U Street All Stars

[ WWW.FINPOP.NET ]

THE FINNISH POP CULTURE PORTAL

Music
Interview : Timo Lassy from "U Street All Stars"

When and how was your band created?
Band was created during the late 2000 on the jam-sessions, which were held weekly in a loft in U-Street(Uudenmaankatu= a street in a center of Helsinki).

Was the choice to become professional difficult to make? Why?
For me it wasn´t difficult. I was inspired seriously about the music in highschool and after that it was the only choise for me.

What musicians or artists did have a major influence in your life / work?
I´ve listened lot´s of 50-60 jazz. I think that major influences are coming from that era. Great masters like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis(and his different bands which all included great musicians), Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Stanley Turrentine.
I also like a lot oldschool funk- and soulmusic, artist like James Brown, Stewie Wonder, Maceo Parker.. just a pick few names.

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a musician / singer (in Finland)?
Finland is such a small country that it´s very difficult to make a living as a jazzmusician. There isn´t too many jazzclubs and not so much audience for jazz. So as a freelance-musician you have to do all kinds of gigs and play all kinds of styles. If you don´t have problem with that, you can work a lot. I quess the average wege level is also little bit higher than in the mid-europe in general.

How could you qualify your style of music?
The music of U-Street All Stars is heavy swinging jazz with lot of energy. The roots of our music are coming from 50- and 60-jazz, but we´re giving it the 21st-century spirit.

Have you ever considered the possibilty to change totally your style of music? If so, what style of music would you choose?
Totally no, but I quess that I won´t be playing or making music at the same way after 10 years. I hope there will be some progress also in a style.

What are stories/topics you tell/treat in your songs?
Because our music is instrumental, the meaning of the stories is not so important as in vocalmusic. But defenetely there is some stories behind some tunes. For example tune called "Surma-Travels" is named after London trip, which me and our altosaxplayer Markus did.

What is your favorite song in your repertoire and why?
I can´t really give answer for that, each song has it own good thing that I like.

Do you tour regularly? Do you actually prefer performing your music live or in a studio?
Yes. Prefer doing it live in front of the audience.

During the process of making an album, what is the moment that you prefer?
Our album "Helsinki Session" was made so that we played 8 gigs tour and after that went straight to studio. For us it was the best way to do it. Tunes were in good shape after tour and we succeeded to record some live-feel to album.
What kind of music / What artists do you currently listen?
When ever I have time for listening it´s some old jazz or soul recording. Can´t really give any names, try to keep my ears open for the new stuff as well.

A stupid question but... what is among all the songs you've been listening in your life the BEST song?
That´s really impossible question for me to answer. For me it´s been always difficult to put songs in order. Music is not a race...

Internet is something interesting for musicians because it gives them the opportunity to touch a larger audience but it is also a threat for them (regarding the copyrights). What is your opinion regarding this medium?
Copyrights should be the same in internet as in the normal market. It´s probable that the meaning of internet will get bigger and bigger. Still I liked to buy my music from the real shop on the future too.

Do you use computers or home studios during the process of making an album or a song?
Not for making music. In a process of mixing and editing an album only.

What are your actual and future projects?
U-Street All Stars is my main projekt at the moment, and we´r now making some new material for the coming season. At the moment I´m also doing some conserts with the singer called Aki Sirkesalo. Next february-march I´m going to do an European- tour with Jimi Tenor band.

Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2002