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Collin Sherman: A Solitary Visionary in Jazz

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By Robert Middleton
December 2, 2024
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I��ll start with a foundation��maybe electronic percussion or harmonic layers��and add horns last. I rarely do more than one take. First take, best take. The first reaction is always the most honest.
—Collin Sherman

Collin Sherman

saxophone, alto
b.1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Collin Sherman is an outlier in the jazz world. He creates all his own music, plays every instrument, records everything himself, and rarely performs live. His approach is unconventional but deeply compelling, allowing him to produce music that defies easy categorization. In a conversation via Zoom, Sherman opened up about his journey, his creative process and the unique challenges of being a one-man jazz ensemble.

I began by asking Sherman how he got started in music. "I started playing jazz in middle school, in the school band," he explained. "The music we played was terrible, and so was I." That changed when his band teacher introduced him to some jazz albums, including

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker and

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins. "He started an after-school jazz combo, and that's where I really started improvising," Sherman said. He continued playing through high school, exploring bebop and fusion.

But his musical path wasn't linear. "I kind of stopped playing in college and law school," he admitted. It was not until Sherman moved to New York from New Orleans that he picked it up again. "I missed the music in New Orleans and joined a traditional jazz group in New York for a while. But working for a law firm didn't leave me with enough time to play live, so I started doing things by myself with what little time I had, which was hardly any."

At first, Sherman worked with limited resources. "I didn't have much equipment, not even microphones—just some electronic gear I pieced together," he recalled. His earliest recordings leaned toward ambient electronic music. "Over time, I got better equipment, microphones, and a really good digital audio workstation that would allow me to record horns. And then I gradually morphed from this ambient electronic stuff into ultimately incorporating more jazz elements, which was my foundation all along."

I asked Sherman what he thinks makes his music unique. "People often say it's cinematic or sounds like a soundtrack," he replied. "My sound is very moody and my focus always on creating an atmosphere. I don't start with harmonic theory or structural elements; it's all intuitive. I lead with the feeling I want to evoke. It usually ends up being more of a free-form thing. But there's a certain mood I'm going after, which will guide me to the tempo and the instrumentation, and then I might come up with a few notes as an opening refrain, but for the most part, it's all intuitive. It's about capturing the emotion and atmosphere, and more weight is put on that than composition in the traditional sense.

Sherman's recording process reflects this emphasis on mood and spontaneity. "I can usually rough out a track in a day," he said. "I'll start with a foundation—maybe electronic percussion or harmonic layers—and add horns last. I rarely do more than one take. First take, best take. The first reaction is always the most honest."

Over the past twelve years, Sherman has recorded 17 albums (all on Bandcamp). His albums, Noir (Ex-tol Recordings, 2024) and String Planes (Ex-tol Recordings, 2024) showcase his atmospheric style. Sherman described Noir as "inspired by

Morton Feldman

" data-original-title="" title="">Morton Feldman's chamber music." He explained, "I thought Feldman's harmonies could work as a film score, and that's the kind of sound I was going for. It's moody, dense, and cinematic."

String Planes, on the other hand, was influenced by Tony Conrad's droning violin compositions. "I used a cigar-box guitar with cello strings and an electric cello to create these layered drones," Sherman said. "When you have all these overlapping sounds, you get so many overtones that almost any lead will fit on top." One track, "Pulse Bow," uses an unconventional technique where Sherman slapped the strings with a bow to create a ringing sound. "That was inspired by Arnold Dreyblatt, who would put piano wire on a bass and bow it percussively," he explained.

Both albums are richly atmospheric, but Sherman takes care to balance the mood. "I didn't want String Planes to get too monotonous, so I included a couple of tracks with electric guitar and saxophone to break things up."

In addition to his music, Sherman has explored AI-generated videos to accompany his work. The video for Noir features shadowy, archetypal gangsters in a moody, noir setting. "I used a combination of AI programs to create it," he said. "It's a long process, but it's worth it to capture the vibe."

When I asked about his future plans, Sherman admitted he's still figuring it out. "I'd like to start playing live, but it's been hard to make that happen," he said. He's also open to collaboration, though his solitary approach is partly born of necessity. "When I'm working on something, I want to get it done quickly. I don't have the patience to keep tinkering until it's perfect."

Sherman draws inspiration from a range of jazz artists, particularly those on the freer end of the spectrum. "

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker and

Steve Lehman

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Lehman have really influenced me, Steve Lehman especially. When I first heard him, it was like he redefined what the alto sax could do."

Despite his reclusive nature, Sherman occasionally ventures out to New York's jazz clubs. "I've been to the Vanguard, the Blue Note, Smalls," he said. "When I first moved here, my favorite club was St. Nick's in Harlem, but it's long gone."

Sherman's persistence is truly admirable. He has created something that is truly his own. "If I didn't do it, I wouldn't know what to do with myself," he said, laughing.

Collin Sherman's music is a testament to the power of vision and individuality. In a world where conformity often reigns, he is carving out his own space—one richly atmospheric, deeply personal track at a time. Sherman's work offers an intriguing journey into the unexpected, whether you are drawn to cinematic soundscapes or dense, droning textures.

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