An interview with Madeline Castrey
An interview with Madeline Castrey
What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences?
It’s just me, and as much as I wish I had a groovy band name…I thought using Madeline Castrey was the obvious choice!
I’ve left the middle name off though – With two left feet, I’m the least ‘Grace’ful person in the world!
In terms of my influences, artist-wise it has to be Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, vocals wise, the one and only Karen Carpenter – and I fancy myself a bit of a Jools Holland in terms of arranging music and improvising. I’d love to collaborate with him one day!
How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?
At the risk of sounding cliché, my experiences drive much of my creative output. It’s so hard to sit down with the mind-set of “I have to write a song now” and if that’s the case, the result is never as good as stumbling across a lyric or a melody from exploring how you’re feeling at that particular moment. As a classical musician first and foremost, I’ve found that I have a tendency to get carried away with instrumentation and textures so sometimes I do have to reign myself in a little bit – otherwise you’ll be listening to a symphony and not a song!
In terms of the actual song writing process, the chords always come first for me! Usually one lovely chord comes from playing a wrong note, and from there I’ll make a sequence. Then I usually improvise a melody over the top and walk away for a bit – then eventually the subject will come to me and the words will flow from there.
I’m a very methodical person (I love a list!) so I find it easier if the process is very linear – seems strange for something so creative.
How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to explore when you start off?
At the risk of sounding cliché, my experiences drive much of my creative output. It’s so hard to sit down with the mind-set of “I have to write a song now” and if that’s the case, the result is never as good as stumbling across a lyric or a melody from exploring how you’re feeling at that particular moment. As a classical musician first and foremost, I’ve found that I have a tendency to get carried away with instrumentation and textures so sometimes I do have to reign myself in a little bit – otherwise you’ll be listening to a symphony and not a song!
In terms of the actual song writing process, the chords always come first for me! Usually one lovely chord comes from playing a wrong note, and from there I’ll make a sequence. Then I usually improvise a melody over the top and walk away for a bit – then eventually the subject will come to me and the words will flow from there.
I’m a very methodical person (I love a list!) so I find it easier if the process is very linear – seems strange for something so creative.
Why do you write the sort of music that you do?
I think nu-jazz as a genre is quite under-represented in both the commercial market and in terms of female engagement (be it artists, producers and more) With a strong background in classical music, I can see so many links between the classical and jazz worlds, and so much room for innovation by modern artists. I strive to bring new audiences to smooth and modern jazz to put my own stamp on this wonderful genre and hopefully inspire more people to engage with it.
Then of course there is the personal connection of having an outlet for feelings and experiences, but for me, it’s a little bit more enhanced than that. Sometimes, I like to see my music as something of a time capsule, with a song becoming a lasting memory of a particular time. We all know the power that music has to transport you to a time or place, and for me, song writing is a great way to document some of life’s important moments.
How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?
Well as much as I love performing my own new original material, people love to hear the classic jazz standards and it’s just magical to see people’s faces light up when you start performing a song that reminds them of a time in their life. I’ve done a lot of work with charities, attempting to use music as a means to improve mobility and memory, and it’s amazing to see people who have suffered debilitating neurological conditions suddenly light up when they recall a song or even a small fragment of a melody.
Music has such a power to be able to move people in this way, and this is what I really thrive off when performing live.
With my live style, I strive to be as involved as I can with both audiences and other musicians alike. There’s a great sense of community that comes from both playing and watching live music, and it’s a feeling that you really can’t beat!
How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them into that live setting?
Well as much as I love performing my own new original material, people love to hear the classic jazz standards and it’s just magical to see people’s faces light up when you start performing a song that reminds them of a time in their life. I’ve done a lot of work with charities, attempting to use music as a means to improve mobility and memory, and it’s amazing to see people who have suffered debilitating neurological conditions suddenly light up when they recall a song or even a small fragment of a melody.
Music has such a power to be able to move people in this way, and this is what I really thrive off when performing live.
With my live style, I strive to be as involved as I can with both audiences and other musicians alike. There’s a great sense of community that comes from both playing and watching live music, and it’s a feeling that you really can’t beat!
What plans do you have for the future?
Well, in terms of live music – as soon as the global situation allows, I’d love to perform live more frequently and in some bigger venues! I’ve had the opportunity to perform at some wonderful places in the past like West End stages and the Twickenham Stadium Live Room, but Ronnie Scott’s is the ultimate ambition.
In terms of my recording plan, I’d love to release an EP in the next year alongside a few more singles. Then looking ahead to 2021/22, I’d love to think about getting a label involved…the sky’s the limit really!