met KRANZELBINDER to talk about the recording process, ecstasy and Jim Jarmusch films.
You could almost describe “LILA” as a short double album, the two halves are quite different in character. What connects them?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: The recordings are all in at first Westbahnstudio were created in Vienna, and we generally had the feeling that all the pieces should definitely be published. For me there isn’t much difference between the studio and playing live as long as the sound isn’t completely different. On this album, “live” (on the numbers “Heat,” “Shasta Fey,” and “Breathe”) just means that it is on the record exactly as we recorded it.
What is the working process like within the band – how much comes from you and how much comes from rehearsals?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: In principle, I actually write everything. Only in the track “Breathe” is it the first time that the melody of [Saxophonist] Johannes Schleiermacher is coming. With the drums, I usually have a rough idea of what I would like and the three of us work it out [mit Schlagzeugern Niki Dolp und Herbert Pirker]. With “Not Water But Rest” and “Lila” everything is actually written. On the other hand, numbers like “Shasta Fey” or “Breathe” are totally open. There are the grooves and a very clear mood – but then you just surf.
Marco Kleebauer’s handwriting can be clearly recognized in the first three songs. How did the collaboration with him come about?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: I have been following and admiring his work for a long time. When I was recording his drums, I thought to myself, that’s exactly where I want to go mit Shake Stew. I then asked if he wanted to collaborate on “Not Water But Rest.” I wanted a more produced beat for it, with more effects. I was excited about his way of working because it was fundamentally different from mine. The normal process for us is: write a piece, rehearse it, record it in the studio. With him it’s more like, from the moment you record, anything is possible. Herbert and Niki re-recorded the drums for the number in his studio, and then he did thousands of things – he tinkers around on his computer and whole worlds are opened up, then suddenly it has that vibe that you’re looking for. In the end I thought to myself, that sounds so good, there should actually be vocals over it.
Speaking of which, how do you know Precious Nnebedum?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: Funnily enough, I met her in Saalfelden. Then she attended the Liederabend twice, an annual benefit concert I organized. Then I asked her if she wanted to do something with the song. I gave her a few inputs about the text, for example a scene from [Jim Jarmuschs Kultfilm] “Only Lovers Left Alive,” where the two main characters drive through the devastated landscape of Detroit at night. Tilda Swinton’s character says: „This place will rise again…there’s water here. When the cities in the South are burning, this place will bloom.“ And then she wrote this text overnight, recorded it, and I thought to myself, are you stupid?
You could be described as the Austrian standard bearer of a certain ecstatic tradition in music, keywords Mingus, Pharoah Sanders, Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp…
Lukas Kranzelbinder: [lacht] In any case, ecstasy is actually what I’m looking for.
“There has always been a deep desire in me for physical or emotional overwhelm […]”
How did you get started on this path – were there specific records you listened to?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: I’ve always had a deep desire for physical or emotional overwhelm, which is why I’m such a crazy cinema fan. When I used to ride my bike to school, I always prepared music that had an epic build-up and that, despite being tired, I arrived at class completely pumped up – there was everything from “The Rock” soundtrack to Prodigy everything included. Later, around 14 or 15, I did Zawinul Syndicate I saw them live several times in quick succession because I noticed that I really liked the way they played – both the music and this driven all-or-nothing attitude.
But it went more in that direction when I got to know music styles from different regions in Africa, especially Gnawa music from Morocco – I got completely into it. This is designed for ecstasy. But I have to say that I am also very fond of spirituality, especially when it is paired with this trance-like music. I also notice that this search for overwhelm is becoming more and more concrete for me, year after year. But you have to say that achieving this in music is very difficult because it has a lot to do with group dynamics, trust and cohesion.
This only works if the group is together long enough…
Lukas Kranzelbinder: …and is also open to it.
Shake Stew (c) Severin Koller
But it was actually already there on your first record.
Lukas Kranzelbinder: It was already there musically, but it has become much more – through many open conversations and because there is a lot of trust: That forms the basis for you to really let yourself go.
Especially with “LILA” it seems to me that the band’s sound becomes more and more delicate over time. Is that intentional?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: So this album is definitely more delicate – and for that reason I like it the most of everything I’ve ever done with the band. It has rarely worked for me to convey an emotion as strongly as with this album. We worked a lot on playing energetically, but still retaining a certain softness – looseness, lightness. It’s tough. It takes a lot of reflection… that’s why I like the version of “Heat” on the album so much. Even though it’s totally energetic, nothing is ever forced, it just flows along.
You mainly play in Central Europe, but have also performed in countries like Tunisia and Turkey. Do you notice a difference in how music is received by audiences in other cultures?
Lukas Kranzelbinder: Full. The best example was Morocco in 2018, where it went through the roof so much… here or in Canada it is received very positively because of the jazz background that people have. But in Morocco and Turkey, a lot comes back – I think because they recognize certain musical aspects that appear in our music and experience them in a completely different context.
The trance-like.
Lukas Kranzelbinder: And also the melodic – the pieces “Shake The Dust” and “Not Water But Rest” are both based on this Ethiopian Tezeta scale. Even when I play Guembri, it has a strong Moroccan connection. I would actually like to perform more often with the band at festivals in Africa, but logistically it is often not possible. Our touring is currently very much limited to Europe. And that’s okay too.
Thank you very much for the conversation.
Phillip Yaeger
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Shake Stew live
16.10.2023 Moods, Zürich (CH)
17.10.2023 Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana (SI)
18.10.2023 Schloss Elmau (DE)
20.10.2023 Jazz & the City, Salzburg
October 21, 2023 City Garden, Cologne (DE)
11.30.2023 National Jazz Scene, Oslo (NO)
01.12.2023 Ghent Trade Fair (NL)
02.12.2023 Lantaran Venster, Rotterdam (NL)
08.12.2023 Porgy & Bess, Wien
01/19/2024 Konzerthaus Vienna
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