Can you tell us about your background and how you got into music?
-All the members of the BIG TUSK started by playing rock with friends, before looking into Jazz around 16-18 yo. We went into Jazz because we were all interested in musical research and improvisation, and also because it was basically the only way (beside classical music) to study music, have a diploma, etc.
· Who are your biggest musical influences? How have these influences shaped your sound and approach to music production?
-We’re really influenced by the great jazz masters, such as John Coltrane, but also by the popular music of our time. We grew up listening to grunge, jungle beats, techno, hip-hop, neo soul… We’re now trying to create music using those modern aesthetics combined with the energy/freedom of post bop Jazz.
· What has been the highlight of your career so far? Do you have any good tour stories to share? And what was the worst job you ever had?
-A highlight would be the release of our first album in June 2024, „IT’S ALIVE“ (Jazz-o-Tech). We’ve been working on this music for 6 years, and we’re so happy with the result.
· Can you share some of the challenges you’ve faced in your career and how you overcame them?
-Finding your own authentic way might be the most challenging thing for musicians nowadays (in the Western world at least). We have access to so many genres, but hardly any of them is truly constitutive of what we are, as it could have existed in the past with traditional popular music. This choice that we have to make can be staggering. With the BIG TUSK, we decided to go for an aesthetic that appeals to young people, and invest it with a deep commitment, energy and improvisation.
· How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music?
-Our sound has many different layers, due to all the instruments we’re using (drums, synths, guitar, trumpet, percussions). It is a kind of dualism of super rough sonorities such as the drum and the bass synth, as well as aerian and floating textures, such as trumpet and guitar. Those roles can vary during the tunes.
· Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and recording a new track?
-All of us (4 band members) can bring any kind of musical material. Sometimes it is only a drum beat, sometimes a whole tune. We learn it by heart, and try to find new parts, new melodies, new rythmes… We try to keep a lot of room for improvisation. Then we practice improvisation, trying out different directions. We record the whole process, in order to come with new ideas at the next rehearsal.
· What do you do when your equipment fails?
-We pretend it’s cool and fun (it’s terrifying).
· Which track would play during your walkout for a boxing match?
-Cardia, by…the BIG TUSK
· What do you think is the most important music equipment invention of all time – and why?
-Definitely speakers, because then people didn’t have to play the music anymore for it to be heard. It opened the way for the music industry that completely shaped the musical world that we have today.
· What advice would you give to someone trying to make it as a professional musician?
-Work on your authenticity, pay attention to feedbacks, be critical (but fair) with yourself.
