New York drummer, composer and performer Finn Wiest recently launched his latest five-track EP – the sublime Aurora, as part of the Finn Wiest Quintet.
The project speaks volumes on behalf of a journey whole-heartedly committed to music and creativity, and we were blessed with the chance to interview Finn Wiest, to find out more about that journey, and the artistic backdrop for this release. Here’s the conversation in full.
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Hi Finn, amazing to connect with you – huge congrats for the new album! To introduce things, who or what first inspired your passion for the drums?
My passion for the drums was sparked at the age of 4 when I first sat at my dad’s drumkit! He is a hobby drummer so there was always access to drums in the basement of my family home. Furthermore, listening to my parent’s CD’s by Queen and the Red Hot Chili Peppers really inspired me to play the drums at an early age.
Tell me about the album Aurora – what was the intention behind this title and these five original tracks?
I chose Aurora to be the title track of my album because I think it’s the most quintessential track. In a very organic way, it incorporates and showcases all strengths and nuances both of the individual musicians and of the ensemble as a whole.
The title itself means ‘dawn’ in Latin and is used in ‘aurora borealis’ to describe northern lights. I think that this natural, yet magical spectacle of colors is very fitting for the overall vibe in my opinion.
The general idea for using these five original tracks, one by each band member, was to even more emphasize the collective effort and the fact that every band member brings their individual input into the group – not just through their playing and energy but also by contributing compositions.
What inspired the opener Old Kid, and why this introduction to the project?
Old Kid, as the title implicates, tries to capture childlike playfulness in adult life. Musically speaking, the song starts off with a more serious sounding, monotonous part. It is then contrasted by colourful, lively parts that have a more playful and spontaneous side to it. Combining these two vibes in one song was the inspiration for that composition.
It generally is something that we as musicians strive for all the time. It is all about reconnecting with your childlike initial playfulness.
Old Kid is the perfect opener for the album because of its clear storytelling that invites the listener to go on a journey, as well as its thematic significance.
Waltz was your own composition – How do you begin when composing a brand-new track, and how much editing is involved afterwards?
Ideally, there’s already a core idea stuck in my head that I immediately write down. Then I try to generate more material through variations of that core idea.
In some cases, when there’s no inspiration to begin with, you begin by planning all parameters (length, time signature, vibe etc.) and generate musical material from scratch. And that’s a legitimate approach to composing as well. But with Waltz I actually already had most of it in my head through intuition – that doesn’t happen often!
There’s a lot of editing happening afterwards. In fact, it’s hard to feel satisfied with a composition because you never have the feeling of it being “finished”. Even with Waltz there already have been many edits since recording it.
How did you assemble the current quintet, and how do you decide which musicians to connect with and make music with?
The initial group was a quartet consisting of Victor Fox (tenor sax), Leandro Irarragorri (piano) and Calvin Lennig (bass). Over the years we naturally gravitated towards each other through playing many sessions and gigs in different formations in Cologne, Germany. I felt like we each bring out the best sides of each other on various levels and would push each other out of our comfort zones in order to create music that is more than the sum of its parts. A little later I met Julius van Rhee (alto sax) with whom I also felt that we’re on a same musical wave length. And since I wanted to add a second horn player into my ensemble to create more interesting textures and to have more options for arranging, it was clear to me that he needs to be part of the band.
How important was attaining your masters in perfecting your craft as a musician, and do you play any other instruments?
Attaining my master’s degree was very important for my playing and musicianship because it meant moving to New York City, getting new input from new teachers, meeting new great musicians, making important new connections and getting inspired by hearing my idols play live on a regular basis. Also, gaining more experience by playing way more often than back in Germany.
I also play the piano a little bit, but I don’t perform. I use it mainly for transcribing songs or composing.
How easy or difficult was it to find opportunities to expand your horizons and performance confidence in NYC?
At first it seemed like quite a challenge. Especially because of so many good musicians that could “intimidate” you. But once I became more confident with what I do and just put myself out there, many opportunities just came naturally. That’s because everyone in the NYC jazz scene is always eager to meet new people and to connect.
Are there any other genres than jazz that you like to play around with or aspire to explore?
Afro-cuban music is another genre that I was always interested in exploring more. Jazz is closely related and heavily influenced by it so it makes a lot of sense to dive into that deeper.
You have multiple live performances in the coming months, are there any you’re particularly excited about, and how does the live experience compare to the studio process, for you as a performer?
I’m especially looking forward to a trio tour in Germany with the legendary NYC-pianist Ray Gallon, who has been a mainstay on the NYC jazz scene for over thirty years. It will be an honor and a really fun time playing with him back home in Germany!
Playing live is very different to recording music in the studio. I prefer playing live because it is easier to be in the moment when you perform live. That’s because of the energy that a live audience brings but also because of the fact that once you play something, you can’t go back and do it again or fix it.
What’s your single biggest ambition as a drummer?
To enable music and to just make the band members and the audience feel good! To me, that is the most rewarding thing ever.
Is there anything else we should know?
The best way to follow me is on Instagram (@finnwiestdrums) or through my website (finnwiest.com).
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Find Finn Wiest on Instagram, Bandcamp & his Website.
