A SHORT CHAT WITH CHATO SEGERER

Yesterday, I was told that Chato Segerer would be playing at the Zappanale Festival. I’ve known Chato for a couple of years and I’m amazed about his musical ability and his good taste in music.
So let’s give this excellent news a bit of extra flavour with a short interview.

UniMuta: Chato, Facebook says that you will be performing at Zappanale this year. Can you give us some details about what, where and when?

Chato Segerer: I will play on the Mystery Stage of this year's Zappanale on Sunday, 4pm till 5pm. I will also play with Jazzprojekt Hundehagen (same stage, same day). I don't know the exact time, but they are the very last band of Zappanale #24.

In my solo show you will hear Zappa songs (sing-along tracks & otherwise), at least one Beefheart number and 3 of my original compositions (including a never-played-before track ‘cause it was written in late April). I will entertain you with my guitar/keyboard skills, occasionally with backing tracks I recorded/programmed myself.

My gig at Zappanale was confirmed last Friday, so my name will be mentioned, but without any info/photos. Maybe they put the info on their website, though.

UniMuta: You have performed solo at the Yellow Snow Festival in Larvik in 2012, you played a solo set at the Moo-Ah Festival in the UK a couple of months ago, and more recently you opened with your band MILPH for Doctor Nerve. Is playing with a band the new direction that you want to take?

Chato Segerer: I also played a solo set at the Freakshow Artrock Festival in Würzburg in October and as opening act for the Muffin Men in Manchester in August 2012...

Yeah, definitely. It was never my plan to do solo shows BTW. The organisers of the Yellow Snow Festival approached me from out of the blue and asked if I could play a show at their festival. I didn´t have a band and I didn´t have a show (yet), so these guys really had much belief in my talent/abilities and they weren't disappointed. My career really started there, without them I would still be some guy who only plays guitar in his room, so thank you Eric and Jan! As for a band, I always wanted to make my own band, but I couldn´t find the right people who (1) like this kinda music (2) can play this music and (3) WANT to play this music...until now! Unfortunately I have to find new people soon cause I will be too far away from them (I will study guitar rock/pop in Osnabrück in September).

Playing with backing tracks is (economically) fine, but it´s nothing like "I can do this till I die, I´ll never need a band". I like a band more (and the audience probably too).

UniMuta: The first time that we met, a couple of years ago at Zappanale, I could immediately tell that you really like Panzerballet. (note: Chato was wearing the Panzerballet cable rasta wig) Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Chato Segerer: I heard of them when they were announced for Zappanale #19, but I missed their performance. A year later I checked them out and I liked it immediately. In the timespan of 4 weeks, I bought all three albums (now they have 4) and saw them live twice. It's complex as hell, it has groove, it has humour and I never thought Jazz and Metal could fit so good together; it´s so refreshing! I auditioned as their 2nd guitar player in March 2010 and they invited me to their rehearsal space. They thought I was too young for the job (I was 19), but they were amazed that I could play this complex music. They still recognize me, especially Jan Zehrfeld (who announced me everytime I was in the audience).

UniMuta: That’s great.
(note: check out Chato's version of Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid', arranged by Jan Zehrfeld of Panzerballet here: https://soundcloud.com/chatosegerer/paranoid)

Chato, You've been to Zappanale a couple of times. Can you explain why Zappanale is so much fun, and could you share your favourite moment with us?

Chato Segerer: For me Zappanale is more than hearing live bands playing Zappa. It's a location to discover bands and to hear bands you know but would never come to Germany if there wasn´t a Zappanale (e.g. Ed Palermo Big Band). And over the years I’ve met so many great people from all around the world...I'm glad that this festival exists!

Favourite moment? Top 3 (no order): 1. Meeting the Zappateers (ZN 21) 2. Winning 1st prize of the Zappa quiz (ZN 21) 3. Being on the truckstage jamming one night and playing with Jazzprojekt Hundehagen the other night (ZN 22).

UniMuta: I saw a part of that jam with Michael Käckenmeister (from Jazzprojekt Hundehagen). Count me in. I’ll be there.

Chato Segerer will be playing at Zappanale Mystery Stage on Sunday, August 4, 2013. He’ll play a solo set in the afternoon (16:00 h) and he’ll sit in with Jazzprojekt Hundehagen (the final Mystery Stage concert, on Sunday evening).

Here's Chato playing along with the Panzerballet CD, on The Brecker Brothers' 'Some Skunk Funk':