Hello friends, today I present to you an interview with a musical genius. Aaron Kerr is a composer, a cellist, a thinker most deep, a father, friend, and much more. I have a great appreciation for him beyond those mentioned areas. We took a goal of producing my poetry, once a day, to his composing music every day, to create a gathering of ideas and music. In August we presented the event, The Pict Cycle for a live audience. And despite my fears and issues of health that make difficult certain things, it went well. Aaron is the reason that happened.
This interview was begun in late summer with emailed questions, and his responses are found below. Thank you for reading, and thanks to Aaron for his responses.
Hi Aaron, the audience here mostly knows I follow your band, the collective of Swallows, Emperor Penguin Records, J.Briozo and Brett Hansen's Side Effects... But your band Dissonant Creatures is in almost all ways different, than most anything and the other bands in the grouping. Does that difference come from desire, or natural flow, or instinct, and if a band is based upon improv, how does a composer fit into that mix?
Aaron Kerr’s Dissonant Creatures (AKDC) is an extension of my work as a composer and very specific to what I wanted to do with my music. I got a McKnight Composer Fellowship in 2006 and saw this as a turning point. Up to that point I was writing pretty traditional classical music, with a bent towards some of the composers I admired, like Hindemith, Steve Reich, Arvo Part, and all the impressionists.
I had three goals in mind: I wanted something that was easy to pull together with one or more people, I wanted something I could solo over, and I wanted something idiomatic – meaning easy to play in a particular style. So this ended up being four albums of duets, 40 songs total. Each album is inspired by a different kind of music: rock, folk, classical, and jazz. I think of it like my version of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, without the fat lady singing at the end.
Enter Swallows. I had been jamming and playing with these guys for some time before this, mostly as a side man. What I love is that are they kind of into anything weird. I think there is the concept that if you play one kind of music you don’t do anything else, which first of all is not true and secondly I tend to prefer to play with people who have many influences. If you look at the greats: The Beatles, Beach Boys, even Elvis, they were all over the place in terms of their influences, despite their outward facing hits.
So Swallows was totally game to take on my weird instrumental compositions. It definitely started with the simplest pieces – just some melodies and easy changes. Over time I gave them more and more complex arrangements. For a bunch of rock players and songwriters I seriously pushed them into hard stuff – some pieces have no improv and every note is written out. But it was also hard because I wanted them to solo in odd keys and weird rhythms. They ended up learning all the tunes – which is maybe three hours of music, and, yes, we have performed all those tunes in one night.
I’ve got to say it is a real treat as a composer to have that kind of dedication from your players. I’ve got this whole seven piece band that will drop everything to play my music, and that is rare. I often feel like Sun Ra pushing his players past the breaking point in the name of weird music. I do try to treat them well – hotels only and food on the road.
Is that desire, natural flow, or instinct? Maybe all of the above. I think you have to be a bit selfish to be in my position, and if the opportunity presents itself, as it has, then you go for it.
As far as composing versus improv goes, I kind of see them as two building blocks of the same building. Unless you are playing classical, there isn’t a band out there that just plays the written notes. Every musician fleshes out the parts, adds to the arrangement, and tweaks the music somehow, even if most of the notes are written. Even with my classical scores I’m giving the musicians a chance to have input – I keep the instructions pretty basic and see what they do. Sometimes what the musicians do pisses me off – Jeff throws in this damn minor seven note at the end of my greatest piece, The Floor of the Sky. But it’s that tension that makes that part have some flavor, so I shut up and let him do it.
I spoke long ago as well as recently, that your work defies any focused label of genre or of similar work. I won't say unique since I don't have a voluminous memory of bands and styles, but I never heard anything like it. For those curious, yes I liked it too, but does a creator of spontaneous or unlike other music prefer to be thought unique or high quality. And yes I warrant that both are good things.
"Unique" and "high quality" aren't mutually exclusive things. That goes for any type of music, written or improvised.
Let's start with this idea: pure improvisation. There's more to "free form jazz", "avant-garde", or "experimental" than you think. It's the sum of everything that you have done as a performer that you throw into an experimental performance; it includes your history as a player, your chops, your knowledge of genres, and just your simple ability to react in the moment. Think of it like a scientist who has delved into all aspects of science: biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, design, computer science. The output there could be anything and everything. Anything is possible. Then, there's the performer's wisdom. What I mean is the ability to listen, to react to other musicians, to anticipate like a ninja what comes next. Then there is the chemistry between the players - it's got to be there, either through experience or just innate ability to connect. That's a lot going on and should not be underestimated.
Written music has it's own effect and consequences. You have to lay down something really solid for who is performing it. That might be something really simple or something really complex. It doesn't matter, both are good and can be amazing experiences depending on what you've composed and who is playing it. Sometimes a piece of music is a pile of crap until you work on it, sometimes it works right away. A good performer will see that and make the best of any work.
So you can have something unique and bad quality, something not unique and good quality. The ultimate goal is to simply create a great experience. I've heard amazing performances of tired old music that completely blew my mind because it was done so well. And I've heard terrible performances of something I was really anticipating because I thought it was going to be exciting and new. Just keep your mind open people, and it's OK to have an opinion about what you like and don't like!
What am I trying to do when I compose? Good question. I think I
compose in the moment and I'm trying to capture an idea. It doesn't
have to be new or different, I just want it to be the most relevant
and pure articulation of a concept I can do. Two things I can think
of that maybe guide my approach: One, if the music should predictably
go right, I go left. Meaning: I'm always trying to surprise people to
keep the music interesting. Two: one thing someone said to me was
this: "Aaron, your music is like a stick that has been cut down
to a sharp point". I love that (not just because I'm a
carpenter): I'm a minimalist at heart and I tend to find the perfect
thing and leave it at that. No frills, just the meat (I'm also a
vegetarian so that saying is, admittedly, not as good).
Did your recent
work Scorpio Rising come with a desired focus, in tone, in
message or anything? I found the music in person great, as well as wish
it had a CD, and listening to individual songs,
there was a feeling of a building of power, inevitably
raising expectations and anticipation. Was that meant to
happen or was that just a happy circumstance. I've been to
concerts, much longer even. But
for the time spent, the enjoyment of Dissonant Creatures was great, certainly a fine
experience, I left however, thoroughly spent. I never had that, even
at a Replacements concert that was filled to quite a bit
over occupancy and louder than 747's lift off level decibels.
There was absolutely a tone intended for this album, and that tone
was: rock. I wanted a very live sound to the album so we did all the
songs live in studio, doing multiple takes of each song. It was
recorded over two days in one of the best studios in the Cites. I
wanted these songs to come off as very heavy and inexcusably loud
with screaming guitars, dark vibes, and intense rhythms. We kept
turning up the drums in the mix; we began to realize the drums
(played incredibly well by our drummer, Jonathan Townsend) were the
foundation for the album. We got them in a place where they were
punchy and had awesome tone.
AKDC does a bit of everything, and that is on purpose. It's reflective of my past four albums, each one with a focus. Dissonant Creatures (2013) was classical in approach. Union County Forever (2016) is country and folk. Odin (2020) is jazz. Scorpio Rising (2025) is rock. These four albums are my magnum opus - my Wagner ring cycle. For most of our last tour we just played the rock set, but some shows we pull out a wider range of material.
The feeling of power you felt was intended. Every show is different, but that set you saw was meant to take you on a rocket ship to the space station. There are open parts to every song, so some of the anticipation and intention could be spontaneous. But I take these shows seriously and organize the music to be a journey for the audience. I want you to feel spent in a way that is satisfying like a good meal, not like I put you on the rack.
You play in many groups, collectives, and more, does that just come from wanting to play, or do you seek to achieve something greater by it? Is it building a talent by playing in different genres and types of groups? When describing the three times I saw you in person playing, I mentioned how your solos in songs are pure power and glory, making me feel chilled through my bones and flesh. What is your most desired role, composer, cellist, or something else?
Post college I moved to the Cites and was just taking on anything I could do. At that stage in my career that was a good thing to do, and I'd recommend that to anyone starting out - take on any project you have time for, being honest about your ability to who you are working with. At some point you need to pull back; quit the stuff that doesn't move you anymore and focus on what you are excited about. If something's still on your list then make a decision to try it out, but give it a timeline.
If I hadn't of done that, if I didn't experiment and dive in, the "power and glory" of my solos would not be there. I know, know, know this for sure. A friend and bandmate of mine once said "Aaron, the way you play cello is the most original thing you do. No one else plays like that". It was me taking on all these projects that got me to that place. It was also the intensity of my study - not giving up on an idea because it was hard. I wanted to find my true "sound" and spent my life doing that. This is the sacrifice the great artists take to master what they do.
What's
my desired role? I can die happy knowing I've mastered something - my
playing and composing. I want to be a bandleader now, and a music
organizer. I'll die happier if I can make society better for
musicians. I'll do that by setting up shows for AKDC and all the
other projects I'm in. I
will also fight the shallow bastards trying to control everything too
- Spotify and the major labels and the tech capitalists (who are all
complicit). If I can make a dent in all of that, I'll be happy. This
will be the "something greater" I can aspire to.
Beyond
hearing other creators, the music of the past, the new creatives,
what inspires your work on Dissonant Creatures the most? Is it
trusting where the talents in the group take you, or is it something else?"
What I've done with AKDC is build a machine, and it's a pretty awesome one. If you want a band that takes you on a journey, that can be intensely quiet and mysterious or create a massive explosion of sound, we are there. The musicians are top notch: trained players who have been in the trenches and done every type of music and been in every situation. I've honed my sets to operatic perfection - we will satisfy your most dramatic need.
Now it's simply to
play shows. The music is recorded and released. The band stands
ready. We can throw down an amazing performance anywhere - I'm
convinced of it. This is what inspires me: the knowledge that we have
the perfect vehicle for amazing music.
Aaron Kerr and Dissonant Creatures Links
Aaron Kerr.Com
Dissonant Creatures
Contact Aaron Kerr
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