Jeff Aug – Kiss of the Liquid Discussion
1.Congratulations on your upcoming solo album, “Kiss of the Liquid Moon.” Can you give us a glimpse into the inspiration and creative process behind this album, especially considering it’s your 9th acoustic instrumental release?
JEFF: The inspiration came from the European tour in Feb / Mar 2023 … the first 2 weeks I was headlining dates in Germany; the last 5 weeks were as support for Scott Henderson. The tour went really well. Scott mentioned he was releasing an album for the next tour in 2024 and since I was going out with him again in 2024, I figured, I should get a new album out there as well. I had been recording on and off with Murat over the last few years and added a few more tracks to give the album a wider spectrum.
2. The album is described as a cross-section of your solo acoustic instrumental fingerstyle guitar playing from the past few years. How do you approach selecting pieces for an album like this, and what criteria do you use to determine which compositions make the final cut?
JEFF: The pieces need to be good from the perspective of composition, arrangement, and performance. There were a few which didn´t make the cut. Murat and I have also been working on a duo album over the last few years and some of the pieces we recorded will appear on that album when it´s released (hopefully in 2025).
3. With a mix of live-performed and studio-recorded pieces, can you share how the recording environment, particularly Murat Parlak’s Living Room Studios in Germany, contributed to shaping the overall sound and mood of the album?
JEFF: Most of the time, it´s me in front of a microphone staring at the back of Murat´s head. We break for lunch, which is usually pasta and salad (great stuff!) and continue later on.
4. Murat Parlak is featured on many tracks, and you’ve also collaborated with other special guests. How did these collaborations come about, and how did they influence the sonic landscape of the album?
JEFF: All the pieces started with the guitar and the other instruments were added later. Murat is a maestro. His sense of arrangement, performance, composition, and instrument choice demonstrates his palette of genius. The melody lines from the other instruments („Matilda´s Lullabye,“ „Baritone Butterfly“) were inspired by the initial guitar recording.
5. Having just wrapped up a major European tour with Anne Clark, how does the experience of touring with such an iconic figure inform or influence your approach to recording and releasing your solo work?
JEFF: It goes hand-in-hand… I came to Europe as a solo acoustic instrumental fingerstyle guitarist. I met Anne through a colleague who sent her one of my cds and she happened to really dig it. That was 22 years ago and we still perform and record together. With Anne, I play the instrumental fingerstyle, but also many pieces with a pick. There was a phase where most of the show was played on electric guitar. For the Anne Clark album The Smallest Acts of Kindness, half of the tracks were initially solo acoustic instrumental fingerstyle guitar pieces which were expanded with Anne´s vocal performances and the other instrumentals of the ensemble finding their way through the pieces.
6. Following the album release, you’re set to tour with the legendary fusion guitarist Scott Henderson. Can you tell us about the anticipation and excitement surrounding this collaboration, and how it fits into the broader trajectory of your musical journey?
JEFF: This will be my 2nd full on tour with Scott. He´s a blast, as well as his girlfriend Lena and drummer Archibald and bassist Romain. We got on well. It seemed only natural that I would be heading out with them for this next tour. There will be some cities I have never hit such as Malmö, Goteborg, Oslo, Sala, Stockholm, Espoo, and Vilinius. I have been to most all of the other locations and/or cities over the years. Vilnius, Lithuania comes with much anticipation. Not only is it my last show on the tour, but the „Aug“ family comes from Vilinius. We left Vilnius in 1889. I will be the first „Aug“ to return to Vilnius in over 135 years. It´ll be my first performance in Lithuania. It will also be my last show on the Scott Henderson Tour, so I hope we at least get some good press out of it! 😉
7. Your instrumental rock band, Ape Shifter, is also part of your upcoming festival performances. How does playing with a band differ from your solo work, and how do these two aspects of your musical career complement each other?
JEFF: Yes, the solo stuff and Ape Shifter are apples and oranges. While Ape Shifter is instrumental, I hardly play any fingerstyle in the band. With the solo stuff, I never have a pick in my hand. Ape Shifter is loud, heavy, distorted, and aggressive. The solo material, for the most part, is a much lighter mood, more methodical, meditative, and uses no effects (except for one song in the show where I use a panning delay). My first guitar was an electric guitar. I learned Hendrix, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Rush. Later on, I was introduced to the acoustic guitar and discovered The Grateful Dead, Pierre Bensusan, and The Dixie Dregs… So, the two worlds crossover, but also have great distance from one another.
8. With a European tour headlining in September and October 2024, what can fans expect from your live performances? Are there any specific elements or surprises you plan to incorporate into these shows?
JEFF: Elements; it´s solo & instrumental. Come with an open mind an expect seating. It´s a comfortable and meditative environment. Some of the music is challenging, but all of it is enjoyable and you can breathe. Yes, there is/are surprise(s), but I don´t give those away.
9. The album includes purely solo pieces. How does the experience of playing and recording these solo compositions compare to collaborative efforts, and do you have a preference between the two?
JEFF: Collaborative pieces are a LOT easier and less stressful to record. The solo pieces are the most challenging because they are solo…. No overdubs, no punch-ins, no editing. I spent a few weeks practicing “Fuck The Neighbors“ to make sure I got it right. I had been playing the piece since 2016, but it wasn´t until this past Summer when I was rehearsing that I took a close look at what part I played with which finger(s). It made a difference and NOW I know how to play it right. It only took 7 years… !!
10. Looking ahead, are there any specific goals or aspirations you have for your musical journey in the coming years, and are there any hints or details you can share about future projects or collaborations that your fans can look forward to?
JEFF: Murat Parlak and I have been working on our truly collaborative album. I hope it gets released in 2025. The material is incredible. I absolutely love it and love what Murat does with it. It will be a quartet, most likely, and a tour will follow. Additionally, I am putting together material for my rockin´ acoustic country Blues album which will – hopefully – be recorded later this year. We are just waiting for Hans „Harmonica“ Penzoldt to recover from his jaw operation so that he can lay down with us. It´ll be Murat on piano, Hans on harp, Chris Lakriz on upright, a drummer, and quite possibly my son Oskar on a few tracks. He plays guitar and is turning into a monster on it!
Ape Shifter is taking a bit of break, but we have a festival or two lined up for the Summer and dates in the Fall.
Other than that, I want to record more solo pieces. This new album has given me something to reflect on and I think I know where this is going. It´s time to sit on the couch with the guitar on my knees and meditate on those notes, rhythmns, and melodies the fingers and mind want to play because the sound is the best sound I have ever experienced in the world.
For more information:
Website: www.JeffAug.com
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