Ezra Winston Speaks!

Interview by Ian Oakley

IO: The first question has to be why the gap of almost a decade between the last Ezra Winston release and the launch of the website?

E.W: Sure ten years are really too much, but the band was never considered officially "dead",
Just…"sleeping".

IO: So what have the members of Ezra Winston been doing for the past ten years?

E.W.: We've had a lot of things to do. After the release of 'Ancient Afternoons' we started to produce other bands, worked on movie and TV soundtracks, recorded for MUSEA's '7 Days of a Life' compilation, played live in some festivals and moved the recording studio from Viterbo to Rome.

IO: Why did you think the time was right to resurrect the band?

E.W.: Mainly the new media; through the internet we've had the possibility to see that there's a lot of persons truly still interested in E.W. (even after ten years!). With new material in our hands we've decided to re-present us to the people…through the internet of course!

IO: I understand that Ezra Winston the band consists of three people Mauro Di Donato (vocals and keyboards) Daniele Iacono (drums and percussion) and Paolo Lucini (acoustic and electronic winds).
How did the three of you meet and form Ezra Winston.

MAURO: With that first three-member band line up I formed and started the E.W. project.
It was 1985, and I don't know much about the international prog scene. I simply wrote some long pieces and I wanted to record them. Then I met Daniele who in turn contacted Paolo.
We proposed our project to some labels, receiving a lot of "Give up…!" oriented answers. I remember the most famous of them that, after many suggestions, predicted our complete failure. After our decision to produce and distribute the whole project ourselves (and then selling all the copies in a couple weeks!) the notorious label called back again proposing a reissue. It gave me great satisfaction to deny his demand!
The three of us have ever worked together ever since. Our "new" member Steve Pontani (guitars and loops) joined the Band officially only a few years ago. But he's actually been working with us from the time of our first album, as a sound engineer. So now the band has grown to quartet rather than the original trio.

IO: Can you tell me a little bit of background about each member

DANIELE: I started to hit paint cans (laundry soapboxes also play well!) when I was 10.
I started to study at the Mississippi Jazz Club in Rome, then the Conservatory (where I met Paolo asking by him…"What is rocker like you doing here?!!") working for the percussionist diploma.
After attending some master classes with some of the most famous drummers in the world (Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta, Carl Palmer etc), I decided to go and study at the Drummers Collective in N.Y- The best American drummers teaching college.

MAURO: Oh…I'm a serious guy! I'm not only a rock musician, but I'm also a Movie Reviewer, and I write books / articles and conduct University seminaries about movies.….As I said before… "I'm a serious guy!"

PAOLO: I've started to play flute when I was 9 years old, enrolled in the St Cecilia Conservatory in Rome when I was 11, and graduated at 19, but rock has always been my great love.
I always thought that to be a member of a Prog rock band has been the logical consequence for my musical endeavors.

STEVE: Through the years I've been involved in many prog-oriented bands. I've also played jazz. And now, with Daniele, I'm just finishing the recording sessions of our first work as 'ANAGRAMMA' (2 guitars, bass and drums). With Mauro I produced 'Leverage' by Gallant Farm (Italian "pop-prog"…very interesting). I've also worked on movie soundtracks and I'm also the official sound engineer of the 3 Fates Recording Studio (with the precious Paolo's collaboration!).

IO: When you come to record an album the quartet is joined by guest musicians.
How do you pick the people to work with?

MAURO: There must be a common music taste and a suitable skill.
The collaboration with Aldo Tagliapietra (of Le Orme) was an idea to allow the building of a virtual connection between two different progressive eras.
It was a fantastic experience; every one of us was very enthusiastic about the project.
Aldo is a great musician and is really kind. We soon became great friends.
Even on the website of Le Orme Band there's a reference to this unforgettable experience.

IO: How did Ezra Winston get its name?

PAOLO: Ezra Winston is the chief character of Alberto Breccia's 'Mort Cinder' comics.
He's an old English antiquarian, protagonist of ancestral and paranormal stories every one connected to a particular object that he gets in his store.
It isn't hard to find in the comic stores.

I.O: In the 1970s and 80s most of the worlds "Progressive Rock" bands either originated from the UK or Italy. The scene in the UK is still relatively dead but is beginning to thrive again on the European mainland.
How is the current Italian scene?
I noticed that only last year PFM reformed.

PAOLO: I think that the 70s were special years, a perfect combination /collaboration between art and business, and probably it will be hard to recreate the same, probably casual, situation.
The most famous Italian prog bands of the 70s, I'm talking about Banco -Le Orme - PFM, are still alive but I feel that they can't work on a valid "new" project, simply because they aren't fully conscious of this time - Not capable to adapt to the new scenes requirements. In addition, there's the contribution given by the current state of the Italian music scene that, believe me, is …tragic, stale and absolutely against art growing.

STEVE: There's no interesting "new" situation here in Italy, even if there's a lot of people here that still appreciate this kind of music.

DANIELE: Through my experiences as a session drummer, I can realize that the most of the underground bands can only come out with pop songs albums and, unfortunately, almost none of them are able to reach a good market.

MAURO: Many Italian 70's prog rock bands are prog-working again. It seems funny to me because about 10 years ago the same people ended their contacts with the prog field and started to be "trendy". Without success.

I remember about a conversation with one of these people, a famous singer that told us about his dream to write a TTH (Top Ten Hit). No sadness about the (I think right) desire… but about his inability to write it!
Now He's back to prog again… Probably 'cause he thinks that it could be a good business.
But now there's no spontaneity. Moreover these people haven't helped progressive to be reborn; the new bands have done it. (With a lot of help from the Internet!).

When we originally decided to issue our works there was no labels available, now these people are working with "our" new created labels…but we haven't heard "Thank You Sir…".

IO: Do you see resurgence in "Progressive Rock"?

E.W: Progressive rock is an elite genre, but this is not bad!
The complete scene, labels and producers included, just need to find or create a sector in the market, and this is really possible!

IO: I've asked a few questions concerning Ezra Winston's place in the progressive rock genre. But perhaps you, like other people (Fish / Porcupine Tree), do not really wish to be associated with the
Progressive rock genre?

E.W: The word "progressive" has been used to describe bands with several different styles; for example, could you find common points between Soft Machine and the Mid-era Rush works? Or between The Nice and Gentle Giant's music? What do you think about Spock's Beard versus Magellan?
I think that the word "progressive" must be intended as an "intention" to make "inventive" music, not simply as a genre. Really we hate to classify music by genres.

IO: In the few tracks I have heard from Ezra Winston, along with the Classical musical influence there does seem to be a Jazz element added to the music. To anyone that has not heard Ezra Winston how would you describe you're music?

E.W: The main characteristic of the band is that the members come from many different musical directions and experience, joined together in E.W. with the same musical "intention".

IO: Is there any particular band or individual that has been a great influence on the music of Ezra Winston?

E.W: On every E.W. album there's a musical influence that is tightly connected to the period in which they've been created: We feel "Myth of…" as a real 80's work; "Ancient…" is more "funky", and this is probably due to the "workgroup" during its realization.
Every one of us has grown following their "models", but we think that the more evident influences are unconscious.

IO: Do you have a favorite classical composer?

PAOLO: Of course! He was the first rocker in the music history: Ludwig Van Beethoven.

STEVE: Yes. Mussorgsky, Bartok, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Varese

DANIELE: The Italian 'Verismo' movement, featuring Mascagni, Giordano, Cilea, Puccini, and I like the 19th century symphonic composers like Stravinsky, Schostakovic, Barber, Zemlinsky.

MAURO: Bach, Vivaldi, Giuliani, Respighi, Mussorgsky and many others.

IO: One of the current MP3 downloads available on your site is the highly recommended The Painter and the King From 'Ancient afternoons' would you say that was a fair representation of the Ezra Winston sound?
Why did you pick that particular track to launch your new website?

PAOLO: I feel The Painter as the first real E.W. song (or suite…), where the work of the entire band has joined for the first time in the same time.

Hearing the mood of the piece make me think: "Yeah, here we are!".

STEVE: I wasn't an E.W. member when The Painter was written, just the sound engineer. But I certainly think that it could truly represent the E.W. style.

MAURO: Sure! There's everything we like: symphonic impact, acoustic atmospheres, every kind of inspirations joined together….

DANIELE: I really like "The Painter" even if I find many other interesting tracks in the first album, too.

IO: If you had to chose just 1 or 2 tracks from any Ezra Winston CD to play to someone as a representation / introduction to your music what would they be?

PAOLO: 1 or 2 tracks of the next album!

STEVE: The two available tracks on our website: "The Painter…" and "The Birth…".

DANIELE: "The Birth…" and "Verge of Suicide" from the second album.

MAURO: The hardest answer I've ever considered! Really I don't know how to answer…

IO: How does the band write? Do you improvise until a theme develops or write the music from your thoughts or do the various members present their own ideas to the group etc?

E.W: The two albums represent both the choices: "Myth…" has been written before the band was complete, "Ancient…" represents the work of a team, even if there's no real "dynamic" composition process.
During the rehearsal session of our live show we've realized a very interesting version of Myth-Ancient main tracks; it's a 50 minutes suite with many re-arranged and joined pieces.
Actually we're trying to work on it through a lot of old ADAT tape recorded on 1996 at the Palladium Theatre, here in Rome. The next news of our home page probably will regard this project!

IO: Your lyrics are in English. Do you find it easier to write in the English tongue than your native Italian? Do you write in Italian first and then translate?

MAURO: I like to write stories, and often we start from an idea, just like the subject of a movie, and after the music is written we start to create the lyrics around it. English is easier and surely more "musical".

IO: As I am sure you are aware PFM used to release two versions of the same album - One in Italian, one in English. Have you ever considered this?

E.W: We're mainly interested in an international production for an international scene; the English language is perfect for this scene and for rock too.
We're not interested in singing in Italian for this kind of production.

IO: You are currently in the process of digitally re-mastering the two Ezra Winston albums 'Myth of the Chrysavides' and 'Ancient Afternoons'. When can we expect release of these CD's and do you know yet where we will be able to buy them?

E.W: Actually we've finished the "technical" process of both albums. However, we've planned to release the reissue of 'Myth…' only after the release of the new (third) one.
Currently, with "Ancient Afternoons', we have started to create a totally new cover concept, then we must choose the label to release the CD. We've already had some contact with various Italian and international labels and we think that, hopefully, 'Ancient Afternoons' will be one of the first releases of the 21st century!

IO: On your site you have also said that Some tracks of 'Myth...' will be probably rearranged.
And that the band is also working to finish a new unreleased track that will be the start point of a new album. How is this progressing?

E.W: After the new album is finished, we'll start to work on 'Myth…' starting with the restoration of the multi-track tape.
With regard to the new album, we have a lot of material to work on, at this time we're finishing the recording session of the, probably, first track: it's a 13 minute suite really….'Infernal!'

IO: Do you see the advancements in technology and new musical influences, such as the improvisational "Jam Band" movement, that is popular in the USA, or the European "Techno/ Ambient" fields (that have both originated in the past 10 years), becoming in themselves an influence on the Ezra Winston sound?

PAOLO and STEVE: Surely the sound will change, even if the studio remains the same. The new computer-based recording techniques, including MIDI, give to music an unavoidable influence; we don't want to be indifferent about it.

MAURO: E.W. is a very eclectic band, and this can be heard hearing our music, where you can find a lot of differing influences. This will surely be the case for the next album too in perfect E.W. style. In sound and production it will be the best E.W. album. And probably the fourth will be better…and so on!

E.W: We're not so indifferent about the new musical scenes, and we often hear "new" music, but it's hard to determine exactly who, what and how we are influenced, but surely we're influenced!

IO: Who will be the musicians on the new album?

E.W: For our next work, probably we'll play with the, final definitive, bass player of the band.
You'll read it through the news on our website.

IO: When could we expect a release of the new material?

E.W: Probably the end of the next year

IO: Do you have any plans to tour?

E.W: The strongest desire of every musician is to "make the show".
Actually it's hard to plan a tour and that's if there's even the possibility to play somewhere!

IO: Along with the band one of Ezra Winston's projects is the 3 Fates studio.
Can you tell us a little bit about this?

PAOLO and STEVE: It's our H.Q., where we work for us and for whoever wants to record their art.
It's a project studio with a comfortable recording room. We use HD recording synced with a multi-track analog tape for the Rhythm section analog recordings, and we use the most recent digital signal processing technique to "reach the unreachable". (A curiosity: from the studio you can see the Holy Dome of St.Peter's Church…)

IO: Are there any other Ezra Winston projects?

E.W: No…Thanks to God!

IO: What current bands do you really like and whom would you recommend to fans of Ezra Winston?

PAOLO: All the classics (I'm in love with E.L.&P.). Recently I've discovered Magellan -innovative/progressive music; very cool!

STEVE: All the Crimsonian productions.

MAURO: Magellan has really impressed me, especially for their computer based musical approach, I like Spock's Beard and Echolynn, but in this time I'm not so informed about the current scene.

DANIELE: The King Crimson Mid-Era, All the Genesis albums, Yes, Gong, and Brand X.

IO: If you could record / write with anybody who you would most like to work with?

PAOLO: If possible with E.W…but everyday!

DANIELE: Paolo…You're right!

STEVE: Bob Fripp

MAURO: Kerry Minnear….(where are you Kerry?)

IO: Finally. "The desert island question" - If you were put on a desert island and could only take 5 albums/ CDs and one book with you what would they be?

PAOLO:
E.L.P.: The Return of Manticore (4CD box….Am I smart or what!)
YES: Relayer
Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick
Gentle Giant: In a Glass House (…is there some G.G. CD box?)
Genesis: Wind and Wuthering
And a Philip Dick novel: 'Do androids dream of electric sheep'

STEVE:
King Crimson: Discipline, Three of a Perfect Pair, Beat and Thrak.
One of David Torn's works.
The Lord of the Rings is heavy to carry, but could keep me occupied for a lot of time.

DANIELE:
Genesis: Selling England by the Pound, The Lamb Lies down on Broadway, Foxtrot
King Crimson: Discipline
1st Samuel Barber Symphony.
The book is "Illusions" by R.Bach

MAURO:
Can I swop my own 5 albums for Catherine Zeta Jones?

Thank you very much for sparing the time to talk to us