2023-06-13 09:07:24
The drummer ULI SOYKA founded his label PANTAU-X-RECORDS 25 years ago, and he has been active as a live musician even longer. Jürgen Plank spoke to SOYKA about his label as well as about the solidarity among musicians. For one of his next performances, on July 29, 2023 at the GLATT&VERKEHRT festival in Krems, ULI SOYKA is planning something special: a total of 3 drummers will play together, supported by double bass, saxophones, jaw harps and various other instruments.
In 1998 you have your label Monitor-X-Records founded, how do you celebrate this anniversary?
Uli Soyka: I’m celebrating the anniversary in that I’m still artistically active and really enjoying it! I’m lucky to be able to do that and live as a jazz musician. I love the broad, artistic diversity that I can shape through my creative music making – that’s particularly nice for me. I was often told by multipliers, such as journalists: it is not easy to sell you or your projects because you do so many different things. All I can say to that is: Yes, that’s bad luck, but this diversity means so much to me. I can’t and don’t want to do without it. I don’t have 1 or 2 bands, but over the course of time fifty or sixty projects or band formations have developed, which are not all constantly active, but many of them play at regular intervals in my concert series “pantau-x-musik- up close” various stages. Of course, there are also projects that only existed for a short time. I’m not afraid to put together new band formations again and again and to see if they make sense and are fun. So I celebrate by continuing my annual concert series. I am convinced that this creative diversity makes sense and will always find its audience! At the beginning of this year we were again allowed to hold an anniversary concert in the Porgy & Bess play. Such invitations are always very helpful and a nice platform.
If you think about the last 25 years: why was it right, the platform Monitor-X to start and do the constant legwork that a music label entails?
Uli Soyka: Music is my life and I love the productions and products that come from it. Since 1998 I have been able to release 21 CD productions. The beautiful music that is created at the concerts is always worth the effort and doing this diverse, small-scale all-round work. From my side, I feel like I have no other choice, because if I didn’t do that, I would have to look for another job. I used to work as a goldsmith, but working in a company means a lot more external determination for me – none of that is for me. I need this freelance work, this independence. I would like to create and implement ideas myself, I also need the breaks in between. In return, I am happy to accept that freelancing naturally means walking a tightrope without a net.
“I ALWAYS ATTACH SPECIAL VALUE THAT ALL PARTIES ARE EQUAL ACTORS AND EXPERIENCE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE APPRECIATION”
You’ve been to the festival several times Smooth & Perverted played, this year you’ve been invited again. What is planned for this performance on July 29, 2023 in Krems?
Uli Soyka: I’m here for the fourth time this year, the first time we played with him Takon Orchestra, that was a long time ago. And I was there with Claudia Cervenka in 2008, with the formation Troica, that was a very fine concert. And I had an invitation from Frank London from the Klezmaticsback then I worked with Wolfgang Muthspiel, Achim Tang, Otto Lechner, Norbert Hauer and the Rossatz Brass Band played. This year I am for the first time, like Johann Kneihs von S1 wrote very nicely, as a bandleader. I always attach particular importance to the fact that all those involved are equal actors and experience the greatest possible appreciation.
With what formation will you join Smooth & Perverted spielen?
Uli Soyka: With CookingDrums&BlowingReeds&PluggedStrings=ExcitingLife: with three drums, double bass and wind instruments. We have that once in Off Theater tried it out, back then Katharina Ernst and Andi Menrath were on the drums and Clemens Salesny on the saxophone and clarinet. My idea was not to invite the best-known people from the front row who play everywhere anyway, but musicians from my environment who have accompanied me for a long time. Andi Menrath has been my drummer neighbor since 1998 Knife-Rehearsal room, he plays well and I like him. In terms of play, we drummers don’t have that much to do with each other, because you rarely play with a drummer in a band at the same time. Instead of Katharina Ernst, Judith Schwarz will be there in Krems, as well as Tobias Vedovelli on double bass. And Klaus Dickbauer will contribute all his blowers, jaw harps, samples and more. The joy is great!
Sometimes you can see a drummer and a percussionist in formations. Seeing three drummers on stage at the same time is an unusual setting. Why did you want that?
Uli Soyka: With two drummers you can still imagine the interaction, with three it becomes more difficult. It can get pretty tight there and it’s easy to get in each other’s way. The question and task is always: how do you approach such a challenge and how do you get to know each other beforehand? The three of you need more than one focus, you have to adjust to that. Five drummers would be a rhythm orchestra, then you would have to have scores and a conductor, otherwise it’s tricky and something completely different. We’re already rehearsing, it’s going to be wonderful: our program, with compositions by everyone involved, will be diverse, melodic, but also freaky and free. It’s going to be fun, not just for us. I’m not Martin Grubinger myself and we’re not Stomp and no marching band stars, we keep the program relatively simple but exciting.
“IN SOCIAL-COMMUNICATIVE CONCERNS, MUSICIANS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE GREATEST PROFESSIONALS”
I read in an interview with you that you always try to stay away from colleagues who use the elbow technique to accelerate their career. What did you mean then?
Uli Soyka: My method is: I reflect on myself and see what creative work I can bring together. I am particularly pleased when invited colleagues get more involved in projects than just playing the job. I can remember that at the time I was thinking about Ellbogen-Technik about certain musicians who, in my opinion, simply did not treat involved colleagues well, regardless of the losses. In my working environment, I want to make sure that respect for everyone involved is the most important asset! As a negative example, I mean that you simply ignore people who have been with you for a long time. Sure, one can and will have to change again and again in the course of artistic life, and it is always the case that greater recognition will bring the stars to the forefront. And the accompanying musicians are the accompanists. My biggest wish has always been to let something grow together. It often happens among musicians that there is a positive togetherness when they have studied together, friendships have been formed, they have grown up together or lived together in shared apartments. Then you live together and share the necessary tasks and work among yourself. But my very personal opinion is: When it comes to social and communicative matters, musicians are not always the greatest showpieces.
What else do you observe in this context?
Uli Soyka: Today everyone has various jobs and you have to do a lot to survive as a musician. I sometimes notice it when I hire musicians who then have one or even two rehearsals on the day of the concert or maybe a late second performance after the concert. So I ask myself: what is the best way to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and spends enough time together in the interest of the cause? If a musician is absent from the sound check, it’s always stupid. You have to expect everything and everything happens. I’ve had people cancel three hours before a concert and then I had to find someone else. Unfortunately, I’m not financially able to book all my fellow musicians exclusively – that would be helpful and really nice.
“I SIMPLY LOVE THE RECORDER, THAT’S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TONAL WORLD FOR ME”
Apart from the drums, you have a special affinity for the recorder.
Uli Soyka: I just love the recorder, it’s a completely different tonal world for me. The flute wasn’t in my life for a while, but when I came to Vienna in 1987, I started playing a lot and regularly again. I play the flute well, but I can’t improvise well according to notated jazz harmonies like jazz musicians do, but my hearing and my musical experience allow me to improvise with a halfway sounding accompaniment. I have written hundreds of pieces of music and compose a lot with the flute and meanwhile also while sitting at the piano. I expanded a lot there. We now play pieces by myself in a wide variety of bands and I think that’s great: you think of something and then it starts to come to life thanks to the wonderful performers. That’s just great and I’m really happy.
You have a background as a craftsman, used to be a goldsmith. Do you sometimes wonder how your life would have been without music?
Uli Soyka: Sometimes I think to myself: if I look at what I’ve already done and achieved with music, I’m having a very nice life. I was able to see and experience a lot, played on several continents, got around a lot. Although I was never a musician who had many long tours or played in famous bands, I was still able to make a wide variety of music with wonderful musicians. I have also been active in music education for many years. With the Vienna Boys’ Choir I was also able to play many classical, contemporary children’s operas and participate in other music projects. And accompany some tours – just wonderful to be involved in so many different musical projects.
How did you manage to reconcile the diversity described?
Uli Soyka: All of this is and was only possible because I didn’t shy away from jumping into unfamiliar territory when I was given new tasks. I often had the feeling that I was hardly able or difficult to cope with tasks. I often had no idea whether I could manage and cope with these tasks. But then I practiced well and got involved with the new. Actually, that always went very well! The only question that always remains is: What about energy and strength – do I have sufficient resources, do I feel and know my limits? But: I love this life, it’s very full and rich, I do a lot and just enjoy everything to the fullest.
Many thanks for the interview.
Jurgen Plank
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Live:
15.06.2023: Triomobile++Jazzoff theater, Vienna, 7:30 p.m
17.06.2023: Triomobile++JazzArtHouse-Weinviertel, Ginzersdorf, 7:30 p.m
29.07.2023: CookingDrums&BlowingReeds&PluggedStrings=ExcitingLife,
Slick & Wrong, Krems, 8:30 p.m
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Links:
Monitor-X
Uli Soyka (Facebook)
1686803124
#MUSIC #LIFE #LOVE #PRODUCTS #LIFE #ULI #SOYKA #MICA #INTERVIEW #mica