Born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and the musical force of Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan, RZA (Robert Fitzgerald Diggs) is easily one of the most revered and gifted producers of his generation. Working without a click, and often without a net, RZA’s unorthodox sampling methods and bare bones production can conjure something old, and sometimes something dirty. So, it may come as a surprise to learn that his latest album, A Ballet Through Mud, is a beautifully moving and fully orchestrated ballet. However, to his legion of followers, the idea of RZA releasing a ballet may not seem too far-fetched. He’s been composing for film (Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Kill Bill, The Man with the Iron Fists) and television scores (Wu-Tang: An American Saga) for over two decades, and has never been afraid to inject his beats with flute loops (Ghostface Killah’s “Winter Warz") or sforzando strings (RZA as Bobby Digital’s “Terrorist”). But hearing the full realization of his symphonic dreams in A Ballet Through Mud is truly special. From the aching majesty of “Aeolian Beauty” through the rousing march of “The Lotus Arrives,” A Ballet Through Mud retains RZA’s trademark eccentricity while simultaneously introducing a newfound symphonic mastery. We spoke about “demo-ing” with an orchestra, sixth century monks, the Wu-Tang days, the Ensoniq ASR-10 sampler, and the magic of the Staten Island Ferry.
How did A Ballet Through Mud come to be?
During the pandemic, I was trapped at home and came across my old lyric book from high school. I wrote everything in this book from the ages of 14 to 19 before I eventually got my Wu energy together. Raekwon [Corey Woods, of Wu-Tang] joked years ago that this book is so old it’s “starting to grow hair!” [laughter] As I was going through these old lyrics about youthful exploration, I felt the need to put them to music. About 25 precent through the process, I realized that there was no need for lyrics, and I wanted to record what I had so far. First, I reached out to Will Wells, who’s worked with me on a few films, but he was too busy. I also tried Adrian Younge [Tape Op #119], who was booked up as well. Finally, I connected with Christopher Dragon, the conductor of the Colorado Symphony, who had recently done the 36 Chambers of Shaolin orchestral concerts with me. [Anthony] Tony Pierce [their Chief Artistic Officer] offered to involve me with their Imagination Artist Series, which I felt was good for the children and good for the culture. I joined them, and they joined me! After I finished writing the music, it took about a year to demo it with the symphony. I traveled to Colorado twice to workshop with them before we hired dancers and the choreographer, Yusha-Marie Sorzano.
What is the storyline of the ballet?
In music there are seven modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. One of my teenage lyrics revolved around a story of six teens. One of them had never had a drink before, one had never had sex, etc., and I thought, "How could I musically express that? Once I’ve left the lyric alone, how can I do it in the form of a ballet?" The story follows Aeolian, our hero, going through different modes of happiness and sadness. When the feminine energy of the Ionian C major scale hits a diminished Locrian scale, and its male energy – things get deep. We, as men, can be assholes when it comes to how we treat women, even when we love them. Love can be a challenge when it’s not flowing equally down a two-way street. So, Ionian becomes Aeolian, meaning she becomes that minor relative: A minor. The mission is to go through all of these different modes, and to resolve back to our original self.
What does “mud” refer to in the title?
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There was a sixth-century South Asian monk, Bodhidharma, who traveled to China to teach his brand of Chan Buddhism, also known as Zen. He was born of princely descent, and, according to legend, he left behind his riches to walk from India to China. He arrived in China downtrodden, disfigured, tall, dark, and muddy. The monks were all in clean white robes with an embroidered lotus, the symbol of Buddhism. They were speaking aphorisms of the universe, wisdom, and the struggle of life. Bodhidharma wanted to join them, but they said a monk would never be defiled by mud. He simply replied that the lotus grows out of the mud. The monks became his disciples, and this is how Shaolin Temple became the home of kung fu. So, I don’t make Wu-Tang if this guy doesn’t make that trip! [laughs]
That’s great that ballet can teach kids these concepts. Wu-Tang really is for the children, in this scenario. Did you demo the pieces with virtual instruments before working with the orchestra?
First it was just me writing it with my Korg and Yamaha keyboards, working in [Apple] Logic, plus Steinberg’s Dorico and MuseScore's Studio [music notation software]. I’m kind of schizophrenic when it comes to creativity. I’ll go to another machine just for inspiration or to change the pattern of thinking. I’ve been fortunate enough to hire staff through my television show, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, to work with me and help orchestrate. I’m able to give them MIDI sketches and...