If ever someone has lived up to his name, it is Carl Riseley. He began his musical career as a trumpet player. Eventually finding his voice, Carl also found a place on Australian Idol. Since then, he has put out a promising first album of big band covers. OUTinPerth’s Megan Smith talked to the instrumentalist-cum-singer about his debut record and his ‘rise’ to stardom.

The Rise is an album of covers, what do you enjoy about covering songs?

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When I was growing up, my dad was a trumpet player and he taught me to play because of his musical background. If you play an instrument you listen to music differently than people who don’t. I used to listen to all those old big band songs and I have a lot of fond memories when I hear those songs. I just love them. I think they’re timeless classics, so I just want to put some of Carl Riseley on it.

Any plans to do original material?

I was very surprised at how everyone on Australian Idol was so keen on writing originals because I was always a trumpet player, I’ve always been the guy behind the singer playing other people’s music. You learn to just love to do that because as an instrumentalist that’s what you’ve got to do most of the time. I’ve never really written any originals or had any interest in it, but ever since Idol I can see where the love comes from and why you would want to write originals. I’ve been working on a few and I look forward to bringing forward some originals next time.

Why was the memorable Idol favourite ‘Bye, Bye Love’ not included on the album?

That’s a very good question. It was on the list right up until the very end. We just thought it was a little bit dull really. I did it on the show, but I don’t particularly love the song.

Waltzing Matilda is the last song on the album. How did you come to choose this song as a closer?

I did that on Idol and it was really risky. People could have just kicked me off right then and there, but I didn’t even touch the bottom three for weeks after that… Plus, I wanted James Morrison to play on the album, and I knew he had a really great arrangement of it, so I thought instead of going and writing out a whole new one, it would be cool if my instrumental jazz hero could be part of the album.

Prior to being on Australian Idol you were in the Navy, what lessons have you taken away from that?

The Navy was the best thing I ever did. I did a lot of travel and saw a whole lot of the world. It was an insane growing process for me, the Navy was, not musically, but personality-wise. Going over to places like Iraq puts life in a new perspective.

What was it like being in Iraq?

I did two stints in Iraq. We went over Christmas and New Year’s a couple years back to provide moral support for the troops. It was full-on – you were carrying a weapon 24-hours. We just tried to put a smile on some of our troops faces while they were away from their families.

How does the Navy compare to Australian Idol?

I always compare recruit school for the Navy to Australian Idol for the music industry. A lot of people bag Australian Idol, but I’ve done some hard things, like recruit school, and I can honestly say Australian Idol was just as hard. It’s really long hours, really emotionally draining. Everything we did in Idol has helped me improve for what I do now. It’s definitely the boot camp.