#2 - Kaja Draksler, pianist, improviser, composer

Self-portrait

Slovenian pianist and composer Kaja Draksler, talks about managing a busy career as a freelance musician and the challenges she's facing, how it all started, and her traumatic childhood experiences regarding sheet music.

All music featured in this episode is composed by Kaja Draksler, except ‘To Pianists’ which is an improvisation together with Eve Risser.

00:00 'Delicious Irony' from the album 'The Lives of Many Others' (2013, Clean Feed)

03:04 Introduction

04:09 Kaja introduces herself

06:33 The beginning of her career, 'The Lives of Many Others'

12:00 'Vrvica' by Punkt.Vrt.Plastik from the album 'Somit' (2021, Intakt Records)

13:50 About becoming a pianist

16:04 "Are you comfortable with tech?"

18:26 Kaja Draksler Octet: 'The Freedom of the Moon' from the album 'Out for Stars' (2020, Clean Feed)

19:50 Daily routines

25:37 Challenges

31:26 'To Pianists', an improvisation from the album 'To Pianos', by Kaja Draksler and Eve Risser (2017, Clean Feed)

33:27 How projects come about

39:14 Cheap lifestyle

42:45 "Do you ever feel like an amateur?"

44:19 Kaja Draksler Octet: 'Danas, Jucer, Sutra' from the album 'Out For Stars' (2020, Clean Feed)

47:43 "Playing written music is a trauma."

49:57 Style of playing

52:27 Kaja Draksler Octet: 'Away' from the album 'Out for Stars' (2020, Clean Feed)

54:10 "What does it mean to be a musician?"

56:53 Where to find Kaja

Link to Kaja Draksler's website

Link to European Jazz Network

Link to Doek

Podcast soundtrack by Mohamed Amer.

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