Justin Lavash – Concert at ROXY will be the antidote to Christmas silliness

British songster Justin Lavash is well known for his ability to combine folk, country, funk, jazz or blues with great dynamic, perfect instrumental skills and his charismatic voice. That´s why he is very coveted musical partner among czech alternative musicians like Lenka Dusilová, Načeva or Vladimír Merta and many others. It´s obvious that after 25 years on the european music scene Justin is not only fancied “musical partner” but also renowned artist who´s records offers great and various musical and emotional experiences.
 
Latest proof of his skills is this year´s album 25 Years where you can enjoy – among others – guest performances of Lenka Dusilová, Ian Kelosky, Mike Kyselka or drummer David Landštof. And right David Landštof will be very special guest of Justin´s upcoming show at ROXY Late Night Acoustic Chill Out Show Case on 18th December for which they´re preparing very special joint set. In our interview Justin unveils what exactly can we expect from this show and more about his attitude to music itself and small venue shows  and that´s not half all....
 
 
 
I´ve heard you´re planning special long set for your gig at ROXY Chill Out (18. 12) where you´ll play with drummer David Lanštof. Could you please unveil more about it?
 
Well, obviously David and I worked together on my last CD (25 Years – released May 2012), and so a lot of those songs will form the base of our set, but I have a lot of material from my three previous Cds, and having the opportunity to play with David means that we can re-work some of that material for our duo. That's a lot of fun, because David is a great „feel“ drummer, so the songs take on new life. We're also working on songs which add variety to our show. A lot of 25 Years was quite heavy-hitting, which is fun, but David and I have been getting a lot out of working on more intimate songs. We'll do two longish sets, but they'll be full of variety in terms of style, arrangement, volume, etc. We're really looking forward to it!
 
 
Why did you choose right David and what can we expect from your joint performance?
 
I'd seen David play a couple of times and loved his dynamic approach to drumming as well as his versatility as a musician. He has a strong background in percussion, which is great for me because I really need a drummer who can think in a non-drummer way, as it were. It takes a special sort of rhythmatist who can work without a bass player. They have to be very strong in their feel of time and groove. The other really great thing about David is that he really listens. This is great for us because it means that we can change arrangements and feel whenever we want. We can move in completely unexpected directions and improvise as the mood takes us, because we are always listening to where the other is going. It means that no two performances are the same. It's very exhilarating!
 
 
Will you play with David the whole concert or do you plan also any solo parts for you and maybe also for David?
 
I think we will probably play the whole show together, but the dynamic range will be very big, meaning that we will move from quiet ballads to rocking blues/soul. The Chill Out space is a nice intimate space and we want people to be able to sit and enjoy the concert without being bombarded with heavier tunes.
 
 
Your gig at ROXY will be few days before Xmas. Do you plan to play and sing any carols or do any other things to make the show „more christmas“?
 
I have to admit that I am not a great fan of Christmas in the English tradition (although I respect the more reserved Czech approach), and after having been forced to sing carols in the school choir, I am not so enthusiastic about them now! I'm not sure if people will want to hear us play carols anyway – I don't really have a choirboy's voice any more! I see this concert as the antidote to Christmas silliness and, if you believe what some people are saying, this might be one of the last shows you will get to see before the end of the world...Come and join us for the last dance!
 
 
How do you like the space of ROXY Chill Out? It´s almost like big living room, isn´t it?
 
It's a great space and I am really looking forward to playing with David there. I love intimate environments for playing. I am not a big fan of really large gigs. I never go to stadium shows, and as far as my  own music is concerned, playing in a smaller space means I can use dynamics in volume more and be closer to the audience when telling my stories – songs are really just stories, after all.
 
 
BTW: What do you think about the idea of the project ROXY Late Night Acoustic Chill Out Show Case (intimate gigs in intimate and very comfortable space)?
 
I'm all for it. I think it's a great idea and Roxy already has a reputation for great live music on its bigger stage. A smaller second stage is perfect for Prague. In many ways I see this kind of venue as a venue for the future. Bands are generally getting smaller, both for financial and musical reasons. The global crisis and DJ culture have created a fashion for “small is beautiful”, and I think songwriters in particular (as opposed to pop bands) need to have a performance space which enables people to hear the words and nuances of their songs. It makes for a more personal experience, which is obviously great.
 
Do you feel comfortable when palying in venues like ROXY Chill out where the contact with audience is absolutely first-hand?
 
I love these kinds of venues because you can really feel the energy from the audience, which you then reflect back to them (along with your own energy). That's what great gigs are about and I think the best performers are good at working with energy and making a concert a shared experience. That's what we're aiming for and it will be a great night for sure!