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| Photo by Willie Schumann |
Berlin based vibraphonist Evi Filippo has been making waves in the European improvised music scene in recent years. Filippo began her studies in her hometown of Volos, Greece and moved to Berlin in 2011 to study classical percussion at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler. This year, she will be the Improvisor in Residence at the Moers Festival. While the festival itself takes place from the 22nd to 25th of May in Moers, the residency has already begun.
We begin our occasional 12-Questions Sunday Interview series with a couple of extra questions about the residency:
Paul Acquaro: Can you tell me a bit about how you got involved with Moers?
Evi Filippo: The Improviser in Residence is a structure that exists since 19 years, the
first Improviser in Residence was Angelika Niescer and since then a lot of
very diverse and great musicians have been Improvisers in Moers. It's not
something you can apply for, I think it is the artistic directors of the
Moers Festival that do the search and decide. It came out of the blue and
quite short term for German standards. It is a huge honor and privilege to
do that this year.
PA: What are your - at least for now - plans are as artist in residence?
EF: I am inviting a lot of artists that I like and admire, different styles and musical approaches, I'm hosting Listening Sessions in my living room open for everyone, I am involved in two education projects in schools and the music school, I am planning a Live Cinema event and some jam sessions.
PA: What other projects are you currently working on?
EF: My band inEvitable, we recorded an album in the summer featuring Tim
Hagans and I'm working on that. I am also working restlessly on my duo
project with Robert Lucaciu, our album Love at Last Sight is coming out
March 13th with BMC Records and we are playing concerts around Europe all
year. I am also working on some percussion and drum compositions for me and
Marius Wankel, (WOBBLY) and using Moers as a place away from everything and
everyone I know to get back into some deep practicing, reading and
researching.
Now the 12 Questions:
- What is your greatest joy in improvised music?
The risk taking and the surrendering into the unknown. Flirting with Chaos and learning to love it has been so liberating. - What quality do you most admire in the musicians you perform
with?
That they are decent human beings, open, supportive and do what's best for the music. They don't need to convince anyone they can play , they are beyond this and they just make music. I also admire them for always wanting to do the best for the composition, the concept, the idea, they want to understand and develop. I try to only work with generous humans. - Which historical musician/composer do you admire the most?
That's a tough one. I could name a few. Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Maria Grever would be my top 3 these days. - If you could resurrect a musician to perform with, who would it
be?
Geri Allen - What would you still like to achieve musically in your life?
I mean.. everything I manage! The more you learn the more there is to know and then you die I guess. So yeah lots of things I d still like to learn, create and play with. - Are you interested in popular music and - if yes - what music/artist do you particularly like?
I am interested in good and honest music. I like Olivia Dean. -
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
More patience, less heavy self criticism - it’s really a waste of time. -
Which of your albums are you most proud of?
I am proud of Love at last sight coming out this March. I loved the process, the preparation and what came out of all this. -
Once an album of yours is released, do you still listen to it? And how often?
I do! Depends. Some just once, some every couple of months. -
Which album (from any musician) have you listened to the most in your life?
Carrie and Lowell Sufjan Stevens - Telefone Noname. -
What are you listening to at the moment?
Ben Webster, David Virelles, Johny Guitar Watson and funeral xylophones from burkina faso. - What artist outside music inspires you?
Natalia Manta, Albert Camus, Milan Kundera, Maria Filippou, my best friend Aimilia Varanaki and every person that thinks things up and down and through and change their minds and then change them again and expand their consciousness and existence.
Evi Filippo on the Free Jazz Blog:
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