Ah, the sounds of serene, sparse jazz just feel like whiling away the late afternoon hours at your favorite sidewalk cafe. The Billy Prim Trio brings us right there with their recent Listening Room performance. Check it out below, then read on for a little more of their recent inspiration.
What’s your go-to album at the moment?
At the moment I am listening to a lot of classical music, particularly Rachmaninoff piano concerto #2 Op18 , symphony #2 Op27.
Can you describe your music style in six words?
Storytelling, Contemporary, Natural, Soulful, Pilgrimage, Spiritual.
Name an accomplishment you are most proud of.
Two years ago, I released my debut album as a leader entitled Thalassa, and in less than a year the music already attracted international media attention, and gathered excellent reviews in ten countries, including one of the best jazz magazines All About Jazz. Thalassa got recognition by radio streams on European Jazz radios like NDR, Couleurs Jazz radio, Radio Ara, Karc FM and more.
I also had a chance to sell CDs all over the world and perform music live in the finest venues and festivals in Europe. I am really proud of all that but mostly I am proud of my bandmates Attila Blaho and Andor Horvath, I could not make anything without them.
What are you working on right now?
Now I am working on my new album preparation. We are about to record it at the beginning of December in Budapest and hopefully it will be released in October of 2022.
Are there any specific albums or artists that have had a big influence on your music career and style?
A Love Supreme [by] John Coltrane, Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack Dejohnette, Raga Bhimpalasi [from] Pt. Nikhil Banerjee, “Meditation” [from] G.I. Gurdjieff, [and] Wayne Shorter Quartet (all live performances).
Dream collaboration and why?
One day in Spring 2015, I went to Athens to visit a vinyl shop and buy my first vinyl. I was so excited when I got in the shop I went straight to the jazz section and I found a lot of amazing albums by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Art Blakey etc.. but I could not decide which one to take…
The owner came to me and said ‘let me show you something different you might like.’ He [grabbed] a vinyl from another section and put it on the turntable, and an unfamiliar sound filled the room. Suddenly, I liked the unusual music, that atmosphere, it was from another dimension. I loved the simplicity, the elegance and quiet, but at the same time the dynamics and the intense feeling, I was totally amazed. I also loved the album cover. Above the name of the artist and album title were in very small letters the letters “ECM”. Clearly, the record company was as important as the music it was selling. The song was ‘Seriously deep’ from the album Silent Feet by Eberhard Weber.
My dream collaboration is to work with Manfred Eicher from ECM Record Label and create together an album between sound and space!!!
If you could play a Sofar show anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you want it to be?
Definitely in Tokyo!!!
Who are three rising artists you’re excited about right now?
Oded Tzur, Jakob Bro, Shai Maestro.
