\n<\/p>\n
After that, why did you leave Manhattan?<\/strong><\/p>\n I decided, OK, it\u2019s time to move to Brooklyn. The critical mass of artists and people interested in this work are in Brooklyn now. And when I walked into that space, it was like when I walked into this space. It was: \u201cThis is an incredible space. This is wonderful. It feels great, if we can afford this and make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019re still a performing artist and composer. How much of your own work were you able to do while operating Roulette?<\/strong><\/p>\n A lot, up through Greene Street. But when we moved into the new space in Brooklyn, it really took over. I stopped doing my own concerts; I just didn\u2019t feel like it was the right venue for what I wanted to do.<\/p>\n I did a couple of things with other people, and of course I played on improv things that Zorn put together. The nice thing about improv is that you work with what you have, so it\u2019s not such a leap to jump back into it. But I haven\u2019t been focused on projects, and now I\u2019m rethinking what I might want to do, creatively, and whether it\u2019s starting over or picking up from what point.<\/p>\n So this was the time to step away?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not something I needed to do, to stop. It\u2019s something I felt was best for the organization, for someone else to come in. I\u2019m having less and less of a relationship or understanding of a lot of the younger artists and what they need, what they want to do, what their work is. I can see the value of it, and it has to be presented. But I don\u2019t always feel as much of a connection with the work or the people, and it\u2019s important that the artistic director is connected with the people.<\/p>\n What made Matt Mehlan the right person to take over?<\/strong><\/p>\n I knew he was somebody who really understood. He\u2019s a composer and a musician himself, and he understands that you give people what they need. You don\u2019t need to hold their hands; you just make sure they have what they need to realize the work they want to do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n