拍攝/Photos : Courtesy of Low Leaf
訪問/Interview : Jordan C.
翻譯/Translation : Essy Chiu
Los Angeles’ Low Leaf is the latest in a proud line of strong, spiritual women that strum the extended strings of the harp. And this is not a gimmick, LL might be slight of frame but she handles the large instrument like a seasoned session player. If you’re not familiar with her chilled out sounds and need a co-sign, she dropped a collabo single, A Light Within, with noted beatologist King Britt in 2014.
<< English continues after Chinese >>
近日樂壇出現了一個充滿靈性的女音樂人，來自美國洛杉磯的Low Leaf雖然還沒有太大的名氣，但她以彈得一手好的豎琴而引人注目。若果你對Low Leaf這個名字及她的Chill out音樂感到陌生，聽一聽她在2014年與以做節拍稱皇的King Britt合作的專輯《A Light Within》，你便知道我所言非虛。
這位才華洋溢、對多種樂器均揮灑自如的美籍菲律賓音樂人，感性而又充滿靈性，與Erykah badu有著很多共通之處。在以下的訪問中，她不但向我們分享了豎琴對她在音樂創作上的影響，更講述了她的音樂歷程及她的最新大碟背後的深厚意義。
SPITGAN：可否為我們讀者介紹一下你自己，你最為人所熟悉的是什麼？
Low Leaf：我覺得應該是彈奏豎琴…以電音混合豎琴制作音樂。我同時會彈鋼琴、結他、做節拍及唱歌。
SG : 可否講一下你的音樂背景？
LL : 我五歲開始彈鋼琴、接受古典音樂訓練。四年級學了一年豎琴，但當時教我豎琴的老師退休了，我亦沒有學下去。其餘的樂器都是自學的，像怎樣以結手作曲、怎樣以電腦錄歌、怎樣做節拍。直至2009年我才再開始彈豎琴，那時我覺得自己在豎琴方面什麼都不懂，於是我決定胡亂的做一些歌，我當時還對自己說，“我很爛，不如還是唱唱彈彈算了。”
SG : 是什麼讓你再重新拿起豎琴？
LL : 當我正在改變我的音樂風格的時候，有人向我推薦了Alice Coltrane的音樂。老實說當時我只想將豎琴混入我做的節拍當中，但後來，我覺得可能是因為自己成熟了，當我彈豎琴時，發現它原來是一種很特別的樂器，值得進一步去發掘，而不單單只是作為採樣的一部分。當我愛上Alice Coltrane及Dorothy Ashby的音樂的時候，我發現了豎琴的另一面，並被它深深的啟發著。我當時在想，我應該以自己的風格去開拓豎琴，在我的音樂進化的路程上，豎琴是非常自然進入其中的。
SG : 誰向你推薦Alice Coltrane與Dorothy Ashby這些對你有著深厚影響的音樂？她們有什麼令你如此著迷？
LL : 當年我聽了很多非常具實驗性的音樂，像Sun-Ra、Pharaoh Sanders之類，當時的確有很多音樂人會創作很奇怪的音樂。就是那時候，有人向我介紹了她們。我覺得和她們有很多聯繫，她們的音樂讓我感到共嗚，感到很親切。但與此同時，我覺得自己置身於不同的地方。她們就像是還活著的祖先。
SG : 你會形容自己為豎琴師、鋼琴家、結他手？還是三種稱呼都合適？
LL : 老實說，因為我沒有受過正式的豎琴訓練，所以我不覺得自己真的是一個豎琴師，有時甚至需要一點時間去接受自己在彈奏豎琴，但我的朋友說這是有點遲，若果我已在那個國度、已可以讓豎琴“說話”，我便已是一個豎琴家。鋼琴與豎琴對我來說同樣最為重要，它們好比我的雙翼。而結手對我來說就是玩票性質。
SG : 你以往有為其他音樂制作客串過豎琴師嗎？
LL : 有的，曾經與一些音樂人夾過數次。開始的時候我對所有的邀請都不會抗拒，但現在我會更小心挑選合作的對象，很大部分的原因是因為不是每個人的音樂我都感到有聯繫。除非我可以在他們的範圍內聽到自己的頻率，否則合作是不會成功的。我剛剛為一位音樂人John Bapt錄了一些奇怪的豎琴音樂。
SG : 你的最新專輯的”Palm Psalms”聽起來像是經過深思熟慮的，像是到達你的音樂進化歷程的頂點。
LL : 這張專輯的確花了我很多心血。對上一次推出專輯已是兩年前的事情了。這次制作需時最主要的原因是因為合作的都是現場演奏的音樂人，當中完全沒有音樂採樣。我想制作一張純是樂器演奏的專輯。
今次我想將那些直接簡單、任何時候都能應用，可以經歷時間洗禮的訊息，像永恆的愛、真理除去……我只是不再想說那些生命之光的訊息。當我制作這張專輯時，我尋找的是更清晰的方向。有很多人在心靈上的追求時，因為把心靈打得太開時會失去方向。我尋求指引時只朝著一個方向，我想把一些廢話去掉，好讓自己更清晰。當我在追尋真理之光時，我發現自己同時被黑暗所吸引著。它嘗試去讓你感到疑惑，是因為在真理的國度內正與邪一直在鬥爭。但現在所有事情因某些原因都變得和諧。
SG : Palm Psalms背後的意義是什麼？
LL : 樹是地球上最古老的生命, 它們像是天綫，見證了人類的歷史、地球的歷史。所以當我想尋求腦筋清淨時，我會坐在樹下，讓自己進入它們的世界，感受它們的智慧。我覺得樹與樹之間的根，緊緊的扣在一起很具啟發性，它們就像手牽手，互相給予營養。Palm Psalms就是有著那個意思。
Low Leaf頭三首音樂推介。
1. Pasta Groove (fka Venus Fly Trap Collective)
2. Ahnnu
3. Mndsgn
<< English continues below >>
Los Angeles’ Low Leaf is the latest in a proud line of strong, spiritual women that strum the extended strings of the harp. And this is not a gimmick, LL might be slight of frame but she handles the large instrument like a seasoned session player. If you’re not familiar with her chilled out sounds and need a co-sign, she dropped a collabo single, A Light Within, with noted beatologist King Britt in 2014.
This Filipino-American multi-instrumentalist is a true Earth mother that has more in common with Erykah Badu, than Miguel. Below we dig into her female harp influences, finding her path, and the deeper meaning behind her latest album.
SPITGAN: For anybody reading this not familiar with your work, what are you most know for?
Low Leaf: I guess I’m known for playing the harp…mixing electronic harp with production. I also play the piano, play the guitar, make beats, and sing.
SG: What is your musical background before recording as Low Leaf?
LL: I was classically trained on the piano and started playing when I was about 5 years-old. I took harp lessons for a year or two when I was in Fourth Grade. But my harp teacher retired, so I neglected the harp and it was just there in the music room. Everything else is self-taught. I just started making things up on the guitar, taught myself how to record on my computer, taught myself how to make beats, and then revisited the harp in 2009, knowing absolutely nothing [anymore]. I decided to just make up some songs on it and then I was like, “Oh shit, I should just sing and play.”
SG: What was it that lead you back to the harp?
LL: I was introduced to Alice Coltrane’s music around the same time [that] my approach to making music was changing. I honestly just wanted to sample my harp into my beats, but then – I guess because I had evolved – when I played the harp, I realized that it was a very special instrument and it deserves more than just sampling. So, once I started to get into Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, and just discovered the harp in a new way, I got really inspired. I thought, I should continue this, but in my own way. It was a natural step in my entire evolution of discovering where I exist in the musical spectrum.
SG: Those are some heavy influences. Who or what put you onto Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby?
LL: Someone had passed me their music. And I was listening to a lot of experimental music at the time, like I was really exploring Sun-Ra and Pharaoh Sanders, and a lot of musicians who were left field for their time. I just related with them. There’s just something about that vibration that resonated with me. It felt really familiar, but at the same time, I felt like I existed in a different place. They [are] like living ancestors.
SG: Do you mainly consider yourself a harpist, pianist, or guitarist? Or all three?
LL: To be honest, I don’t even feel like a real harpist ‘cause I never had training on it. I’m still trying to accept that I play the harp sometimes. But my friend Giorgio was telling me that it’s too late, if I can hear into that realm and make the harp speak, I’m a harpist. I feel like my main instruments are piano and harp. Those two are my main wings. Guitar I kinda just play around.
SG: Have you guested as a harpist on anybody else’s project?
LL: Yeah, I’ve done a few sessions for other musicians. In the beginning I was kinda just down to collaborate with whoever, but these days I’m more particular. Mostly because I can’t hear something in my head to everyone’s music. Unless I can hear my frequency within their spectrum, it’s not gonna work out. I just recorded some weird harp stuff for this musician John Bapt.
SG: The new album, Palm Psalms, seems very reflective and like the culmination of your musical evolution.
LL: I feel like this album definitely took the most growing time. It’s been two years since I put out my last album. It took me the longest to assemble this project…mostly because I was working with live musicians. There is no samples on this record at all. I wanted to make a project that was based on my instrumentation.
I’d say that my focus for this record was trying to leave behind a very direct and simple message that could be applicable to any time. You know, simple truths that remain and withstand the test of time, such as: love prevails; the truth is within… I was just trying to leave behind seeds of light, if you will, to give hope for those seeking. During the time that I made the record, I was searching for a more clear path. A lot of people that open themselves up to spirituality, open themselves too much and are easily mislead. I was seeking direction and guidance from THE one source. I was trying to cut through all the extra bullshit and get the clearest connection I could. Through seeking authentic light, I feel like I also attracted a lot of darkness. They try to distract you because there’s a strange battle happening in the spirit realm behind everything. Things are really off balance right now…for obvious reasons.
SG: What’s behind the title Palm Psalms?
LL: Trees are some of the oldest beings on Earth…they’re like antenna. They’ve seen the history of humanity, the history of the Earth. So, often when I just need to find clarity, I will sit under a tree and tune into the stillness and the wisdom of the trees. I’m so inspired by how when certain trees grow next to each other, their roots underground interlock. So, essentially, they’re like holding hands, and they can transfer nutrients to each other that way. So, Palm Psalms is a tie into all of that.
Low Leaf’s Top 3 Filipino Artists To Check Out
1. Pasta Groove (fka Venus Fly Trap Collective)
2. Ahnnu
3. Mndsgn
Speak Your Mind