Alexander Machacek
Website
November 2002

"This CD is very much like having a conversation with someone. I would say that the interplay is probably what one should focus on. Whenever something happens during a solo, or when I'm accompanying Gerald or Terry, it is pure coincidence. Nothing is planned. A certain amount of tension is created with this approach and these are, so to speak, the magical moments."

Delete And Roll
Next Generation
2002

Reviewed By
Helmut Koch

By Phil DiPietro

Just having hit 30, Alexander Machacek is, quite simply, one of the most talented young guitarists to emerge from Europe in the new millennium. Not only does he possess absolute state-of-the-art guitar chops, capable of going legato like Holdsworth and staccato a la Steve Morse, he’s also cutting edge compositionally, utilizing computers in much the same way Frank Zappa used the Synclavier. He exploded onto the scene in 1999 with the jawdropping Featuring Ourselves, which successfully combines (as we’ll find out intentionally) the best of Mssrs. Holdsworth and Zappa. There are plans in the works for more from Alex and his solo project self, called “McHacek” (which simply drops the first “a” in deference to the Western world’s confusion over the surname).

Of late, he’s turned his attention to a collaboration with Terry Bozzio and fellow Austrian, saxophonist Gerald Preinfalk, called BPM, which has resulted in one of 2002’s finest fusion releases, Delete and Roll. Indeed, it would be difficult to imagine a more formidable collaborator for ostinato Maestro Bozzio than Machacek, a self-described “great admirer of Zappa and a bona fide connoisseur of his complex semi-classical work”. The alliance began when Machacek wrote the orchestral scores for an ensemble treatment of Terry’s solo percussion music which debuted in Vienna in 1999, and continues today. The most thrilling musical product of combining these three stellar musicians with the concept of computer abetted composition? Well, to begin with, some of the most incredible unison passages between drummer and guitarist (and drummer and saxophonist, and sometimes all three) ever committed to disc ­ a musical element that somehow also carries into the tunes’ improvisational sections. Some insights as to how this was achieved, and a lot more, are revealed herein. [Special note: This interview goes out with dedication from both the writer and interviewee to Allaboutjazz contributing writer Helmut Koch, a champion of the Austrian (and world, for that matter) fusion/prog scene, as well as the entirety of the enthusiastic and knowledgeable membership of the Fusenet internet group].

All About Jazz: If you don’t mind, please tell us how old you are and where you are from. It adds perspective to your bio.

Alex Machacek: I was born on 1st July1972 in Tulln, Austria...so that makes me...30! I am originally from the Czech Republic. My parents came to this country as refugees in the mid '60s. That's where my name comes from...which is probably hard to pronounce for people who's mother tongue is English.

AAJ: How did you first get into music?

AM: I started at the age of 8 by taking classical guitar lessons for six years at a music school in Vienna.

AAJ: Who were your first influences, as a musician, and more specifically, on guitar?

AM: Brian May and Queen, later Mark Knopfler, Ritchie Blackmore (as a kid/teenager), Joe Pass, Mike Stern, John Scofield, and John Abercrombie (around the age of 15 ­ 17), Holdsworth, John Mc Laughlin, Scott Henderson ,Chick Corea, Zappa, Wayne Krantz, Wes Montgomery, Joe Zawinul and so many others.

AAJ: Was there an evolution in influences, or was there a point when you feel individual influences stopped?

AM: In a way, I think I'm always influenced by the stuff that I hear (if I like it). I think that in the beginning it is quite natural to assimilate as many influences as possible. At that stage the mere experience of "being able to do the same thing" seems to be a major achievement. For a while, there were a lot of guitar related issues which influenced me but now I don't pay that much attention to the guitar. I'm far more interested in the music as a whole and not merely as a guitarist. For me this has been a major development in the last couple of years. In a recent interview for a Japanese magazine, I was asked why there are fewer guitar solos on the BPM album. This is a good example of what I mean- accompaniment is equally, if not more, challenging, and at the end of the day, it comes down to the musical content.

AAJ: What musical experiences in Austria precipitated your attendance at Berklee?

AM: After taking classical guitar lessons for 6 years I got more interested in electric guitar. So I took some private lessons from local guys here in Vienna. Later at the age of 17, I attended the Conservatory of Vienna for 4 years and finished with a degree in Jazz Guitar. While I was studying, I played as much as possible (and more!) with all kinds of bands ­ you name it. Then I took part at a Berklee summer course in Perugia, Italy where you can audition for a scholarship. I did well and received one.

So I attended Berklee in 95'. I picked it because of the scholarship. Berklee was basically a good experience for me, but this had nothing to do with the college. It was good for me to live in a foreign country, and I really did want to go to the States for a while. However, I would never have been able to afford it without the scholarship. The tuition is very expensive, especially when you are not used to paying for your education (for the most part, education is free in Austria).

Berklee is a very big school. I was overwhelmed! In 95' there were about 2500 students and 800(!) of them were guitar players - I almost felt ashamed when I walked down the street with my gig bag ...you know, “Aah, another guitar player”...and since the school is so big, there is also a lack of flexibility. For example, I found out that Steve Hunt (keyboardist and ex-Allan Holdsworth band member) was teaching there and I tried to get lessons from him instead of getting lessons from a guitar teacher ­ I was told it simply wasn't possible.

Another thing is, if you come there as a first semester student, all the interesting classes are already full. In the first two weeks I tried out as many classes as possible. Still, it just gets to a certain point, and all of a sudden you find yourself sitting in an advanced harmony class with a class mate asking you what a II-V-I is! Anyway, I was lucky enough to receive lessons from some great teachers, among them Bret Willmott (who really turned me on to polyrhythms and advanced chord systems).

AAJ: You seem quite comfortable with the intricacies of music theory and its application to improvisation and composition. How much of that element do you bring into the compositional process?

AM: Whenever I compose I try to write something that I find interesting or challenging (which doesn't imply that I always achieve my goal). I do feel very comfortable with the "ins and outs" of music theory. So much so that I often don't think about it consciously when I'm composing. I suppose I always have and always will be fascinated by all the possibilities and concepts that open so many doors.

I am a person who likes practicing and working on new concepts again and again. In this process, I continuously apply theory to practice. The extension of this process is then improvising and composing, so the whole thing just comes together. Let's say I'm working on polyrhythms on the guitar- then it feels very natural to me to write a tune were I can use all the stuff I'm currently working on - either just in the theme, or in the improvisation as well.

AAJ: Does the amount of theory used vary based on the composition and the goals of the composition?

AM: This is not such an easy question to answer! Let me put it this way-what I'm looking for is continuity or a flow in a composition. This could be a concept or a certain amount of theory, but I do not evaluate compositions according to their complexity.

I also find it important, especially in instrumental music, to write "singable" melodies once in a while even if it's just the rhythm of the melody. Instrumentalists tend to wander off into their own worlds in their solos anyway, so why not give the listener something that he can identify, something he can remember. This is always a challenge for me since I don't want to sound "cheesy". One of the masters of achieving this combination is my fellow countryman, Joe Zawinul and, of course, many others.

One of my role models and mentors is an Austrian guitarist/composer, Harry Pepl. I took part in two of his seminars while I was studying. He is one of the few Austrians who actually has an international reputation, having played with Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Mino Cinelu, Michel Portal, etc. Harry's solos are sort of sick but some of his themes are characterized by the same quality as melodies of children's songs.

AAJ: The word is you compose using computers, analogous to Zappa’s approach with the Synclavier...please expand on this.

AM: A major advantage of using a computer is that I can program something and then listen to it in peace, in conjunction with the fact that sound samples have become so much better. For example, I recently composed a contemporary piece for an ensemble (string quintet, percussion, flute, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, piano and voice). I have not had that much experience in this area to be able to imagine how it would all sound together. Using the computer, however, I could just program whatever I wanted to, play around with the music, listen to it, make corrections, and listen to it repeatedly ...until I was finally satisfied with what I heard.

Another advantage: You can program stuff that is impossible to play but still sounds really good!

AAJ: How heavily have you studied classical music?

AM: In the course of my degree in music education, I had to attend several classical classes. Some of them were very interesting, especially structure and composition, and history of music. Plus, I majored in classical percussion, which I loved the most. I'm not a particularly good percussionist but I learned so much from this class.

I now am the proud owner of a drumset which I have at home and have been practicing quite a bit. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my neighbors for being so tolerant!. I definitely want to play drums on at least one track of my next solo album!

AAJ: How heavily have you studied applications of exotic vocabularies (such as “exotic” scales, alternate tunings) in your music?

Honestly? Almost not at all! The only scale that might be considered "exotic" is the hexatonic/augmented scale which is quite well known. I have to admit that I have more than enough to think about with major, melodic minor, diminished, whole tone and pentatonic scales. I still find so many aspects in these scales that are worth discovering. As far as alternate tunings are concerned, sometimes I retune my acoustic guitar at studio sessions so that I have access to other harmonics.

AAJ: Can you expand on the period after Berklee and before the “Next Generation of Sound” and “Featuring Ourselves” recordings?

AM: I came back to Austria and completed my degree in music education At the time I was 23 and thought that it was fair enough to continue studying for a while. At the same time, I was networking again since I had been away for a year, and played all kinds of gigs. I also started working on my own music with my band, "McHacek". We had a couple of great gigs and then decided to cut an album. Private tuition also helped to pay the rent!

AAJ: What were the earliest recording projects you did?

AM: I think the first CD that I played on was a recording of the Vienna Conservatory Big Band (which was awful!). The next CD was with "Tietzes", who had a comedy/cabaret/Manhattan Transfer type of sound. There are other CD's which are not worth mentioning.

AAJ: Tell us about your collaboration with Paul Urbanek on the Next Generation of Sound cd and how that came about?

AM: Paul and I played together for a long time in a funk band with a singer. At the time, Paul had already formed a trio with Raphael (Preuschl, electric bass), and Michi ( Provaznig, drums). At some point he asked me whether I would like to join in. I drove to his "studio" where we rehearsed a few of the tunes and he recorded everything immediately. The result is what you hear on the CD. We met a few months later to record the other tracks I was just a guest musician on that CD. All the tracks were written by Paul, so I didn't really have anything to do with the concept of the album.

AAJ: Will that band ever get back together or gig in that configuration?

AM: We only had two gigs with the band! Paul has said that he is working on some new material for a second CD...let's see!

AAJ: How was that project done? By this I mean, was it independently produced and financed?

AM: Paul has a small studio just outside of Vienna and financed the production himself. He also mixed the whole thing on his computer. As you know, the CD was released on our label.

AAJ: Now on to the Featuring Ourselves project. Will you be gigging with the band on this recording in the future? Is this an ongoing project?

AM: I originally formed the band for my diploma at the Conservatory of Vienna in 1994. It worked out really well and so we decided that we must continue to work together. This led to several gigs and the recording of "Featuring Ourselves", my first album. McHacek only toured in Austria. We never found a good booking agent. Flip Phillip (vibes/percussion) is the first percussionist of the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra and is constantly busy, Hari Ganglberger (drums) moved to New York. These circumstances naturally made it more and more difficult to keep the project alive. So you could say that this is not really an ongoing project. The "continuation" of this project will be my solo album (which I mentioned briefly before) which I will release under the same name.

AAJ: Please explain the musical concept of the Featuring Ourselves project. Tell us about those band members, how you found them and what they bring to the table in terms of the recording and the band.

AM: The creative minds of the band were Tibor Kövesdi (bass/keys) and myself. We met while we were studying. We first played with a pianist who then moved to New York. Shortly after that I met Flip and Harri , who fit into the band immediately. This was my first CD and my attempt to combine the styles of Allan Holdsworth and Frank Zappa. The music was all arranged and written out which didn't give Flip and Harri too much freedom (other than solos and comping). So I take the full responsibility for everything that happened on that album ( some of it is Tibor's fault too!).

AAJ: Not a bad responsibility to take the fall for. The vibes playing on the disc , of course, tends to recall Zappa. Evidently this was intentional, not merely the by product of how you collaborated on the music.

AM: Yes, the Zappa influence was heavy. But it was a pure and very fortunate coincidence that I met Flip, who is an exceptional musician and happens to play mallets.

AAJ: Now tell us about your latest conceptual focus, BPM, and the Delete and Roll sessions . What events transpired that brought this unit together? I know you did some gigs with Terry Bozzio focusing on symphonic type compositions prior to the Delete and Roll project. You can start by expanding on that.

AM: Gerald Preinfalk and I helped to mount Terry Bozzio's premiere of his "Chamber Works", presented at the Jazzfest Vienna in 1999. I arranged the string quintet and Gerald took care of the horn section. I also conducted the whole piece. In addition, I wrote three pieces for the trio which then became BPM. Terry really liked the chemistry of this group so we decided to continue.

AAJ: How much of the record is composed by each player?

AM: There are 9 tracks on the CD: 2 by Terry, 1.5 by Gerald and the rest by me.

AAJ: Do any of the tunes come out of jams? Or are they all written out?

AM: The themes are all written out anyway, but we worked out the solo sections together.

AAJ: Tell us a bit about the evolution of the concept.

AM: One of my ideas was to write rhythmically complex material because I knew that Terry and Gerald would definitely be able to play it. Another idea was to leave the solo parts as open as possible, so that we could concentrate on playing and, above all, on interplay. A typical solo form would be, for example, "C minor and all that surrounds it". We have a great chemistry and the imagination to create form out of formlessness. The goal was to capture as much energy as possible that results from spontaneous playing.

AAJ: Can you explain how you compose the drum/guitar or drum/sax unison parts...

AM: As always, it depends... sometimes I just write down a (weird-at least for me) rhythm. If I like the rhythm then I just fill in the notes. For instance, "Austin Powers" and "Strafe" were done this way. Then, of course, I choose a tonal center and fool around until I find the notes.....

Or take the tune "S 150"- it was originally composed for a different project with Gerald. At the time, Gerald really enjoyed playing with some loops, and he had one where the tonal center was E-flat. So he asked me to write a fast theme in E-flat, which I did. Later, when we played with Terry, both of us thought it would be a good tune to play in this format.

AAJ: Do you change the unison parts on the fly during the recording process ?

AM: In general no, but we made slight "adjustments" during the rehearsals - i.e. changing octaves for certain parts, changing parts between sax and guitar, leaving out a note for the bass clarinet for playability reasons, etc.

AAJ: Do you yourself write out the drum parts ?

AM: Not on the BPM CD. On "Featuring Ourselves" I wrote out many of the drum parts (which caused some stress...). This time I tried the complete opposite. Terry is one of my all time favorites and I thought he should just play what he decided was right. Of course, we worked together on some grooves or parts, but in general I just gave him the music (themes/structure) and let him do his thing.

AAJ: Kind of amazing considering the level of precision! Anyway, how is the new cd “doing” for you and for the band? Is it being marketed independently?

AM: Up until now, it's been going very well. I will have to press new copies very soon! We do not have a record deal and sell the CD at gigs, through various distributors and on websites, as follows: terrybozzio.com, Audiophile Imports, Wayside Music, Synphonic, and my site, which is coming soon, at alexmachacek.com.

AAJ: What kind of recording technology was used for the BPM sessions? Hard disc or analog?

AM: We recorded in Austin using a Pro Tools System. I mixed the whole thing with Jörg Mayr in Austria on his Logic Audio.

AAJ: Do you also have a home studio? How much unreleased music do you have written or demoed that you’d want to release?

AM: Yes, I have a home studio. I have loads of unreleased material and am currently working on a solo CD, whenever time allows me to! As always, this is a question of time and setting my priorities. At the moment, my main focus is collaborating with Terry.

AAJ: Please tell us about the challenges of independently doing the project.

AM: We had to finance everything in advance and then make sure that the money comes back in again and then hope that there is a slight chance of making a profit! We all know that we're not going to get on any charts or make loads of money with this album, but that isn't really the point The fact that we're selling and covering our costs gives us the chance to continue, to work on a follow up CD soon, to play in new places (and old!) and just get more exposure for our music.

Another issue is all the promotional work that is involved. We have to take care of it! It can be quite a headache but on the other hand, we have total creative freedom and are not restricted to what anyone else might expect from us.

AAJ: How long is the recording process for your records? I’ll bet extremely short. How much rehearsal occurs beforehand?

AM: For the Delete and Roll production, we rehearsed for about four days and recorded in five, so yes, extremely short! The "real" work began when I returned to Austria. I listened to all the material at home and started to sort out which takes could be used and what needed to be edited. I cannot really say how long I actually worked on this, but I guess it must have been several weeks. A song that is 12 minutes long and has 4 or 5 different takes results in about an hour of material. An hour of listening, then making decisions, can result in a great deal of time - and I have to say that I am so picky that it makes life very hard when I have to decide! I just want the best possible result.

AAJ: Are there any other recordings you’ve done you would like to make note of?

AM: A live CD with an avant garde Big Band, "Nouvelle Cuisine", should be coming out soon. I haven't heard the CD yet but I like the music a lot and enjoy working with the band. I've been playing with them for about two years now.

AAJ: Any other sideman work you’d like to hip the audience to? Or perhaps coming down the road?

AM: I will soon be working on a production with my girlfriend, Sumitra. Totally different music but I am sure that the CD will be great!

AAJ: In terms of harmonic territory, are there particular sources that you would point interested people towards? What books or recordings would you particularly advise students of harmony, improvisation and “time” concepts to seek out?

AM: There are a couple of great books: "The advancing guitarist", by Mick Goodrick (an infinite amount of material!), "Mel Bay's complete book of Harmony, Theory and Voicing", Bret Willmott and of course, "Reaching for the Uncommon Chord", by Allan Holdsworth.

I do, however, think that it is up to each individual to find material suited to their needs. Everyone has a different approach and will find certain books more helpful than others. As an old Joe Pass fan, I also spent a lot of time working out his chord solos; something that you probably don't hear so much in my playing today, but it helped me a lot in developing my harmonic vocabulary.

AAJ: Are there particular elements of improvisation that are particularly fruitful for you, concepts that you keep revisiting and/or reinventing that keep your playing and your lines cutting edge and fresh?

AM: There is so much material... but here are an extract of what I do: Motific playing, i.e. being able to work with one motif as long as possible, building sequences towards the next scale, etc. On the other hand, Holdsworth once said in an interview that he practiced playing no more than three notes in one direction. These are the kind of things I find interesting to practice and slowly but surely I feel that it's all coming together.

AAJ: What aspects of your own playing or compositional style would you point listeners to? How would you attempt describing your own playing style?

AM: This is a tough one! I think it is always one of the most difficult things to be able to describe oneself. The listener's perception can be very different to mine and I honestly think that my audience should judge for themselves.

AAJ: While no musician particularly wants to tell anyone how to “listen” to their music, is there any advice you’d consider helpful?

AM: This CD is very much like having a conversation with someone. I would say that the interplay is probably what one should focus on. Whenever something happens during a solo, or when I'm accompanying Gerald or Terry, it is pure coincidence. Nothing is planned. Gerald could play a note and I play the same top note in a chord, or I try to catch on to Terry's kicks. A certain amount of tension is created with this approach and these are, so to speak, the magical moments.

AAJ: Are there special elements of your guitar playing technique you would point the listeners toward? You seem capable of both incredibly fluid legato technique , like you know who, and a fast , pick-every-single-note thing, like a Steve Morse or Jimmy Herring. Tell us how that came about in your playing.

AM: I have to admit that my technique developed out of the fact that I am not so proficient in either of the above mentioned styles as I would like to be. So I actually combine different techniques. Of course, the legato thing is from Allan’s influence. The first time I heard Allan, on "Sand", I was totally fascinated by it and had absolutely no clue as to what he was actually doing. So I transcribed a lot of his solos and bought "Reaching for the Uncommon Chord" to get more insight. As far as picking each note is concerned, I found out that my right hand was very weak and started to work on my picking chops intensively. It was well worth it but I do have to pay attention to this continuously. I guess there are a lot of guitar players who are much more gifted when it comes to right hand technique.

AAJ: How many gigs do you usually do a year with each of your projects? What is the likelihood for any gigging in America? What do you perceive as the differences, in Europe and America for the type of music you play and love?

AM: This depends on a number of factors, mainly the fact that we don't have a booking agent. If, by any chance, a booking agent is reading this right now and thinks he/she can book good gigs for a BPM tour, please feel free contact me at alexander.machacek@reflex.at. During last season, I played about 16 gigs with Terry, while Nouvelle Cuisine plays about the same amount, with other gigs/projects are scattered here and there. By the reactions that I have had over the Internet and the experience I have made selling "Featuring Ourselves" and "Delete and Roll", I would say that there is a definite interest in America too. I would love to gig in America and I hope that this will happen soon!

AAJ: How do you feel about the effects of the internet on the music scene?

AM: It's great! Without the internet I would only be playing in Austria/Europe and selling CD's here. The internet has been an ideal tool in spreading my music all over the world. I now sell in the States, Japan, the U.K., Australia, Brazil. There is a very limited market for this kind of music and via the internet I am able to reach people who are interested in my music which would otherwise be almost impossible! I would like to thank Helmut Koch who really supported me via the internet.

AAJ: Same here. Without his writing and enthusiasm, it’s fair to say I wouldn’t know about your stuff at all. Do you have any kind of a long term musical career plan?

AM: I would like to be able to continue along the same lines, that is, be able to play music that I love and enjoy and remain in the fortunate position to make a decent living out of it.

AAJ: With all you’ve got going on, how do you decide on which project to do next? Is there a lot of work you decline?

AM: Tommy Tedesco once said that at least one of these four elements should be fulfilled: Good money, fun, experience or making contacts for the future. I agree! I am asked for a lot of work which I do decline if none of these aspects apply.

AAJ: What do you think needs to happen for you and you projects to gain a bit more recognition?

AM: Promotion, promotion, promotion! A feature in a magazine, such as "Guitar Player" would help, or a tour in the U.S., good reviews, good festival gigs, a reasonable endorsement for equipment, recommendations from well known artists.

AAJ: What’s in your cd player at the moment?

AM: Prince: Diamonds and Pearls

AAJ: Any other musicians you’d like to comment on, or whose playing you particularly respect?

AM: Wayne Krantz ­ what I love about him is that he has is own, unique style which he sticks to. Ben Monder ­ I was moved by what I heard. Kenny Werner ­ played a phenomenal gig in Vienna some time ago. What I am looking for are people who have an identity, who make a statement with their music, who are courageous enough to do their own thing regardless of what others say.

AAJ: Any musicians you would particularly like to work with that you have not? Do you have any desire to work in more of a prog or pop vein?

AM: There are so many...but I have discovered that there has to be a good chemistry between us. In the course of time, Terry and I have become best friends which is very valuable. Like I said, there are a lot of extraordinary musicians out there, but I think that this is just a part of it. Having the feeling that one is accepted for what one is and does and not for "who" one is, is probably equally if not more important.

AAJ: To wrap up, please tell us your musical plans, or projects in the pipeline, for 2002 and beyond.

AM: BPM will record a new CD soon. This time with Patrick O'Hearn on bass , which I am really looking forward to. I hope that this will happen at the beginning of 2003. By that time I will have written new tunes. And I am also finally working on my website.