Words by David C. Obenour
Passing Fire is a fitting title for the latest album led by Chicago’s drummer composter, Jeremy Cunningham. Inviting such talents as Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Josh Johnson, Sen Morimoto, Matt Gold, Lia Kohl, and Greg Uhlmann – to name only a handful – the songs burn bright from the ideas and energy of their players. The connections are all natural too – formed by playing together at clubs and putting out word to others that Cunningham can hold it down.
Off Shelf: You have a rich history in the Chicago scene. What got you to move there in the first place? Why did it seem like the place to relocate?
Jeremy Cunningham: I was living in Cincinnati, Ohio and my girlfriend was living in Boston. I really wanted to move back to New York City, as I had lived there for two years around 2002. I loved the music scene there, so me and my girlfriend went to visit and she found the whole place to be overwhelming. I went around Boston to some jazz clubs and jam sessions and asked the local musicians what it was like being a freelancer in Boston. They all basically told me that I wouldn’t really get any gigs because everybody just played with their classmates from all the various music schools in Boston. And I can tell you, I really appreciated their honesty!
So, me and my partner started thinking about Chicago. My aunt has lived in Oak Park since the early 80s, and I liked the idea of being able to drive back to Cincinnati to see my folks. I also had some musician friends that were playing a lot in Chicago, and were encouraging me to move here. Plus, my teacher, Art Gore said something about my drumming when I asked him where I should move: he said, “You really like playing stuff that grooves and you like playing stuff that’s out… you should definitely move to Chicago, cause that’s what’s going on!”
OS: Having lived there since 2009, how has the city lived up to what you thought it’d be? How has it been different?
JC: Being a musician in Chicago has been far more than I ever could have dreamed. The music community here is so expansive, and there are so many creative, beautiful human beings that make compelling art. When I first moved here, I was mainly checking out the Deep Blue Organ Trio. I love how Greg Rockingham plays the drums, and I really love that band. Around that time, a friend took me to hear Jeff Parker at Rodan. There was a drummer there named Frank Rosaly who was playing the drums in a way I had never heard before. It was absolutely incredible! I soon became friends with Jeff and Frank, and I was playing music with other folks that I met at jam sessions. For instance, I met Marquis Hill at Von Freeman’s legendary southside jam session, the New Apartment Lounge and I ended up played in Marquis’s band for years. That experience really shaped my idea of what modern jazz could be. And at the same time, I met Josh Johnson, Dustin Laurenzi, Katie Ernst, Nick Mazzarella and a whole bunch of other folks that became my closest collaborators and dear friends. Chicago has been everything!
OS: You have some really amazing players joining you on Passing Fires – some I’m familiar with and some I’m excited to get to know better. Can you talk about some of the newer talents you have featured here? Or maybe talk about some of the ones you’ve more recently started playing with?
JC: Sure, I’d be happy to! Lia Kohl is a creative force and I’ve only had a chance to improvise with her until very recently. After that first musical meeting, I started listening to her albums. I was blown away! I knew I wanted to have some strings underneath a piano improvisation, so I asked her if she wanted to collaborate. And lucky for me, she was happy to contribute to my album.
Greg Uhlmann is a guitarist that I’ve known for a long time, but we never really had the chance to play. I was headed out to L.A. to record some new music, and Josh Johnson and Paul Bryan recommended Greg. Greg played an absolutely beautiful solo on my song, “You’re Still Here.” He is an absolute joy to work with, and is hilarious as well. He’s going to be touring with Resavoir this fall and I’m so stoked.
OS: Can you talk about the picture you have for the cover? What about it felt like a good visual to accompany these songs?
JC: The picture on the cover is an old family photo from the 80s. I really liked the spirit of it: the joy, the sort of reckless abandon. I’m not sure who everyone is in the photo, but I know it’s my mom and my brother, and probably some of my cousins. The photo represents a time when I was a kid, and I remember the energy of that time and place. And now, I’m a little older than my parents were in that photo. So, it just made a lot of sense as a visual centerpiece to reflect a sense of nostalgia and being present.
OS: The last record you lead on was The Weather Up There, a beautiful and personal album that dealt with the loss of your brother. How did that experience shape how you approached writing songs for Passing Fires? Did it set any sort of bar that you wanted to meet or maybe something that you wanted to deviate from?
JC: For sure. It was really hard making this record. I was constantly comparing my work to that album and feeling like it could never measure up. In some ways, I still feel that way. But, how can anything I make ever come close to a record that dealt with something so heavy and tragic?
OS: What was the mix of recording / performing that happened together and in a room? Do you have a preferred method when it comes to this?
JC: The whole album was made in home studios, that was intentional. I used to write out lead sheets, rehearse, and then record over two to three days. For this album, that approach didn’t make sense anymore. I wanted to make things a little bit more organically, and I wanted to leave some decisions open to make in the moment.
OS: There are so many beautiful tones and moments captured on Passing Fires, when you listen back – are there any that really resonate with you?
JC: The song, “You’re Still Here,” is really about the dichotomy of thinking about my dad who died during COVID, and also being aware of my children growing up and all the beauty surrounding me in my daily life. That song really gets me still. Josh and Greg and Paul all played so beautifully, that there performances get me a little misty when I listen.
OS: Can you talk about the sole lyrical song, “Somewhere to Be” – what did you like about it in this collection of songs? How did you approach sequencing it on the album?
JC: The song “Some Days” also has lyrics, but the approach for those two is a little different: Sen Morimoto wrote the lyrics to “Somewhere to Be” after we discussed the song and what it felt like to me. The lyrics to “Some Days” was formed from poems I wrote that Sen distilled into lyrics. He wrote the melody for both of those songs, and I am still in awe of how he creates sound.
OS: When you’re building a set list to perform this music live, what are your considerations on order? Mixing in older material how does it color how you revisit playing them?
JC: You know, I’m working that out right now! I’m not really sure how it’s gonna shake out, but I’m looking forward to what happens.