New York-based LARAAJI began playing music on the streets in the 1970s, improvising trance-inducing jams on a modified autoharp processed through various electronic effects. Upon seeing him playing one night in Washington Square Park, Brian Eno invited him to record an album for his seminal Ambient series. Laraaij went onto release a prolific series of albums for a wide variety of labels, many of which he recorded himself at home and sold as cassettes during his street performances.
FACTS:
1: The endless tone current pulsation inside my head is what the Bible refers to as the Word.
2: One can not hold their nose closed and hum at the same time.
3: The island of Manhattan was purchased from the tribe of Native Americans for $24 in beads
Questions:
1.What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
sound and concept visions received during meditation..
my love of dance, and spontaneity..
2. How and when did you get into making music?
At age four I was introduced by my public school to a simple wind instrument called the tonette ..a year later my mother supported my interest in learning to play the violin and piano, outside of formal music classes i was exploring piano improvisation inspired by pianists like Erroll Garner and André Previn.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
1- Beatles – “SARGENT PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND”
2- Ahmad Jamal – “POINCIANA”
3- Earth wind and fire “GREATEST HITS”
4- Simon & Garfunkel
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
THE WALL,
Flying Mouse,
Artistic exploration,
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Central Park in Manhattan, NY
6. If there was no music in the world,what would you do instead?
Listen to the endless music inside my head..
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
A cd by a Seattle Cellist playing electric cello inside Seattle Airport in December “WAVES WASH OVER US” Gretchen Yanover
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Indian tabla master ZAKIR HUSSEIN
Stanley Clarke electric bass player..
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
As performer :Late 1980’s with Opal Evening at Aguas de Jamos in Lanzarote (Canary Island s). Playing solo zither, Kalimba and collaborating with Harold Budd, Michael Brook, Roger Eno to Brian Eno’s and Russell Mills’ lighting sculpture..
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
TECHNOLOGY IS IMPORTANT IN MY ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC SOUND EXPERIMENTATION where i use modern efx and performance technology. However my creative process flows from spontaneity and creative intention whetherthrough tech or tech free situation
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
2 brothers, each are retired from jobs and both have only heard my recordings..and have never commented on my music..
Laraaji will premier his new work “Sun Dreaming” with Carlos Niño at our Kiezsalon on 8th November 2017. His newest release “Bring on the Sun” is published on All Saints Records.
