WA double bassist Kate Pass has brought together her extensive Western jazz training with her passion for Persian music to form Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble.
Kate's love affair with Persian systems of music began some six years ago when playing in a band that featured Iranian-born, Perth-based singer Tara Tiba. “I really fell in love with the sound and the expressive nature of the music,” Kate says.
“The modes that are different to Western scales and sounds, that's really captivating and interesting. Also because improvisation is such an important part of the music, and seeing the kind of similarities and differences between that and jazz and how the spirit of them can join together and create something new.”
Forming her eponymous ensemble in 2016, Kate and the band released their debut album 'Kohesia' earlier this year in June. “It's really scary because you don't know what people's responses will be – if they're going to like it or hate it,” Kate says.
“It's really scaring putting it out there and I actually put off sending it to be reviewed, but you have to get over that and think 'I do it because I love it'. So I put it out there to see how it went and the main thing is we love playing it.
“It's always surprising the diverse people that come to the gigs or do like the band. It's not just musicians or jazz musicians or Persian people, it's a real mixture of people who, for whatever reason, they connect to the music and they like it and find it interesting. People that have all kinds of musical tastes will like it.”
Kate's not wrong. So many people in fact like the album it has been nominated in the WAM Awards for Best Album, alongside Kate's three other nominations for Best Jazz Act, Best World Act and Best Bassist.
It's the nomination for Best Album that Kate values more than any other.
“I was really humbled for that particular one as well because that award reflects the effort not just from the musicians in the writing of the music, but all throughout that production process really thinking about how we wanted the album to sound. We were really trying to make it unique in its sound. Especially having a jazz album in that category, I think that's really exciting for WA to have that in that category.”
Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble also performs as part of the WAMFest Live showcase where the group may present some of the new material they have been working on since the album came out.
“I've been touring a bit with another band and this will actually be our second gig since the album launch, so I'm really excited to play live again with the band,” Kate says.
“I've been trying to write some new music, so if some of it's ready by then I'll be using the show as a chance to try something new.”
