Photo credit: @corkerycaptures
Performing brand new songs in front of an audience might take guts, but simultaneously recording them live for release requires next-level bravery. Guitarist Max Zaska, known for his collaborations with Irish vocalists, took that leap when he was joined by co-writers Gemma Dunleavy, shiv, Melina Malone, and jarjarjr at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork last September. The result is ZASKA’s new 5-track EP, Live At The Triskel to be released on April 5th. It blends soul, jazz, R&B, pop, and hip-hop, reflecting the sounds of the five collaborators who each feature on this release.
“The whole thing was so unorthodox. Normally, you have songs, make an album, then play live. But we flipped it on its head and recorded it live while performing most of these songs for the first time. It was a crazy thing to do, with a 12-piece band, monitoring the audio recording, and putting on a show for the audience while being documented by a 3-camera video crew! We only had one shot to get it right,” Zaska explains. “But they say pressure makes diamonds and I’m delighted with how it all turned out.”
Play The Game is the second single off the EP and features Cork-based lo-fi beats producer and rapper, jarjarjr who co-wrote the song with Zaska in the Triskel Arts Centre last summer. “We quickly found our flow and wanted to write something up-tempo and danceable, inspired by Mac Miller and Anderson .Paak. I’d never written like that before, especially with a rapper and myself on vocals,” said Zaska.
The Live At The Triskel EP came to life with support from the Triskel Arts Centre and the Improvised Music Company who awarded Max Zaska their WRITE RECORD PERFORM residency. “I’m so grateful to the Triskel Arts and the IMC for helping all of the independent songwriters and musicians involved in bringing these songs to life,” explained Zaska.
More songs from these collaborations are on ZASKA’s 3rd studio album, to be released later this year.
