Below, you can read our interview with flutists Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara and listen to the single Maggie May. Check out our full review of Maggie May here.
Q: Great to be speaking with you again, Steve & Patricia! What have you been up to since the release of “For The World” last summer?
A: Well Patty became a grandmother which has added a new dimension to her life. Even I have to admit this is one cute baby. He has a funny habit of dressing up just like Willie Wonka, with the hat and cane as well. I’ve been getting ready for my 2nd retirement, probably after Spring 27. I am doing this by taking vacations and going on cruises specifically for old people.
Musically, we released Maggie May, we are releasing another Don McLean tune as a single and are planning another album late this year or early 2027.
Q: And speaking of “For The World,” you’ve told us it’s currently charting on One World Radio. How does it feel to have your music landing globally?
A: That is another interesting question. It is such an amazing and wonderful feeling to see all of the countries where our music is being played and “Shazzamed,” and where people are enjoying what we’ve created.
Q: “Maggie May” is a Rod Stewart classic, a song most people associate with a very specific raw, electric energy. What made you want to reimagine it for flute?
A: If we go back to the beginning, in 2017, we were all rehearsed and ready to hold a traditional concert with a harpist, which was to feature music of interest to each one of us. To make a long story short, the accompanist couldn’t perform and we had to improvise what to do with the concert, so we decided to throw in a little bit of some different material. Among the arrangements we performed was an arrangement of “Verdi Cries” performed by 10,000 Maniacs. It’s a gorgeous song, and the place went bananas! It was much more well received than we could have ever imagined.
As a result, we didn’t judge. We put our heads together and imagined all kinds of songs and pieces of music that we would never have imagined going down with flutes. Some of them worked, others did not, but we kept experimenting, driving our arranger Dmitriy Varelas crazy. Strangely enough, the tracks that seemed to be perhaps a stretch – like Tom Petty’s “American Girl” – wound up catching the ears of reviewers and listeners a lot. So “Maggie May” might eventually be one of these.
Q: In our last interview with you, you mentioned the goal of “bringing flute to an audience that otherwise wouldn’t be listening to flute.” Six years later, do you feel like you’ve accomplished that?
A: That’s a really interesting question. When you look at the audiences for our music and concerts back in 2018 and compare them to the recent ones, the difference is really amazing. In addition, when we look at the statistics from places like Spotify and Apple, we find a much younger audience today. This is not just for pop and rock covers, but for the other singles and albums (Romances in Blue and For the World) as well.
Also, we released two singles from the world music album, both of which reached #1 – “Calikusu” on the World Indie charts and “The Homes of Donegal” on the European Indie music charts. So I guess the answer to that is “yes, I think we’ve accomplished that!”
Q: Is there a song you’ve both wanted to cover but haven’t found the right arrangement for yet? What’s standing in the way?
A: Not really, but we have so much in the way of arrangements that we either haven’t gotten to, or didn’t find the right angle for it. Our next album is going to be all about this material.
Q: What does a typical creative session look like for the two of you? Is it structured rehearsal, or more fluid?
A: We are definitely fluid when we work together, our creative ideas flow and we go with the moment. We start with the song or piece as recorded and the formal sheet music and then bring in our arranger, Dmitriy who brings in his creativity and adds that into the mix. He knows us very well, what we like and dislike.
We aren’t afraid to change up the arrangements either. We might take something that he arranged for flute and alto flute, for example, and make it just flute, or play the flute as arranged with the alto flute just moving in and out, or make it for alto flute only and have the flute just doing it’s thing (like we are doing on our next single “Vincent”).
Q: What’s something about playing the flute that people would probably never guess unless they played it themselves?
A: Patty: For me, playing the flute is like breathing. I can express my emotions and moods through playing. It is just an essential part of my life and I intend on playing for all of my days.
Steve: Picking up on Patty’s comment on breathing, the revelation for me was just how little we actually know about it. Yes, we do it every minute of every day and yet we never learn how powerful it can be, or the different ways that we can do it. I know that I breathe much more deeply now, even when not playing, than I did before I started playing the flute.
Q: Outside of music, what’s something each of you is into that might surprise your listeners?
A: Patty: I love all things Italian, the language and the culture. I travel to Italy a few times a year for performances and to teach at music festivals.
Steve: I love cats (have 5), magic (cards and close up effects) and eating (yes, the first thing I asked my wife when I first met her was “do you like to eat?”). 43 years later we are still eating our way through life.
Q: What’s one thing you wish someone had told you earlier about making music on your own terms?
A: Patty: I have always been very fortunate to have a career in music that I designed in my own way. I create my own schedule and I work with other musicians that I admire and respect. Steve has definitely designed his musical life on his own terms completely!
Steve: The music business has definitely undergone a complete transformation over the past 5 years. I’m not sure this is something that I wish someone told me in past, but right now I would want someone to tell me that if you think you’re gonna just pick up your instrument, play and get rich, choose a different activity. You better be enjoying it. Patty I know loves music.
Q: Any shout-outs you wanna make?
A: Shout-outs to Dave Malyszko our talented, passionate and patient pianist; to Dave Kerzner our amazing recording engineer; and to our arranger Dmitriy Varelas who lives in Canada but we love him anyway.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: We are so happy that people are listening to and enjoying our music and we look forward to continuing our outreach to our audiences and beyond.
(Want to be interviewed by The Ark of Music? Click HERE.)