Home » Jazz Articles » Take Five With... » Take Five With Maria Neckam

560

Take Five With Maria Neckam

By

View read count
Maria NeckamMeet Maria Neckam:

Maria's voice is one of those you either love or hate, and so is her music. Uncompromising in her musical approach as well as performance she hits truth right at it's core and strikes a chord in you.



Her clear, airy sound has been compared to that of angels as well as wind instruments, the latter referring to her use of it as well—Maria sings like an instrumentalist plays. This is also reflected in her use of lyrics, as she states her point in an abstract way, making space for everyone's own story in hers.



Her compositions are as diverse as life's surprises, merging modern jazz with drum n bass and rock grooves as well as Indian and classical music. You can hear Stravinsky as well as Bjork in it, Billie Holiday and Debussy, Nikhil Banerjee and Ani DiFranco…but most of all, Maria Neckam.



Instrument(s):

Voice.



Teachers and/or influences?

Teachers: Luciana Souza, Peter Eldridge, Nils Vigeland, Samir Chatterjee, Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry, Sandhya Sanjana, Annett Andriesen.



I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

I was born (well, probably before that).



Your sound and approach to music:

My music is a reflection of my life. I never try to be someone else than myself. I believe this is the only way other people can find themselves in my music.



Your teaching approach:

Find your own voice. Don't go against what's natural. (I use Estill's Voice Technique. It's the best. Simple and clear.)



Your dream band:

It's my band! Lars Dietrich (alto sax), Samir Zarif (tenor sax), Aaron Goldberg (piano), Thomas Morgan (bass), Colin Stranahan (drums).



Favorite venue:

55 Bar, Cornelia Street Café, Rockwood Music Hall These places really support good music and appreciate it.



Your favorite recording in your discography and why?

My new record that's coming out soon!



What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Purity.



Did you know...

that I am from Austria and speak German?



How do you use the internet to help your career?

I try to connect as much as possible with my fans and give them insight into my creative world, how I make music and why. Mostly through my website, marianeckam.com but also through my MySpace Page and Facebook Page. And of course through my mailing list—sign up by e-mailing [email protected]. I try to bring a bit of sunshine to my friends and fans with every e-mail.



CDs you are listening to now:

Kneebody, Kneebody (Greenleaf Music)

Moss, Moss (Sunnyside)

Sigur Ros, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum

Kurt Rosenwinkel, Heartcore (Verve)

The Notwist, Neon Golden



How would you describe the state of jazz today?

It's time for something new! It's coming... Check out www.thestorymusic.com, for example.



What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

Authenticity.



What is in the near future?

New record Deeper will be released shortly.



New project, Electronic Music, with Lars Dietrich Duo, with classical pianist Asami Tamura.

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Jazz article: Take Five with Pianist Irving Flores
Jazz article: Take Five with Bassist Phil Ravita
Jazz article: Take Five with vocalist Diana Hamilton

Popular

Read Take Five with Pianist Irving Flores
Read SFJAZZ Spring Concerts
Read Jazz em Agosto 2025
Read Bob Schlesinger at Dazzle
Read Sunday Best: A Netflix Documentary
Read Vivian Buczek at Ladies' Jazz Festival

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.