11/03/12

Theo Bleckmann on Kate Bush, the Claudia Quintet and Singing with Other Singers

Video interview with the unique vocalist taped at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival

By Lee Mergner

During the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival, JazzTimes set up a make-shift video production studio backstage inside the old barracks of Fort Adams. During two afternoons, a succession of artists—including Joe Lovano, Jack DeJohnette, Jason Moran, Christian McBride, Linda Oh, Donny McCaslin, Dafnis Prieto and several others—came in to talk about the festival, jazz education and their own projects. We have been posting these interviews at jazztimes.com. You can also see more of these video interviews from the Newport Jazz Festival (in 2011 and 2012), as well as from the Jazz Cruise, at the JazzTimes YouTube channel.

In this interview from the Newport Jazz Festival, singer Theo Bleckmann talks about his early musical education and development. He also discusses his work with the Claudia Quintet and why he thinks singers should sing with one another. Finally, the vocalist talks about his project devoted to the music of Kate Bush.

Video by Melissa Mergner. Audio by Jen Kim.