Playing with Jandek

After the initial excitement of learning that Jandek would be gracing the city of Ft. Worth with his presence this Saturday, July 21st at Rose Marine Theater, we started to wonder exactly what kind of show he was going to put on. My understanding of his live performance M.O. to this point is that he has traveled to different cities and played with a different group of musicians in each destination, focusing mostly on improv and avoiding all of his hit singles. For tomorrow's show, he'll be playing with some fairly well known Texas musicians: Will Johnson of Centro-matic (drums), Ryan Williams of Baptist Generals (bass), highly respected pedal steel player Susan Alcorn and long time Austin banjo player Ralph White.

Concert organizer and SXSW booker Craig Stewart tells us that the whole thing started in 2005 when he contacted Corwood Industries and asked if Jandek would be interested in playing his first Texas show in Austin. He agreed, played a show, and then contacted Stewart in 2007 to find out if he and his colleague Cathy Ross would be interested in booking a Jandek performance and concert film screening for SXSW. After Jandek's much talked about SXSW performance, Corwood once again reached out to Stewart and requested a show in Ft. Worth with Houston's Susan Alcorn. Once the booking details for the show were finalized, Stewart, Ross and fellow SXSW employee Tierney Stout put the rest of the musicians together in a collaboration with Corwood and created the Jandek in Ft. Worth Myspace page to promote it.

We sent out an email to each of these musicians and asked them a couple questions about the Jandek show and their thoughts on being asked to play it. Not everyone was able to get back to us, but we did manage to get some answers from Will Johnson and Susan Alcorn. Here they are:

What did you know of Jandek before you were asked to play this show? What did you think of his music?

(Will Johnson)I've followed along for some amount of years now, since the summer of '90. I picked up two jandek records down at waterloo in austin. My college friend quickly informed that there wasn't much more to learn about the person or people involved, outside of the very music i was holding in my hand that day, and that only heightened my curiosity. I guess i've bought about eight or nine more since then. At first it took a little while to get my head around the guitar playing, but i was immediately taken with the presentation and uniformity of the records, the sound of the recordings, the mysterious houston address, the voice and lyrics. iIve always felt like the method, dedication and perseverance of creating in this way is to be respected even if the music isn't really one's cup of tea. In talking to other folks that have followed along, after seeing the documentary and checking various websites, i've found that i know about as much now as i learned on that first day, and that's part of the beauty of Jandek. the definition is all the listener's own.

(Susan Alcorn) I must confess my ignorance. I had never heard of Jandek when I was approached to do this performance. The person who asked me seemed nice and I had that night open, so I accepted the gig.

How were you approached about the show, and what was your initial reaction to the invite?

(WJ) My bandmate (Matt Pence) was originally asked to do it. He seemed excited, but he knew i'd followed jandek for a while and was kind enough to pass the drumming duties along to me. my initial reaction was equal parts nervous and geeked. i was on an escalator in the Atlanta airport and immediately started to sweat it a little.

(SA) I was contacted by telephone. I think it was Craig who called, though I'm not sure. I was in the middle of a music project and had forgotten to write the information. Two days later I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I couldn't even remember Jandek's name and had forgotten about the concert when a friend telephoned me saying that he had read about it.

Have you had any contact with the representative from Corwood Industries? If so, could you describe it?

(WJ) No. No contact so far.

(SA) If Craig is a representative of Corwood Industries, then yes I have had contact. If you're referring to Jandek himself, we have not met.

What are you expecting on Saturday? Is there much of a plan as far as what will be played, how long it will be played, or any other details?

(WJ) I've heard of no plan as to what songs we're gonna do, or how we're gonna do them. I only know what time i'm supposed to be there and what instrument i'm supposed to play. That's where that excited/nervous chemical kicks in i guess.

(SA) I haven't the slightest idea what we'll be doing Saturday night except that the show starts at 7 PM. For me that is not unusual. As a musician, as an improviser, and as a human being, I feel it is important to think and act on the spot and to be real.

What kind of impact do you think Jandek's recent live performances have had on his overall mystique and image? Is it a good thing that he is finally playing live?

(WJ) I do think it's a good thing. I went to the show in austin a couple of years ago and walked away with another bundle of questions, and also the satisfaction of knowing i had finally heard the voice and seen the creator live. Every show appears to be very in the moment and with different musicians involved each time, and i think that's what makes each one its own unique event. Even as we now have the knowledge that the person playing live appears to be the same person that appears on the records, it feels like the mystique is moving on in a new way through these live shows.

(SA) As for the impact of Jandek and his mystique, I can't answer that. Is it a good thing that he's playing live? Well, he as a human being, just like you and me, if he wants to play live, then I think it's a good thing that he is playing. There are aspects of music, subtleties and nuances, that can only be shared and experienced live -- in the moment and in the same room.

Do you feel that you have anything in common with Jandek as a musician?

(WJ) Not really sure. Maybe i'll have a better idea about that after saturday night.

(SA) What I have in common with Jandek as a musician. From what little I have heard, I know that his music has an honesty and that he's communicating things that go beyond words and notes. I hope that, at times, I'm able to do the same.