“Childlike qualities are where music comes from”: Tal Wilkenfeld’s prog connections

Prog

Born in Sydney, Australia in 1986, Tal Wilkenfeld was a budding guitarist as a kid, with only a few rock records on her shelf. At 16 she dropped out of high school and emigrated to the US, switching to bass and enrolling at Los Angeles Music Academy College Of Music.

drum great Vinnie Colaiuta.

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, which sees her step up to the mic to deliver a moody, heartfelt, subtly complex set drawing on her many musical influences and life experiences.

How does prog feature in your musical diet?

was amazing – I was lucky enough to know him through the bass player world. He was a really cool guy and super fun. I love it when musicians retain their childlike qualities; that’s where music comes from, I believe.

of it – and it’s phenomenal. I hope one day I can be part of something that elaborate and astonishing.

There are so many progy luminaries on your CV – Trevor Rabin, Todd Rundgren...

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At a certain point you become one with music… it’s the most beautiful thing

And you went on to play with Herbie, on his album Imagine . With someone like that, is it tricky to separate the person from their legend?

It doesn’t really matter to me that someone is famous or not. It’s about their musicianship and what they’re trying to express as a person – a soul. If I’m accompanying them I want to know how I can best help them deliver their message. It’s not about being impressed with somebody, it’s about facilitating the music.

Chick Corea knows a good bassist when he hears one. How did you get that gig?

’s] Spain – as much as that’s a standard I didn’t really know it. That was funny!

All these players are virtuosos. When you’re performing with them are you aware in the moment that they’re operating at some higher level?

Yeah. At a certain point you become one with music; you’re a conduit for music to express itself. And when that happens it’s the most beautiful thing to see.

Love Remains is your first vocal album and you deal with some raw emotions on it. Does the attention it’s getting you feel different to the kind you’ve got as ‘just’ a bassist?

I’ve spent a lot time watching TV shows and movies, pausing during an emotional moment and starting to write

The attention doesn’t feel different – but I feel different. I’ve revealed a larger aspect of myself, and so when I’m getting this kind of feedback it feels even more wholesome. It doesn’t feel strange to put myself out there like this; it feels really natural. The easiest thing to write about is your life and experience. Even if it’s just something you’ve seen in a movie that’s inspired you, it’s still through your own lens.

And movies inspired some of these songs?

, playing along or pausing during an emotional moment and starting to write. It’s a really good way for me to inspire myself. I write mostly when I’m moving around doing other things – walking, driving, washing the dishes.

Haunted Love is an extraordinary song. Pete Townshend himself called it ‘a jewel’...

I wanted to do one song that had the bass as the harmonic instrument. I use it like a classical guitar. It changes time signatures nearly every bar at one point, and changes key centres regularly. I recorded the strings at RAK Studios, and it was one of my favourite days ever. I want to write much more music for orchestra.

Love Remains is all about songs, while Transformation was pure fusion.

Listen to Lightnin’ Hopkins: he plays 12-and-a-half bar blues!

is in 11/4 in parts.

I look to old folk and blues, where everything follows the story and melody, and they’ll add extra beats and bars where needed. I mean, listen to Lightnin’ Hopkins: he plays 12-and-a-half bar blues!

by Frank Zappa.