EKKO III is the name of a project by guitarist GERALD GRADWOHL from Burgenland, and the band recently released their first album “Wired Triad”. Together with GRADWOHL, JOJO LACKNER (bass) and WALTER SITZ (drums) form the trio, which moves musically between jazz, electronic and funk influences. GERALD GRADWOHL spoke to Jürgen Plank regarding the highlights of his career as well as regarding the special approach to the production of the album. He also talks regarding favorite musicians like Scott Henderson and Bob Berg, with whom he has also played – and regarding collaborations with Andy Borg and Sandra Pires.
What is unusual regarding your debut album “Wired Triad” is that it is an instrumental album. Why aren’t you singing?
Gerald Gradwohl: The whole album grew out of jamming. We did with my band, the Gerald Gradwohl Group, played and Walter Sitz stepped in on the drums. During the sound checks we always jammed a little and played as a threesome. That always felt good and so we said: at some point we should go to the studio and record it. And then we just did that. Everyone had a good feeling regarding it and so the question never arose whether there was singing. Of course, this makes the music a bit difficult to classify, but it’s jazz with electronics and funk influences.
You improvised all the pieces, which is also unusual for an album. How was the recording situation?
Gerald Gradwohl: That was an attempt. We just saw what came out. I used to compose my pieces and I always wanted to act more freely. The three of us pull together and that’s how it turned out quite well. We really didn’t mind, we just set everything up and played. Someone starts with a groove, a riff, or a chord. Or with a bass line. Then the others join them. We recorded twelve jams in total and didn’t know at all whether it would work out or not.
How much material did you have for the current album?
Gerald Gradwohl: We recorded 5 hours of material, everyone listened to it at home and we found that the material turned out really cool. Jojo Lackner viewed the material and edited it into songs. He did an excellent job, there were no subsequent recordings.
Because of the instrumental music, I immediately thought of film music. To which plot might your music fit and did you also think in this direction?
Gerald Gradwohl: I didn’t think like that while playing. But when you listen to it, you naturally associate certain things. When the pieces were finished, we needed titles for them. I already created pictures and that’s how the name “Slow Ride, Fast Car” came regarding for track 2 of the album. It sounds to me like cruising through the countryside in a car. Otherwise: I haven’t made film music yet, but I’ve played in productions that have become film music.
“Does it make sense to produce CDs?”
What do you think is special regarding this debut album?
Gerald Gradwohl: The three of us have already done a lot in different areas. This album is an attempt that went well. We just put the album out and now we’re thinking regarding how to proceed with the thing. At the moment we are only digital, but we are considering pressing a few CDs because there is a demand. But in the current music landscape it is of course somewhat uncertain how things will continue: does it make sense to produce CDs? And producing vinyl is very expensive. If there is a demand, we would certainly implement the project live.
You’ve been touring around the world with various bands. Is there a concert experience that was special?
Gerald Gradwohl: One experience that shaped me was touring with the band Threeo. It was a fusion jazz trio, we did three albums including a live album with Bob Berg, a saxophonist who played with Miles Davis and Chick Corea. So he was one of the really great tenor saxophonists. Playing live with him as a young musician was great. You are there on stage with a top musician standing next to you and playing a solo in front of you. And then you play a solo, that’s a healthy challenge, I took a lot with me from that time. It was one of the most important collaborations of my career.
You just mentioned Chick Corea, also guitarist Scott Henderson was a fellow musician with Corea that you played with.
Gerald Gradwohl: I’m a huge Scott Henderson fan, he’s still one of my favorite guitarists and I’m still in touch with him. I wasn’t in contact with him when I was very young, but eventually the opportunity arose to play a concert with Scott’s band. That’s how I got to know the musicians in his band and himself, and we became friends at that gig and we’ve been in touch ever since. I just hired him to do a guest solo on one of my albums and thank God he did. I recorded my first solo album with two of his band members. When he comes to Vienna, I watch his concerts and then we meet up and chat a bit.
You have also played with Sandra Pires and Andy Borg. How did that come regarding and how does it play out musically?
Gerald Gradwohl: Funny you mention that. I was in Sandra Pires’ first live band, we didn’t do that much stuff together but played live together for a year or two. That was that connection. There’s a band I’m good friends with that was Andy Borg’s backing band for a while. I kept substituting in the band and that’s how I came to play with Andy Borg. Is that really still on my website?
Are you embarrassed by that?
Gerald Gradwohl: No not at all. One goal for me as a young musician was to be versatile. Being a musician just playing jobs in different styles and genres of music. For me Schlager is just as much a part of it as rock or jazz. I still like doing jobs like that today, because it requires a certain quality to simply deliver good work in a certain genre. I’m not embarrassed at all and it was a super experience, although that’s not my métier that I listen to at home. Nevertheless, you can do it with a certain seriousness, gain experience and learn something. Actually, I always wanted to be a studio musician and play for all sorts of people, but that’s not that easy in Austria and it didn’t come regarding. But live, these widely spread jobs have worked quite well so far. I enjoy being a sideman, maybe because it gives me time to do my own projects.
“Brian May was so original and so good in the early days of Queen, you can’t argue with that”
Besides Scott Henderson, which guitarists do you like: Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton or Brian May?
Gerald Gradwohl: There are a lot. The three you mentioned are not my main influences now, although I totally respect and appreciate them. Brian May was in the early days of Queen so original and so good, you can’t say anything once morest that. It’s also always regarding which music you listen to at what time. One of my first favorite bands was The Sweet. I grew up listening to rock and hard rock music and I also liked Angus Young from AC/DC. Gary Moore in his hard rock phase was also a big influence for me. Only later did I get to know jazz and music related to jazz: Eben Scott Henderson, Mike Stern or Pat Metheny, all jazz greats. Not just guitarists, but also saxophonists: Michael Brecker is one of my greatest idols, and Bob Berg is certainly one of them. Also Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul. I almost forgot a guitarist who was very important to me: Eddie van Halen.
The categorization of music is particularly important in relation to concerts. Where would you consider yourself EKKO III rather see: in the jazz or in the rock club?
Gerald Gradwohl: That’s very difficult to answer. Probably more in the jazz club in terms of approach, because we have an improvisational-jazzy approach and very few things are predetermined. But in terms of sound – we use guitar, bass, drums and do a lot with effects, such as delays, which we also used when recording the album – it goes into the electronic-instrumental corner. But I mightn’t tell you a category that we really belong to. I hope that there will be a few reviews of the album, then it will be easier for us to categorize it: instrumental music, with electronic, funk and rock influences.
Many thanks for the interview.
Jurgen Plank
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Links:
https://www.gradwohl.at
https://ekkolll.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/geraldgradwohlofficial
