Dedication: Dan Weiss Speaks

Album art courtesy of the artist.

by Kevin Laskey

Last month, drummer Dan Weiss released Dedication, the fourth record with his long-running trio of pianist Jacob Sacks and bassist Thomas Morgan. As the title suggests, the album is a collection of original compositions inspired by family members, artistic heroes, and George Floyd alike. We caught up with Weiss last week to talk about the album’s origins, channeling people through music, and the different ways of forging musical connections with players and listeners.

The Jazz Gallery: How did you get started with writing these dedication pieces? Did it start with just one and spin out from there, or were you consciously writing a set from the beginning?

Dan Weiss: No, definitely not like that. I wrote a couple to start—the first was for my daughter. Then while I was writing later on, I’d notice, “This thing sounds like something [Conlon] Nancarrow would do,” maybe I’ll dedicate it to him. And then one had a lot of major chords, so that reminds me of Tim Smith. It just unraveled like that. I didn’t start thinking I would make a record of dedications—it just happened.

TJG: Why do you think you were drawn in this direction then?

DW: On a number of my recordings, there’s been a thread of writing odes to different people. There was the record Sixteen where all of the compositions were inspired by different drummers. Then on my first trio album, Timshel, I had a piece for my wife. And then later I wrote one for my godson. And on my Starebaby records, there are pieces called “Episode 8” and “Episode 18” that are inspired by David Lynch and Twin Peaks. It’s a way to use what I’m into and what’s going on in my life and tie it in with my music. It seems very natural to me.

TJG: So a chicken or egg question then: do you find yourself working on an abstract idea and realize it reminds you of someone, or do you use the thought of someone to channel a musical idea that evokes them?

DW: Good question. I think it’s more that I come across an idea that reminds me of someone. Like I might be practicing something and realize that it sounds influenced by Philly Joe Jones or Max Roach. Then if I end up writing something based on that idea, I’ll investigate further on how I could channel different things that the person did in order to evoke them. It’s a springboard.

TJG: These compositions are an act of you connecting with these dedicatees in some way, which makes me think about how you connect with Jacob and Thomas. You’ve been working as a trio for a number of years now, and I was wondering what are some of your favorite ways you’ve seen Jacob and Thomas evolve as players in that time.

DW: Jacob works hard—he’s a practicer. He’s always getting better, always working on his sound and touch. So from year to year, he just sounds more refined, more crips. Thomas isn’t a practicer in the same way, but he’s always playing, always working.

One thing I could say about both of them is that their musical integrity hasn’t changed from when I met them. Their devotion to creativity remains intact. Ever since I met them 20 years ago, it’s like they’ve become more themselves. They’ve always been themselves, but they’ve found different ways to activate that initial spark of creativity.

TJG: So another question about relationships in music. You’ve run a Patreon page for a few years now, which is a different way to connect with other people through music—people who admire your work, people who want to learn from you. Has this method of connecting impacted the way you make music more directly, whether how you write, or how you think about improvising on the bandstand?

DW: That’s another good question. I don’t know if it really impacts the music I make. I’ve always liked to share things I like, especially music, for as long as I’ve been into music. So getting into Patreon has been a great way to do that. But I don’t think it’s impacted the way I practice or compose or deal with music directly. Maybe I’ve gotten a little quicker at explaining some of my ideas and ways of thinking about music. I’ve gotten a lot of practice making all of these videos over the years and having to talk about what I’m doing. But I’m trying to think of a way it’s impacted my writing…

I guess one thing I’ll say is that I like having a connection with the audience when I play. If I’m playing in a theater where they usually dim the house lights, I’ll ask them to keep some lights on so I can engage with everyone a bit more. That’s something I’ve become more aware of in terms of how important it is to me. 

TJG: That idea of having to communicate your idea quickly and clearly is making me think of how a composer can communicate with the players in a piece that way. Over the years in your music for the trio, have you gotten more specific in your notated ideas, pushing the boundaries of what you as an ensemble do, or do you find yourself being less specific and leaving space for everyone?

DW: A little bit of both. I won’t really give instruction when it comes to improvisation, but some of the compositions have definitely gotten more specific over time. For the improvisation, I don’t want to say, “Do this, try this.” But especially on this last record, the written music itself has more specific information.

TJG: I’m thinking of that piece for Tim Smith and all the rhythmic shifts that happen. Are those specific metric modulations that you’ve composed, or are you exploring tempo shifts more generally as part of the improvisation?

DW: That one was more about these sudden tempo shifts. It was really inspired by what Tim Smith did with the Cardiacs, how they would shift tempo very minutely but noticeably. So that’s definitely a specific thing in the piece.

The Dan Weiss Trio plays The Jazz Gallery on Saturday, December 10, 2022. The group features Mr. Weiss on drums, Jacob Sacks on piano, and Thomas Morgan on drums. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. EST. $30 general admission ($10 for members), $40 reserved cabaret seating ($20 for members), $20 for livestream access ($5 for members) for each set. Purchase tickets here.