INTERVIEW - Peter Cincotti
- Posted on November 2, 2007 10:27 AM
- 0 comments
Interview By Katie Spain
It's not every day you get the chance to chat to a charming songwriter and pianist (especially not one so easy on the eye) Flex your eardrums folk... New Yorker Peter Cincotti is back. This time he's making great Rocky-Pop tracks tickled by a dazzling assortment of piano and a rich, colourful Jazz vibe. Sounds good enough to eat.
This artist was obviously destined to be a musician. He started tapping piano keys from an incredible early age and went on to perform in clubs all over town when he was still in High School. By 2002 he had soared to the number one spot on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts. At the tender age of nineteen, Peter was the youngest person to have reach number one.
Impressed? Even old Parkinson is. On the morning after his appearance on the chat show, little Katie Spain delved into the changes in Cincotti's music and found herself with an offer of a house swap. "My New York flat for your country house in Australia". Now there's an offer you don't get every day...
What do you think of London so far?
I love London actually. I have been here a bunch of times before so I am a little more familiar with London than other areas in Europe, being from New York there is a lot of similarities you know.
I guess when you come over you are usually working. Do you get the chance to catch many gigs?
It depends. This trip I am probably going to go out and see some music. Actually, I was just talking to my drummer today and he knows some people playing tonight. But sometimes I don’t want to hear music at all, sometimes I might want to just go out and have a drink. But for me, I don’t think of music as work so its not really that bad. Sometimes though, you just want a break. I remember even when I was younger not playing music for a while and that helps you when you go back and play. You know, moderation in everything.
You started playing piano at three didn’t you? Was music something that was already in the family?
Well, music was always in the house but nobody did it as a profession, but my mother is very musical and my father used to sing. I was constantly surrounded by music growing up. We went to see shows and Rock concerts in Madison Square Gardens, Jazz clubs and Broadway shows. There was such a diverse music scene there so that was great. It was a very important part of my upbringing.
What was the first album that you ever bought?
I do remember actually. I was five years old and I bought a Jerry Lee Lewis tape.
Five years old! That is probably the youngest answer that I have ever had.
Well, I think I was with my uncle when I heard Great Balls Of Fire and I knew I wanted it!
This week you played at Café de Paris. How was it?
Yeah, it was cool. It is a very interesting place. I had never been there before. It is probably a cool place to go and hang out at.
You had your band there with you didn’t you? Tell me a bit about them?
A couple of the guys have been with me there a long time. I met my saxophone player when I was seventeen. We have been playing together ever since. I have known my drummer for the last few years. There is also some new blood in the band. I have bass player, a guitarist and a key board player. It is basically just a load of us on the road.
I know that your music has changed direction. Do you still get top jam on stage with the band though?
Oh yes, definitely. That hasn’t changed. When I was doing ‘Jazz’ shows, there was a lot of improvisation. Even with this music I try to explore the songs. That is why I am so excited about going on tour because I know the songs more than anyone could know them, but there is still a lot to learn about them. I can’t learn about them though until I go on to the road. Live is so important in finding these corners in the music, you discover things that you never would have in the studio.
So, what has changed in Peter Cincotti world in the last few years?
A lot, I don’t know how to sum that one up. Um, after the tour for my second record, I had started to write songs for this record. I then basically stopped touring and carried on writing and writing. I was in the studio for a really long time. There was a really big gap between the two records. Musically, a lot has changed. I guess even on a business side of things. I went up against a lot of people who kept saying that I had to make a jazz record. It took to surround myself with a lot of people who allowed me to have the freedom musically. You don’t want to give certain songs to the wrong people. It was a process that I learnt. It is amazing how many steps you have to go through on a non musical front just in order to make the music that you want.
You're only twenty three and you have done so much, but let’s talk about your latest album, East of Angel Town. It's very diverse. You have the Pop in there now, a bit of Jazz, Blues, and a bit of Rock. Tell me about the people you collaborated with.
I wrote a lot of the songs with an amazing lyricist. We had a lot of songs done…well, I pretty much had the record in my mind, and I had a very specific vision. I met a lot of different producers, but nobody really got it. Everyone wanted to write with me, but they didn’t want to produce with me unless they wrote on it. But, I already had my band and my lyrics. But, then I met David Foster. We met and he heard the songs. He was one of the only ones to really get it and believe in them. I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else. The team round him to played a really big part in bringing a lot of the modern qualities to the music.
As far as the writing process is concerned, do you have some where inspiring to work that brings that vibe out?
It comes out of know where. I learned that it is a mix. Inspiration is the best. When it is given to you, then it is easy. I think everyone in the creative world experiences some of that. But, after that, when it finishes, you have really got to work. You have to have the balance between natural inspirations and also work. There is logic involved in writing. It is not waiting for the moon to look a certain way. I have learned that you can create inspiration. You can’t sit around and wait for it.
For the folk back at home, do you have any plans to go to Australia?
I am dying to go to Australia and I am not just saying that. Forget about music and touring, I just want to go there.
Tell me a bit about where you come from.
Born and raised in New York.
So, if I was to go to New York for the weekend, where would you recommend that I go as far as music is concerned?
I like going to see shows at Madison Square Garden or Radio City. New York City has a lot of clubs; I have played in a lot of small clubs too. There is a fun place for music in a place called Fat Cat, it is a great place to hang out, there is a pool table, a bar, and ping-pong…it is almost like a gaming place.
If you weren’t doing music, what do you think you would be doing?
I would be a farmer. It is my real calling. Although, I remember staying over at my friends house - they had a country house – but I couldn’t fall asleep in the quiet. Silence is louder than anything. I do need to hear cars and the occasional gun shot to fall asleep.
What is the most memorable gig that you have ever been to - as an audience member?
You know what, this is going to say very strange, but there was a Celine Dion concert that I went to. Haha. It is quite strange, but it was the first thing that came to mind. Maybe it isn’t strange? I didn’t really know what to expect…but the opener was just so powerful. She did that song, I Am Your Lady, the whole place was just…it was just so powerful. Yeah, so I started weeping like a school girl. I saw Frank Sinatra in concert too and met him before the show.
Push aside your Jamie Cullum album, throw away your James Blunt tunes and buy Peter Cincotti’s new album, East of Angel Town. It is out to buy now.
Check out his official site or MySpace for all the gory details.
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