TC: Yes, I have been surrounded by music all my life; my dad played trumpet and arranged music in his spare time to a high level, and my mum had been a dancer, singing and playing musical instruments along the way. Learning music was always encouraged, but never forced, and Dad would always put on heavy classical symphonies in the evenings, always featuring big brass sections of course...Mum was a huge Carole King fan, she sang along to 'Tapestry' a lot.
What was it like to study at the Royal Academy of Music?
TC: It was an amazing feeling being surrounded by so many incredible people who loved music as much as I did. I felt a lot of freedom during my time there; I learned so much from so many incredible people, I could explore, be myself, find my voice.
Who are your jazz heroes/heroines?
TC: Wayne Shorter, Lester Young, Shirley Horn, Iain Ballamy, Joe Henderson, Joe Lovano, Hank Jones...the list grows and grows.
How did you get together with the musicians in the quintet?
TC: It's a fairly unexciting story in that most of us studied at the Academy at the same time! I just love writing for them, imagining how they'll play a certain melody, or whatever, creating moments for them all to shine. I didn't actually study at the Academy at the same time as Gwilym, he'd just left before I got there, I think, but I knew him through the scene in London, and he massively supported me when I was planning my first album. That led to him guesting on it, and then playing with the band more and more over the years.
How difficult was it to get your first album, 'Tangent' released?
TC: Gwilym introduced me to Christine Allen at Basho Records, and she came along to a gig of mine a few months before I was due to record, then she advised me about various things during the whole process. I was lucky, I was nurtured. And Iain Ballamy has always been a huge support - a very special individual.
What was the most surprising thing to happen in your career? What was the most difficult?
TC: Everything is always a surprise in this business, and most things are difficult! But hanging out and watching films with Wayne Shorter has got to be one of the most surprising things that has ever happened to me!
What types of music (other than jazz) do you enjoy listening to?
TC: Anything good. Sorry, that's dull. OK outside jazz...I love John Adams, just discovering Becca Stevens, Joni Mitchell of course, I had a Beck phase recently, D'Angelo (particularly his two most recent albums)...
How do you see your career unfolding?
TC: I know I'm probably meant to have some grand plan, but I don't really, except that I want to keep making music, hopefully in an interesting way. I've got plans for writing more songs with guitarist Mike Walker...I'm really enjoying working with Chris Montague and Ross Stanley on some new material...I'm in the process of making more 'Emulsion' plans (my festival)...there's a list knocking around in my head somewhere...I live in hope that I have a few decades to get through a good portion of the things I could/want to do with my life!
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Click here to watch a video of the Trish Clowes Quintet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6_LPf7Lr8w
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