What was the beginning pint for your music career? How did it all start?
Charles (CKRAFT’s bandleader): Hi there, thanks for having us today! Well I grew up listening to metal, it was the only music that would really make sense to me as a teenager. I’d spend hours listening to KoRn, Slipknot, and especially Gojira. Their album “The Link” really changed my perception of music and I still listen to it as an adult with the same passion and awe. Later in my formative years, I saw a jazz big band play live and I was blown away by the exuberant freedom that this music was projecting from the stage. Sooner or later I had to blend these genres!
Was there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
Charles: It comes with an unforgettable memory. Since we play a music that is between Jazz and Metal, we sometimes end up playing in unexpected contexts. Our first concert was in front of about 1’000 people, they were here to see the artists we were supporting: Roberto Fonseca and Makaya McCraven, that are both big names on the jazz side. But our music sounds like… let’s say… 80% metal, at least! The festival was “Nancy Jazz Pulsations” and the (seated!) audience wasn’t expecting to listen to heavy riffs at all, so we were really anxious about their reaction! In the end it turns out that despite a few grannies covering their ears, most of the audience was standing, shouting and applauding. The Jazz world stays very challenging, the network works like a very closed family, it’s hard to make these people listen to Metal and invite us in festivals, but we’re working on it daily!
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
Charles: I would say it was last week, we produced our own concert in Paris in a cool venue called “La Boule Noire”. Despite that we’re not a renown band and that we played on a Monday evening, we managed to have a packed venue and a super cheerful audience. Best concert so far, and it’s even more satisfying that we worked really hard on making it happened, went into Paris streets to stick our posters, posted on socials every day, and so on!
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Charles: Our purpose with this album was to make something that, in a fully instrumental setup, is looking to be as heavy as possible, while using these epic Gregorian melodies, and jazz-influenced harmonies, and create a space of discordant improvised sections for the “augmented accordion” and the saxophone.
What is your creative process like?
Charles: I literally write everything down on paper, even the drums parts. Sometimes the idea starts from a riff or a rhythmic pattern that is looping in my head for too long, sometimes it’s a melodic fragment from a medieval melody, and then it’s all about developing and varying these elements.
When everything is written down and I’m sure of the tune’s structure and intention, I bring it in rehearsal to my fellow band members and we craft the sound all together: they sometimes have suggestions to make some parts sound heavier. We spend a lot of time in the rehearsal room until we’re happy to play a new tune on stage.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Charles: Well, for now I don’t think I know enough about the industry itself to be entitled to make changes to it… Ask me this question again in 5 or 6 years maybe? (laughing)
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Charles: Haha! Same here! I have no idea! I think we’re exactly in this category of emerging/upcoming young artists, so I really don’t feel entitled to give advice to anyone actually! Just do what you like and have a deep respect for the material you’re using, I guess?
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
Charles: Oops I might have already replied this in the previous questions!
If you didn’t become a musician, what would you be doing now?
Charles: If I hadn’t gotten into playing music, I think I would be doing another music or arts related job, probably on the production or press side. Music is just too important for me that I can’t picture my life outside of it!
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share with the world?
Charles: We’ve been playing together for 2 years now, 1st year was about rehearsing, recording and producing the first album, 2nd year was about releasing the said album (CKRAFT – “Epic Discordant Vision”, 2022 – https://bfan.link/epic-discordant-vision-1) and we’re now we’re just done with our first tour in Germany/France! I’m starting to write new tunes, maybe we’ll drop a new album in 2024, maybe not! The best way to stay connected with us would be to follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram. In any case, we’re always keeping the following link updated with all the latest releases and events to come: linktr.ee/ckraft.music
Thanks again for having us today and keep on sharing young Metal bands work, it really means the world to us!
