SubCulture Take 5 / Ghost Train Orchestra
We are thrilled to have Ghost Train Orchestra with the Raymond Scott Orchestrette play for us this weekend (10/26). We were lucky enough to sit down with Ghost Train's trumpeter, arranger and founder Brian Carpenter for an in-depth interview---check them out and be sure to get tickets for this weekend's performance here: http://ticketf.ly/1bmCtgA
Ghost Train Orchestra "Beethoven Riffs On" from Brian Carpenter on Vimeo.
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SubCulture: Who inspired you to become a musician?
Brian Carpenter: So many people, but the first person was probably my mother, who loved to sing hymns in church (and still does.) Whenever it was time for the congregation to stand and sing, she would always prod me to sing louder. She was always very supportive of my singing and then later, my trumpet playing
SC: Who are your major musical influences?
BC: I'm all over the place here. I lead another band where I sing and write songs. And I've always loved the starkness and beauty of Townes Van Zandt and Leonard Cohen. In jazz, I love listening to Louis Armstrong Hot Seven records on Saturday morning. It just brightens the day. I love the large ensemble work of Carla Bley and Charlie Haden. And I can't get enough of the Gil Evans/Miles Davis collaborations. It's funny how you grow with records. When I was younger I listened to those Miles/Gil records as a trumpet player and I remember being so focused on Miles's playing. These days I'm so blown away by Gil's arranging, especially on "Porgy and Bess". It's one of the great jazz records of the 20th century.
SC: What is your favorite piano piece ever?
BC: It might be Chopin's Prelude in E-Minor. Sublime. Ghost Train Orchestra will open the show with an arrangement of this piece (obviously very different.)
SC: What was the first concert you ever went to?
BC: Oh it must have been to see a southern gospel choir in the church. My family went to the church twice a week, Sundays and Wednesdays, and sometimes more if there was a concert or a special event. In a real sense, every Sunday morning I was watching a concert by the choir. I love incorporating choirs and using the voice as an instrument. I used a choir on this new Ghost Train Orchestra record "Book of Rhapsodies". And I brought a lot of the southern gospel choir thing into a record called "Boy From Black Mountain" by Beat Circus.
SC: Describe your first live performance. (was it a school talent show? local battle of the bands? open mic at a coffeehouse?)
BC: My first live performance was singing in the church children's choir. I guess it all goes back to the church for me!
SC: Do you have a pre-show ritual?____
GTO: With this band, there is no pre-show ritual except just talking with the audience and so forth. But when I'm singing, I want to be alone before a show so I can concentrate and think about the lyrics...it's a different head space.
SC: What is your favorite song to perform? ____
BC: With the Ghost Train Orchestra, it's probably this crazy Raymond Scott piece "Celebration on the Planet Mars". It's a roller-coaster ride for the orchestra in terms of the arrangement...and everyone gets featured as a soloist in a different way. It's a very long piece but exciting all the way through.
SC: If you could perform with one artist (dead or alive) who would it be?
BC: If I could perform with anyone dead or alive...
Someone dead...going back in time to play in Cab Calloway's orchestra. The energy of that band was insane with Cab dancing and singing up front. He was like a 1000-volt electric wire. I can only imagine what that band was like live.
Someone alive...I would love to work with Robert Wilson in some capacity. I've been very interested in his work over the past 10 years. I love his ideas about theater and visual art. I saw "Einstein on the Beach" last year and it knocked me off my feet. I had two brilliant singers from that production -- Tomas Cruz and Joe Chappel -- sing in the choir on the new Ghost Train Orchestra CD "Book of Rhapsodies". And I'm looking forward to seeing Robert Wilson's new piece with Antony in December.
SC: What's your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza while in New York?
BC: It's on St. Marks Place but I don't know the name of it! I always seem to run into it when in Manhattan. Maybe you know the place..
SC: There are just so many on St. Mark's...we'll have to figure that one out ;)
