Kind of Green

Andy Sheppard is one of the world’s most respected jazz musicians, recording for the prestigious ECM label and appearing at festivals and concert halls around the globe. So it’s our good fortune that not only does he live in Bristol but he’s also always willing to contribute to the city’s musical life. In the past he’s devised and presented spectacular pieces, like his 200 Saxes invasion of the suspension bridge for the Brunel 200 festivities, and now, as his contribution to the European Green Capital celebrations and the annual Gathering Voices festival, he’s put together The Divine Paradox (of Human Beings in Paradise) – a special choral piece for 180 voices and jazz trio. It’s an ambitious project addressing humanity’s relationship with the planet that makes its debut at St George’s Hall on Tuesday 13. Andy admits, however, that it wasn’t his first thought on the subject:

“I had a whole raft of ideas, including 200 saxes in hot air balloons, things in boats on the docks but it was the idea of massed community choirs that got the backing of the Green Capital people.  I really like working with community choirs, they make things sound special. I could give it to a professional choir and they would sing the shit out of it, perfectly in tune, but it wouldn’t come alive in the way I want it to. It’s all about the struggle and it needs to sound like that.”

One part of the struggle, for Andy at least, was writing the words as well as the music. That started as a necessity:

“I started with the music, I really got into writing that, but then I began to think about words. Personally I love it when they just sing oohs and aahs, but people need words to hold on to melodies and some of what I was writing was quite challenging. There were odd timings like 7 or 9, and they can be tricky. So I realised I needed to write some bloody words, whatever, but as I thought about it I actually got into it. I’ve used quotes from T.S. Eliot, Milton and the Bible and I did schools workshops to get kids to write part of it but a lot of it is my own words. I realised I could make my own observations about the world as I see it, the world we’ve created with money and the ills and the folly of it. And yet we have a paradise here – this world can be a paradise if we treat it right. That’s the paradox! It’s got a doomsday scenario in it but it ends optimistically with the words of the schoolkids: we have to be resilient, stand up for democracy and diversity. I realise it can all sound a bit naive, but it’s common sense and I stand by it. I’m not embarrassed by the messages, just a bit embarrassed by the words sometimes. But people need to think about this shit, challenge the absurdity of how things are. It really matters for the future.”

Crucial in developing the project has been Sam Burns, musical director of the Gurt Lush Choir, who has had the job of pulling together the singers and rehearsing the music. Andy recognises his contribution to what’s been a challenging task:

“Sam has been brilliant. He has a track record of doing interesting and challenging projects, so I knew that he and Gathering Voices could handle the organisational side of things. Thanks to him the energy has been incredible. It’s a big piece in seven sections, sometimes it has 7-part harmonies, sometimes it’s in 7-time, so some of it has been changed in rehearsal to make it more accessible. They’ve had to work hard with some of the rhythms but they’re really getting it now. We’ve all been on a big journey and we’ve really achieved something. There’s been inevitable frustrations but they’re outweighed by the joy and buzz – when you finally get there it’s killing!”

The Divine Paradox (of Human Beings in Paradise) is being performed at St George’s Hall, Bristol on Tuesday 13 October with Gathering Voices, Gurt Lush and St Joseph’s Primary School choirs, guest soloists including Celestine Walcott Gordon, and jazz trio of Andy Sheppard (saxophones), Will Harris (bass) and Michel Rabbia (percussion/electronics)