Mark Lockett - Swings and Roundabouts (2023)

I’ve been really enjoying playing in a chordless setting for a long time now, I love the freedom the music allows for all the musicians to interact on a high level and not be bound by complex harmonies or chord progressions. The music can go in any direction at any moment which can be engaging for the audience and very stimulating for the musicians.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, I had also been listening to a lot of Ornette Coleman’s chordless recordings, in particular with his fellow musicians Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell. I had also been checking out a lot of contemporary jazz and, had been noticing how many composers write music in odd time signatures. For me, it makes the music sound fresh and interesting.

This was the inspiration behind the music I composed for this album ‘Swings and Roundabouts’. After two and a half year wait due to border restrictions, I finally got the opportunity to travel to New York and collaborate with amazing musicians and also an A-team of engineers. It was such a joy to work with a crew who record jazz music every day.

I wanted to record my music in New York for two reasons. Firstly, after returning to NZ after living in NYC for a number of years, I still feel the connection with the scene and, there’s a great energy that comes with just being there which I hope reflects in the music. Secondly, it was both an honor and a privilege to be in the presence of, and to make a recording with, such phenomenal musicians, an experience I will cherish always and never forget.