SubjectJazz: The Theatre of Sound (Interview) + ‘Bullet For The Rap # 1’…

We caught up with Paul from SubjectJazz for a discussion on the album ‘Bullet For The Jazz’, the creative process, studio gear, what he’s listening to, and where you might find him digging for records and hanging out around his hometown of Paris, France.

Study Music : Lets start at the foundation, what gear did you use for the making of ‘Bullet For The Jazz’?

SubjectJazz: During the time I was working on the ‘Bullet’, I was working with my records, the [Akai] MPC2500SE & MPC2000, sometimes SP sounds sampled on my [MPCs], Fender jazz bass and [all run] into Logic Pro for the final edition. I didnt have the SP’s at the time. [Since the recording of ‘Bullet’] I’ve changed it a lot, the setup, with the [E-Mu] SP’s and the [Akai] S950, only using the MPC2000 as a sequencer, and a Mackie for the mix…

SM: What was the creative process like during the making of ‘Bullet For The Jazz’?

SJ: First, [I’d] listen and dig through movies from 1940-1967, take pieces of films…traditional French films mainly, [but also] gangster, jazz, experimental, Chinese…then [I’d] try to adapt the feelings of those, the old world mentality, and some specific scenes of everyday life into the composition…[to patch together] several pieces, and translate the music into images…like short stories, [like] the theater of sound…

SM: What artists and records are you listening to right now, old or new?

SJ: When it comes to listening to records [for the actual records themselves, not for sampling], I’ve been listening to a lot of instrumental stuff these last few months, like DJ Krush or DJ Shadow, [which I] didn’t listen to a lot before, but it’s damn ill. Lewis Parker also, and all of the Lord Finesse library, Buckshot…

Lewis Parker

SM: …and in the Crates?

SJ: Concerning actual records, it’s growing week after week…It’s all about sampling, so every kind [of genre]…70’s Italian records made my last month…Blue Note ones…always the same color to my ears… right now Yusef Lateef!.

SM: You’re based in Paris, France. What are some of your favorite record stores or places to go digging in the area?

SJ: Monster Melodies, Groove Store and Betino’s record shop…Discogs when it begins to be hard to find [records] that I need to have. I prefer to let the ‘luck of the dig’ into good places [dictate] the rest.

SM: Where do you spend your time outside of the studio? What are some of your favorite places to eat, drink or see live music?

SJ: Near Pigalle generally…favorite acoustic [venue] is Trianon, all day. Second… Bataclan. After, Duc des Lombards for mad live jazz. Mainly friends flats [for drinks], always better served by ourselves!

Drinks in Paris : The International.

Eats in Paris : Blend Burger, of course. Best burger in Paris!

UPDATE: Announcing ‘Bullet For The Rap’. Over the next few months we’ll be dropping a series of SubjectJazz tracks, produced in Paris and featuring a slew of different emcees from around the world. The first one is called ‘Bonne Nouvelle’ and features Oakland, CA’s CTZN and Brooklyn, NY’s JB Nimble. The set is rounded out with the instrumental, and a piano driven bonus beat called ‘The Study’ featuring cuts added by MarzAttacks. It’s now playing on Spotify and also available on iTunes and all digital outlets.

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bullet-for-rap-1-bonne-nouvelle/id952786427