Jan Roth, the tall, friendly man, enjoys sitting in the light at the front of his house, letting time and history pass him. As the world revolves, he deals with music, love, and good food; generally, for him, they’re all the same thing. As someone who is on the road a lot and only for short visits, he should have a lot to say. About other places, other people, other ways of handling the world and attempting to offer better solutions. However, he is too polite to speak. Be that as it may, he has to leave, and so, he reaches out his hand, and leaves us to ourselves again. At least, he discreetly leaves us a strange treasure for later insight: Jan Roth – Kleinod.
FACTS:
1: The most important meal of the day: Food.
2: Love is.
3: There are only these 2 Facts.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Boredom and beauty.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
The house where i grew up in was full of music: my Grandpa was a composer and pianist, my Mother a music teacher, my Uncle a drummer, and my Sister is a flute teacher – when I was five I started playing the piano, at the age of 11 I got hooked on drums. Good Friends since then.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Miles Davis – Four & More
The Streets – A Grand don’t come for free
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Brad Mehldau Trio – Progression: The Art of the Trio Vol. 5
Terry Gibbs & His Dreamband – Exposion!
Abbey Lincoln – You gotta pay the Band
Ha, it’s 6!
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
A lot of loud noises.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
My appartment, called Himmelreich.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Absolutly nothing, or going for a walk – but seriously, it’s totally impossible for me to imagine a world without music.
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
The Radiohead one.
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Couldn’t say… There are Film Makers, Painters, Scientists, Musicians – some already dead, some not even born, yet.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
No Comment.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Very! I drive a car to the studio where my piano is. There is the World Wide Web in my Laptop. I use My Phone to take pictures, or to call someone i want to collaborate with…
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
One Sister, she is proud of me and supports my way of living with love and not too many questions – which is supernice.
Sinnbus released Jan Roth’s latest album Kleinod in May 2018. Roth will return to Berlin on 23rd November 2018 for a show at ex-vulkan.
Photo © Sandra Ludewig
