Under The Influence with Theodore Wild Ride

Theodore Wild Ride started from the collaboration between French keyboardists Christine Ott (regular collaborator of Yann Tiersen, Tindersticks, Oiseaux-Tempête…), Mathieu Gabry (Snowdrops) and Oud player Ophir Levy. Theodore Wild Ride celebrates musical freedom and redefines the relationship between space and time with a special, unexpected orchestration.

Their first joint album is released on Icarus Records in collaboration with Consouling Sounds. From the naïve melody of ‘Little House’ to the post-classical tango of ‘Paoha’, from the ambient of ‘Squirrel Creek’ to the progressive instrumental ‘Zeppelins’, the trio blends both Eastern and Western musical codes and references in a strong coherence. The amplified strings respond to the delicate sound of the felt-treated piano, the microtones of the Ondes Martenot mingle with the quarter tones of the oud, to the point of challenging the cracked electronics of a detuned mellotron in a final explosion.

We asked Christine Ott from the band to talk about 3 pieces of music that have influenced them in their musical journey.

Popol Vuh – Aguirre

It’s really hard to give a list of influences for Theodore Wild Ride. The project is so spontaneous, the influences are very very diffuse. But let’s try! … I am for example thinking of Popol Vuh, of the soundtrack of Aguirre. Because it’s film music, because it’s Werner Herzog, and because the mellotron is central ; there’s a bit of it all in Theodore Wild Ride. I had a lot of fun recording the mellotron parts for the record, improvising on them while working on the effects live, a bit like with Chimères (pour Ondes Martenot), but in a simpler way ; modulations, shimmer effects, overlays of delays… In an ambient approach but at the same time very moving. It gives a very particular colour to the album. Sound quicksand.

Ry Cooder – Paris, Texas

Another film music. This time Wim Wenders… The album unfolds like a film which could have taken place in the vast American landscapes. A road trip maybe. Or by plane. A trip anyway… And there is Ry Cooder’s aerial guitar, slide guitar, which reminds me a little of Ophir’s oud playing. Like the mellotron, the oud is obviously very central in the album. Ophir brings a lot of sensuality. And nostalgia.

Keith Jarrett Trio – Ecstasy

Let’s talk about piano. Let’s talk about freedom. I love this Keith Jarrett Trio album, Changeless. Mathieu is completely crazy about this piece. And about « Endless ». It’s not really about jazz, it’s something else. The groove. The letting go. Living matter. A breath of life.