Reina De La Pileta (Queen of The Swimming Pool)is a collaboration between Wanderlust and Simon Milman. It aims to transport listeners on a musical journey through Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Morocco and more, stopping for a horror film matinee en route.
We asked Simon a few questions about this project.
JK: How did this collaboration come about?
SM: Miroslav and I met at the Canberra School of Music around 2003. We started working together in 2009 through my alter ego Erebis. In 2012 Miroslav invited me to perform with an expanded Wanderlust group at The Canberra International Music Festival. Bukovsky was commissioned to write a suite of music inspired by Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles. Wanderlust also performed in their usual sextet format with myself on bass. It was after this gig that I approached Bukovsky with the idea of recording my compositions with Wanderlust.
JK: How did the album come about?
SM: The album was recorded in December 2013 through the assistance of The Australia Council. It was recorded at Studio 301 and produced by Abbey Road producer Richard Lush. The album is a tribute to my mother and collects my best compositions from the last ten years, interpreted by Aussie jazz legends Wanderlust.
JK: When was the album released?
SM: The album was launched in March 2014 at 505 in Sydney and The Street Theatre in Canberra and has received very positive feedback from critics and audiences alike. The album has been featured on ABC Radio National, Classic FM, PBS FM, NYC Jazz Record, Rhythms Magazine and The Canberra Times.
JK: What plans do you have in the future with Wanderlust?
SM: I hope to reconvene the group in the near future for further performances of music from the album and new work.
JK: What other plans do you have in place for yourself?
SM: I am currently writing a suite of music for classical guitar, developing a set of music along the lines of Caracas from the Wanderlust cd and finishing a comic book/EP release by Coolio Desgracias and Housemouse.
Background on Simon and Wanderlust
The child of Argentinian parents, Simon Milman started making music aged one and half with some pots, pans and a turntable. His childhood was spent travelling and growing up in Venezuela, Brazil and Canberra, giving Simon a unique perspective on music. He has been a professional musician for over twenty years, working in a wide range of settings with some of Australia’s most renowned musicians. Simon is equally at home playing and singing Cuban rumba, playing modern improvised music or performing as his hip hop alter ego. He has continued to explore musical traditions first hand through study trips to New York, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Ghana.
Simon met Czech trumpeter and leader of Wanderlust Miroslav Bukovsky in 2003 at the Canberra School of Music. They shared a lot of ideas about improvisation and different forms of music. Since then they have collaborated on various projects and in 2012 Simon performed with Wanderlust at the Canberra International Music Festival. This prompted the idea of making an album of Simon’s compositions performed by Wanderlust and himself. Simon was drawn to Wanderlust for their melodic and harmonic sense and their rhythmic diversity. He selected his best work of the last 10 years especially for the project.
It is available exclusively through We Large Productions: http://welargeproductions.bandcamp.com
