We chatted to Louis Dowdeswell about his forthcoming new album ‘Out of Print’, set to be released on the 2nd November.
Hi Louis, how did you find the experience of putting together Out of Print?
A joy from start to finish. Callum Au and I started in 2020, and the sessions, in a London studio and a church in Chiswick, were some of the best days of my career. When you put forty of the finest musicians in Britain in a room with music they already love, the energy takes care of itself. Everyone played like it mattered, because it did. Six years on, it is the best-sounding thing I have ever made, and that’s entirely down to the people on it.
How did the idea for the album come about?
We wanted people to recognise the music straight away, even if they couldn’t name it. Most people have heard the William Tell Overture a hundred times without knowing what it’s called, and I love that moment of “hang on, I know this”. So we picked ten pieces that are already in everyone’s heads and did our best to serve them properly, with a big band, a symphonic brass orchestra and 40 of the best musicians in the country. That was the whole idea.
How are you feeling about performing at Cadogan Hall?
I can’t wait. I’ve been dreaming about this show for six years. It’s the big band and the brass ensemble together on one stage, 30 of the best players in London, playing the album in full on the night it comes out. The brass section has principal players from some of the major London orchestras in it, and the big band is full of people you’ve heard on soundtracks and in theatre pits without ever seeing their faces. It’s a rare chance to see them all in one room. It’s also my last UK solo concert for the foreseeable future, so I’d love the hall to be full.
Congratulations on the move to the US. How are you feeling about it?
Really excited, and a bit nervous, which I think is normal. I’ve spent my whole career in London, in the theatres, the studios and the concert halls, and I’ve made some of my closest friends here. This album was recorded in London with London musicians, so finishing with a concert like this feels like the right way to sign off before starting a new season.
How did you come up with the concept of combining classical and jazz?
I’ve never really separated them. My course at the Royal Academy covered both, and I’ve worked across both ever since, so I know the best players in town on each side and I wanted them on the same stage. The brass section has principal players from the major London orchestras, and the big band is the best in the city. Some pieces suit one, some suit the other, and a few need both. It’s just a case of playing to everyone’s strengths. You don’t need to know anything about jazz or classical music to enjoy it. If you’ve heard Nessun Dorma at a football match or William Tell in a cartoon, you already know the tunes.
Louis Dowdeswell ‘Out of Print’ Album Launch will take place at the Cadogan Hall on the 2nd November, coinciding with the release of the album.