On our docket is a recent interview conducted by Bass Player magazine with Todd Sickafoose, whose sublime Tiny Resistors was just released this month, along with or Fearless Leader Jeff Gauthier's House of Return.
The archetype of the accomplished bassist who also composes, arranges, produces isn't new, but Todd Sickafoose's utterly unique go at it could fool you into thinking otherwise. The 34-year-old composition major's latest effort, Tiny Resistors, employs a supersized band of two drummers, two guitarists, four horns, keyboards, and special guest indie-rock darlings Andrew Bird on violin and Ani DiFranco (she's also Todd's main sideman gig) on "distorted" vocals. Sickafoose's formidable upright skills consistently steer the ship, often through unexpected idioms. "In both my band and Ani's band, I stick almost entirely with the upright bass. People have told me that it's rare to see upright bass in bands that are essentially rock bands, but I've been doing it so long that it doesn't seem strange to me." In the confident hands of Todd Sickafoose, it's hard to imagine anything seeming strange, as his band paints a series of abstract musical pictures at his direction, combining ensemble jazz with modern alternative to create a sonic world in which bass is just a part of the overall eclectic mural of sound.
How did you prepare the material and arrangements for Tiny Resistors?
Every stage of making a record like this is a creative step. Assembling the band - that's composing. Deciding what to tell the band, what not to tell them, what sections to work out in detail, what sections to leave room for spontaneity - all creative decisions. And I usually write on piano, so I spent time doing that the old-fashioned way, with a pencil and everything. I'll start with a whole bunch of music and make it less and less until I have something simple and clear. That's when I know I've got something worth playing.
What kind of music influenced this material? Any artists or specific styles in particular?
Probably all the usual suspects, like Bill Frisell and Tortoise come to mind. But I'm also excited by all the music being made by my friends right now - Nels Cline, Jenny Scheinman, Andrew Bird - the music scene in Brooklyn. The genre mashup is where all the intriguing stuff is.
How has playing with Ani DiFranco affected your jazz compositions?
By giving me even more appreciation for clarity. Ani's music is so amazingly clear. You feel it, understand it - a little symphony goes by in about three minutes. It takes me an extra eight, apparently.
Tell us a little about the band and the folks that make it up. What would you call it ("mini-orchestra"? "large ensemble"? etc.) And how has the NYC scene impacted you in general?
Yes, a mini-orchestra! I love that feeling of melody moving around from instrument to instrument, where the texture keeps changing sort of kaleidoscopically. As far as NYC, one of the things about this city, especially for a bass player, is the incredible wealth of drummers. Ben Perowsky, Simon Lott, Allison Miller, and Ches Smith have all played in - and influenced - this band.
What do you see as the role of your bass -- acoustic or electric -- in the kind cross-genre experimental music found on Tiny Resistors?
Since I'm the leader, I sorta steer the ship. It's taken me a while to figure out how to lead the band from the bottom up. At first I would always play more than I wanted to, just to keep the songs moving forward. But I've figured out how to encourage other instruments be the motor, so that I can play in a more interactive - or sometimes sparse - way. There's also the issue of bass solos on these records; not surprisingly, there are two on mine, but there's also two on Ani's newest release Red Letter Year, and Reprieve begins with unaccompanied bass. It's been a great challenge to make those moments worth so many repeated listenings.
How do you balance the roles of bassist, keyboardist, composer, producer, and eventual mix engineer during the tracking sessions for a complex record like this?
Yeah, I did sleep for an entire day after the recording session was over. And Jeff Gauthier, the head of Cryptogramophone, was there to be extra ears. But like I said earlier, I think of it all as composing. You gather everything and you make something out of it that represents your vision and what you want to hear. I mean, I think it was easier to lead this recording session knowing that I was going to be mixing it. While we were playing, I was already thinking, "this take could sound amazing spliced together with the intro from the other take." Bass players always think that way. It's why so many of us are producers.
Can you explain the meaning of the title Tiny Resistors?
Well, a tiny resistor is used in electrical circuitry. It does its job by resisting current and sitting there and heating up. And I guess I like the idea that conscientious people can be tiny resistors too. We have the power to resist injustice in the world - big injustices and small ones too.
What do you have to say to aspiring bassist/composers? Any advice?
I'm no expert, but it does seem like a talented bass player, who plays generously and passionately, who listens to everything that's going on, and works on having a nice, open sound, is always worth their weight in gold. So I guess be one of those people! There will be plenty of time to write too.
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CAN BE HEARD ON
Todd Sickafoose, Tiny Resistors (Cryptogramophone, 2008)
Ani DiFranco, Reprieve (Righteous Babe Records, 2006)
Ani DiFranco, Red Letter Year (Righteous Babe Records, 2008)
CURRENTLY SPINNING
Eyvind Kang & Tucker Martine, Orchestra Dim Bridges (Conduit Records, 2004): "Eyvind and Tucker cover their tracks - you can barely figure out how they made this thing. It's so full of beauty and doom. And cool production ideas. I recommend headphones."
The Books, Thought for Food (Tomlab, 2002)
Andrew D'Angelo, Skadra Degis (Skirl, 2008)
GEAR
Basses: Acoustic: 1850 Czech flatback doublebass with Spirocore Weich strings; Electric: Fender Musicmaster with flatwound strings and Jazz Bass pickups.
Rig: One channel D.I., one channel Gallien-Krueger 800RB head with an Eden 4x10 cabinet miked, both channels blended equally; Fishman Full-Circle pickup (for acoustic).
Effects: None. "The upright bass, if you can get it loud and clear, has so much character. Instead of effects pedals you have a world of sonic possibilities with just the bow alone."
Studio: "I don't really have a recording rig per se. I mean, with the upright I just stick a mic on there, and we always record the electric differently depending on what kind of mood everyone's in."
Comments: "I bought [the acoustic] from Lisa Gass at her wonderful shop in Los Angeles (L.A. Bassworks) twelve years ago and haven't used anything else since. I'm also hooked on the new carbon-fiber bows, they play well and I destroy them less frequently. [The Musicmaster] records perfectly, when it isn't humming like crazy. Plus it's small and feels nice to play. [For] my live sound, I'm going for as full-spectrum as possible, with the punch and quick attack of the DI, plus the warmth and slight distortion of the amp."
