Martin Pearson (left) and Gioni Alig, the day after this interview, in the state-of-the-art RTR radio van

MARTIN PEARSON is a highly experienced and highly regarded sound engineer. London-born, he has worked for virtually the whole of his professional life in Switzerland, notably at Mountain Studios in Montreux and then at Studio Platinum One near Zurich. He works regularly for Swiss Radio, and has also toured the world to make many of Keith Jarrett’s most lauded recordings. 

It was after midnight, and at the at the bar of the Dracula Club during the 2017 Festival da Jazz in St Moritz that Sebastian met Martin Pearson. Once Martin started to tell his fascinating story, it somehow seemed a good idea to forsake the bar, and to record the conversation. There were two reasons for this – (leaving aside the particular kind of blindingly clear logic which can take hold when one is hanging out in a friendly bar after midnight…): firstly because the radio service of Swiss Romantsch Radio (RTR) just happened to have an amazing recording truck at the venue – they had been recording the Mare Nostrum trio; and secondly because an extremely kind colleague of Martin’s, Gioni Alig of RTR, was offering to do the recording…. 

With thanks to Peter Bürli and Judith Kobus. Audio production by Harry Jones.

Martin Pearson Interview by LondonJazz

MUSIC EXTRACTS

INTRO MUSIC: Keith Jarrett Standards Trio – Butch and Butch from Up For It – recorded at Jazz à Juan, July 2002 (ECM)

3:03 MUSIC: Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now from Jazz (EMI, 1978) Recorded at Mountain Studio, Montreux.

5:37 MUSIC: Krokus – Bedside Radio from Metal Rendez-Vous, recorded at Studio Platinum One, Oberehrendingen, Switzerland (1979, Ariola)

9:30 MUSIC: Keith Jarrett – Autumn Leaves from Up for It

12:15 MUSIC: Kristallen den Fina from Mare Nostrum II (2017 – track by kind courtesy of ACT Music)

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