Jason Wietlespach has been a part of the Milwaukee music scene for some time now, using his talents and taste in a variety of ways.
Initially, after arriving from Chicago in 1997, he began booking and promoting acts such as Ken Vandermark and Fred Anderson at the Jazz Oasis. For years, he also ran the now defunct Second Hand Tunes Record Store.
As a player, he's been in a multitude of free music ensembles, most notably as saxophonist, bassist and production engineer for the groups Castle Broadway and Field of Sound. Starting his own record label, Soutrane, has given him an outlet to work creatively in both sound and visual mediums.
Obviously, Wietlespach never limits himself to one project, and is constantly on the search for discovering new sonic possibilities, both as a player and listener.
OMC: Talk about the history of the band, how it formed, how it changed, etc.
JW: Castle Broadway was formed in Chicago 1997 with a four-track, some friends and a want of improvising and sonic exploration. I had been in a couple of improvised/ free jazz groups in town playing only reeds and wanted an outlet for my electronic/art rock influences. The four track and friends with similar visions is how it all started. For the most part that vision is still intact today, just with better equipment and more participants.
OMC: How is it different working with musicians in Milwaukee compared to Chicago?
JW: With the way technology is going it will not matter where someone lives. CDRs can be mailed; music can be recorded live or transferred over the Internet. The possibilities are endless.
{INSERT_RELATED}OMC: What is your general concept for the band's sound and how do you achieve that?
JW: One of the coolest aspects of Castle Broadway, and with a lot of the music I do, is that the members are never permanent and come and go; always adding something new or different. In that respect, the music is always evolving and growing from disc to disc. The one common thread between everyone who records with me is a love for improvising. I've been in bands that play the same song over and over for years, and it gets real dull. I am so glad I have found others with the same passion for music of the now. With the recording equipment available now, improvised jams can be cut, effected, treated, overdubbed; making complex improvised structures that lead to "songs."
OMC: What is the meaning behind the name Castle Broadway?
JW: The name itself comes from this Chicago apartment that I lived at in Boystown above a dirty bookstore on Broadway that looked kind of like a castle. A bit later I moved to Milwaukee and the concept followed. The first release by Castle Broadway was a four song 7" that was recorded partially in Chicago and partially in Milwaukee.
OMC: You record your music yourself -- how did you become interested in producing your own music as well as playing it? Who are some producers that have influenced you?
JW: As time progresses and I get better and more comfortable with engineering and recording, they've become more important to me. Since so much of what I do is improv, it doesn't matter whether it's "live" in the studio on or stage. In many ways I prefer the comfort and control of the studio. With the technology that is out there now, and the affordability of great equipment, recording and engineering of my music on my own is essential. I've recorded at studios where the money and the clock are always a factor. I have found this an unnecessary distraction. Also, the producer/engineer has so much control over the sound that they become an extra member of the band. That is fine if they have the same vision as you, but if it's just a job to them, that is all it will be.
My two big influences in recording are at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of style and approach. They are Steve Albini and Brain Eno/Daniel Lanois. Albini for the sonic clarity, precision, "bigness," and no bullshit DYI, and Eno/Lanois for the perfected blend of ambience, treatment, affect/effects, textural depth and tweaked instrumentation. I have to also tip my hat to all the classic rock guys responsible for all the Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Rush, AC/DC, etc. and all the great jazz guys like Rudy Van Gelder, ECM and Hat Art. All we do is just a sum of our influences, and a hope that we can distill it into something new and hopefully greater.
OMC: To someone who is totally unfamiliar with what you do, how would you describe the music of Castle Broadway?
JW: The music of Castle Broadway is mostly instrumental that falls somewhere in the realm between ambient, art rock, and free jazz/improv. Live, all the pieces are made on the spot with just a chosen key and a rough sketch of like who starts and with what instruments. The one comparison that sticks out in my mind is "Pink Floyd meets John Coltrane." The CDs rely heavily on a mixture of acoustic and electric instruments with a lot of treatment and manipulation of the sounds. In the end, it's an extension of the influences of those who are recording. There are a lot of electronica influences like Mouse on Mars and Squarepusher, art rock like Eno/Fripp and Pink Floyd, and outrock like Sonic Youth and The Flaming Lips. I guess we could be lumped in with what is called "post rock" or the "Chicago sound." Basically all that means is updated '70s art/prog/kraut rock minus the long winded solos, excess, over indulgence and long winded pretentiousness.
OMC: Talk about your newest release and what it was like to put it together.
JW: The latest Castle Broadway release "Towers and Transmissions" is a great snapshot of where all the musicians working on it are at now. It's similar to previous releases in terms of texture and dynamics, but pushes the envelope in terms of electronics, song structures, and clarity of vision. Previous CDs, except for the live one, have been kind of all over the place and sounded like a lot of different bands and directions. While this one is sonically all over the place, it is cohesive in a way that the others are not. Also, at just a bit over 40 minutes, it's just the perfect length.
OMC: You also run your own label: Soutrane Recording Co. Tell us about its purpose, goals and the creative freedom involved.
JW: Soutrane is a name that comes from a combination if the (Russian-born but Paris-based early 20th century) painter (Chaim) SOUtine and jazz great (John) colTRANE. Soutrane is a local label which is a forum for releasing music that I have worked on or friends have worked on. Most of the releases feature members of Castle Broadway, or people affiliated with Castle Broadway. I try to keep the label mostly instrumental and a bit on the experimental side.
Outside of The Mahogany Throttle, who are Milwaukee's math rock champs, and the electronica of Sophrosyne, Soutrane releases rely heavily on improvisation and experimentation. Electronics, free jazz and sonic searches are the palette with which Soutrane deals in. With time and hopefully more money, I would like to expand the roster to include more outsider work from other towns and countries who share a similar vision.
Outside of agreeing to put something out on Soutrane, no parameters are put on the recordings and the artists have complete creative freedom. About the only thing I really won't accept are band members' photographs on or in the booklets. Many of our releases have come with hand painted jewel cases. Our latest release The Jehovah Stark Reed Choir "twentyfourscapes" came with 24 photographs of rural desolate Southeast Wisconsin. The forthcoming "Field Of Sound" CD will come in a DVD case with actual photographs by John McCoy and me.
