In the wake of an NPR interview where host Jon Weber referred to him as “a visionary composer, an extraordinary jazz pianist and a very bright, young rising star in the jazz world,” Romain Collin maintains a steadfast philosophy toward his work, which bodes well for an appearance at Bohemian Caverns.
“My music ultimately focuses on solid writing and composition, on group improvisation and creating a distinct mood and atmosphere that listeners can lose themselves in,” said 32-year-old Collin.
At Bohemian Caverns, he and his bass player Luques Curtis and drummer Kush Abadey will perform primarily from his latest release, “The Calling.” All of the songs are original except for two covers, one an arrangement of “Stop this Train” by John Mayer and the other, “Nica’s Dream” by Horace Silver.
As a student at Berklee College of Music, Collin majored in music synthesis, which he describes as “encompassing everything from sound designing and post-production to programming.” Shaping sounds on a synthesizer allowed him to add subtle and textured flourishes to his piano playing. While perfectly meshed on a recording, live performances posed a problem for him.
| Onstage |
| Romain Collin |
| Where: Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW |
| When: 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday |
| Info: $18; 202-299-0800; bohemiancaverns.com |
“I used to bring a keyboard on the side, but I felt it was taking me away from being able to focus on the piano,” Collin explained. “What I do now is take some of the elements of post-production and I play them in a sampler, and when I’m on stage I can trigger the samples [and] launch a series of several other tones and colors that are sort of floating on top of the logical portrayal you are seeing live.”
These flourishes are now on his iPod in an application he integrates into the sound system at venues. While it takes time to scope the particular effect he is after, this engineered texturing produces a distinct sound.
“If only one piece, or one minute of my music makes a difference to the [audience] and it’s a positive difference — that is what makes me the happiest. I think that’s why I do what I do,” he said.
