16th September 2020: “Music can be so many things, not in competition with one another”: Matt Gold on “Imagined Sky” and the Chicago scene + previews new single “Once Upon A Time”
Broad, all-encompassing brushstrokes define the soundworld of Chicagoan guitarist and songwriter Matt Gold. His recent release Imagined Sky is a canvas that balances improvised trio writing and Matt’s natural melody-driven sensibilities, built on the foundation of a seasoned trio. Gold, Bryan Doherty (bass) and Jeremy Cunningham (drums) are a solid, understanding trio flexible enough to emerge into multiple soundscapes, from driving Americana to atmospheric textures. We spoke to Matt about the nature of collaboration, as he gives us a guide to Chicago, Dvorak and his new single, “Once Upon A Time”. Interview by Hugh Morris (hugh@whirlwindrecordings.com)
WWR: For those of us who have never been to Chicago before, what’s it like as a place? Could you tell us a bit about your history with the city, and, in particular, what’s special about the scene?
MG: I moved to Chicago at the end of 2013; the scene here is full of collaboration, community support for performances, affordable recording spaces, and small venues presenting far-reaching new music. There are rich traditions of both popular and experimental music here that trickle into the music being made today, and that’s a beautiful thing to be a part of. As a city and yes, as an artistic scene, there is always more work to do in addressing issues of segregation and equitable access to opportunities. But at its core Chicago has a strong artistic identity and there is an inclusive, tightly knit musical community here; as cities around the world become increasingly homogenized, Chicago remains a place with its own distinct sounds.
WWR: You’ve worked closely with a number of high profile artists, including Makaya McCraven, the multi-talented drummer, producer & bandleader. How did your relationship start? Has his approach to music (particularly his fluid approach to genre) rubbed off on you as you approach solo material?
MG: Makaya heard some of my music with another band of mine, Sun Speak, shortly after I moved to town. I think he also somehow saw a photo of us playing at a venue/studio he used to work at in western Massachusetts, and he identified the room just from seeing the wall behind us. We quickly realized we had played some of the same places and knew some of the same circles of musicians on the east coast, where we’re both from. The first time we played together was an improvised trio gig of his, probably in 2015, with Junius Paul on bass – the three of us have played a ton of music together and spent a lot of time on the road together since then, both as a trio and in larger configurations. More than anything, I think what’s made a lasting impression is his approach to inclusivity, trusting in long-standing collaboration, understanding that strong music is a product of strong relationships, and using his family history and identity as a springboard for his creative impulse.
WWR: For new listeners to your music, how would you characterise the music on Imagined Sky?
MG: My hope is that the record comes across as an honest lens into the things that move me, and make me the person I am. For a while now I’ve been interested in the relationship between realism and abstraction. When we think of Impressionist painting, people tend to talk about it like it’s so dreamy, hazy, fluid, but if you actually look at the landscapes they’re studying, it’s some of the most realistic stuff out there. And I think when we approach artistic expression from the perspective of being honest with ourselves, being real with what we’re going for, we arrive at something both personal and naturally abstracted. Musically, there are a few different ensemble configurations on the record – some electric trio material, some solo acoustic material, some vocal pieces… I try to let the melodies lead the way, whether they’re being sung by the guitar or the voice.
WWR: On ‘Truehearted’, we hear a melody from Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, and it’s through this that we find the lyrical centre of Imagined Sky. How did playing viola as a kid shape your musical appreciation, and do you still play?
MG: While I try to keep several other instruments in regular rotation, beyond the guitar, sadly the viola is no longer one of them (at least for the time being). But it did open me up to a whole world of orchestral and chamber music at a young age; also, there were simply more opportunities as a kid to play with musicians at a high level, compared to what I could do with the guitar. So I think early on it pushed my musicianship in a way, brought me into contact with kids who were serious instrumentalists in middle school and high school. I kept the two worlds, viola and guitar, pretty separate throughout my childhood — it was a gradual thing to realize that it’s all good, music can be so many things, not in competition with one another.
WWR: What do you hope new listeners will find in Imagined Sky? And what are your plans for the next couple of months?
MG: I mean, I hope they dig it! I hope the love I have for all the people involved in making the record comes across, and I hope the music connects. As for the next couple months, I’ve been pursuing a few ongoing projects during this time of quarantine; I’ve been writing and recording some new music for a few different groups, I’ve been learning the pedal steel guitar, and I’ve been doing a regular lesson exchange with a great musician from Nigeria named Biodun Kuti, who has been on the road with Paul Simon for the last few years. We’re sharing ideas and exchanging lessons dealing with western/jazz harmony and improvisation on one end, and his background in traditional music from across the African continent on the other. But I’m also using this time to step away from the music, get some perspective, stay engaged on a broader social and political level, and spend as much time as I can outdoors before Chicago winter comes back around.
WWR: Could you give us the lowdown on your upcoming single? What’s the backstory?
MG: I’m releasing a cover of “Once Upon a Time,” by the great Sonny Sharrock. We recorded it just a few weeks ago, and it was the first time my trio got together to play music since March – since we can’t be indoors together, we actually set up an outdoor recording session behind (drummer) Jeremy Cunningham’s house. It’s a song we’ve been playing for several years now, and I love the way this track turned out; I’m especially grateful we could capture the first moments of playing together after so many months apart. Sonny Sharrock’s music is overflowing with intensity, grace, and free-spiritedness, and I felt like it was the perfect piece of music to record, a clear window into the feeling of finally playing together again alongside the feeling of this moment more broadly, globally.
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Matt’s Imagined Sky is available to buy on 12″ LP 180g Limited Edition Vinyl, CD & DL over on our site.
Check out Matt on social media – look out for fun videos like his Instagram promo for Imagined Sky where he offered local delivery for his vinyl copies of Imagined Sky around Chicago.
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