Pascal Schumacher a vibraphonist, who studied classical percussion and musicology releases his first solo album “ SOL”.

He holds a Master’s Degree in musicology from the Marc Bloch University in Strasbourg, and another in music with a focus on jazz vibraphone from the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague. He has won many awards, including the Belgian Django d’Or (2005), Music:LX (2012), ECHO Jazz (2012), JTI Trier Jazz (2014), was selected for the Rising Stars program organized by the European Concert Hall Organization (2009 / 10) and appeared as soloist in ECHO Klassik 2017 awarded project Überbach.

He played with many of exciting musicians such Francesco Tristano, Bachar Mar-Khalifé, Jef Neve, Kenny Barron & Magic Malik, wrote music for theater and film and leaded a jazz quartet. To him, music is a single, limitless playground. 

I always wanted to compose a music box-like lullaby for the vibraphone. One day I started a meditative improvisation session and came up with this endlessly repeating three chords pattern that inspired me so much that I couldn’t stop playing it for hours. That was until a bright, shiny melody faded into my improvisations and Sol was born.

Greatest inspirations and influences?  

Oh, there have been so many. I am almost 41 years old after all. I could mention musical monuments such as the father of all music J.S. Bach, or Brian Eno, Miles Davis, Arvo Pärt, Radiohead…but when it comes to the very real creative process sometimes it is just a little sound that inspires me. I have started whole compositions from a single noise I heard in the street before walking into my studio. Then, of course, there is the sound of my vibraphone, which should be the same every day, since I work on the same instrument in the same room, but it isn’t… Every day it affects me in a new way and opens new sonic adventures to me.

Challenges of the music industry today? 

The music industry changes every day, the way we release albums is so different from how it was done only 5 years ago, and in 5 years’ time it will be something else again. It is a major challenge for musicians to follow these new trends and technological demands (hopefully without forgetting to be musicians first of all). 

In a way, this can feel frightening, but it is a big opportunity at the same time. Being forced to overcome habitual thinking patterns, again and again, is what keeps us alive.

Tell us about your creative process while working on "SOL"

SOL was recorded in a beautiful concert space in a little city called Dudelange in the south of Luxembourg, close to the French border. It’s an all wooden room where I’ve played many concerts before. It’s the kind of place where you really feel at home, and recording SOL there was like recording a concert for an invisible audience. We kept on tape one moment in time, full of magic and surprises.

How important are visuals for your performance?

In my last project DROPS & POINTS, I had a large scenography that was an entire part of the live show. I really enjoyed the inspiration I got from these cinematographic elements on stage. Then, when I decided to work on my solo project (SOL) I understood that I needed at first to strip it down to a minimum. So there will be a first series of concerts without any visuals, which is extremely challenging but exactly what I feel is necessary at this moment. The pure intimacy, only me, my instrument and the audience. 

After the summer though, we are planning to have a second type of show with a massive light installation touring…! Affaire à suivre.

Anything else you would like to share that I might have missed?

Well as I mentioned before, the music in SOL was recorded in a concert hall, so it was something in between. Halls can be so inspiring. Studios as well, but in a very different way. Here we created studio conditions in a concert hall and it felt just right.

Tell us something not work-wise, that has special meaning to you?

In summer 2019 I did an intense one-week tennis training for adult beginners and I got completely addicted to the sport. So now in 2020 I really want to improve my serve and play as much tennis as I can. 

Tour dates: 

20/03 Zell (D) - Maison ‘Merl’

21/03 Wiltz (L) - Brandbau

28/03 Wangelin (D) - Lehm-Haus MDR Radiosession

29/03 Hamburg (D) - TONALi Saal

04/04 Ronquières (B) - La Chapelle

06/04 Munich (D) - BR Klassik Sweetspot Radiosession

07/04 Munich (D) - Schwere Reiter

17/04 Budapest (H) - Opus

18/04 Wien (AT) - Porgy & Bess

08/05 Berlin (D) - X-Jazz

09/05 Trondheim (N) - Jazz Festival

14/05 Paris (F) - La Marbrerie

22/05 Leuven (B) - Het Depot

23/05 Antwerpen (B) - Roma

29/05 Brussels (B) - Flagey Studio 1