#1 Teachers and Influences:
Life itself is the biggest teacher. For
my compositions, I am usually influenced by some life experience or
one of natures rich scenes. Musically, in the beginning, Horace
Silver was a big influence on my writing style, and I also admired
the music of the Art Blakey and John Coltrane group. I think I was
initially inspired more by piano players and sax players than by
guitar players, but, as jazz guitar players go, I like Wes Montgomery
the best. I llistened to Charlie Christian before that for rhythmic
attack, and before I got into Jazz I liked Jimi Hendrix.
Two of the most influential music teachers for me were John Damian in
Boston and a Lennie Tristano-clone pianist I met in New York named
Dave Frank.
#2 I knew I wanted to be a musician when..:
Before I even realized I
wanted to be.... As a baby I used to bang out rhythms hearing the
music my parents played on the stereo at home. In Middle School I
played drums on my text books. In High School I copied music from
records and played in amateur rock bands. The first jazz album I
heard was Oscar Peterson with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis. I loved that,
but didn`t realize that was jazz! Don`t recall any specific defining
moment - I guess I can say... as early as I remember!
#3 My sound and approach to music:
The liner notes of my newest CD
release, "Paint a Picture, Tell a Story" may best sum this question up: The title of this CD is inspired by my approach to the guitar and
music, and it echoes the kinds of comments I have gotten from other
musicians about my playing. I have been told over the years, on more
than one occasion, “...you paint a picture...”, or “...your solo
tells a story...”, and each time I hear that about a solo, I know
it’s a good one, and I take heart that my musical goal may have been
achieved. I contrast that kind of comment with: “...nice lick!...”,
or “...you have amazing technique!...”. For while most players are
pleased to know their technique is admired, the more important aspect
of ones’ playing is, do you SAY anything! Do you have a style that is
significant and your own? This is what I aspire to. Each time I put
together a CD, I think long and hard about making a unique statement,
which tunes to include, in what order to present them, who the
members are to be, etc... I have always done this, but I hope this CD
in particular exemplifies that ideal, and satisfactorily displays the
culmination of my recording, composing and playing experience. I hope
for you, the listener, it paints a picture, or tells a story...
#4 My teaching approach with students:
Give them everything! Tell
them everything (at the right time). Your passion for the music is
infectious.
#5 My dream band How to build and
who is in it:
That`s a little hard
to say, but I think a dream band must like a dream family - people
who know what to expect of one another, love each other despite their
differences, and manage to make the most of their time together,
communicating effectively with a common goal. There are so many
talented musicians! So, sometimes the personal relationship can make
a difference, because, if the band is really digging each other and
feeling good, then it`s more likely that positive feeling will come
out in the music. One thing I can say is this - I love drummers and
rhythm, so my dream band will have many drummers and percussionists.
#6 Anecdote from the road/humorous
or unusual:
There are so many, but
let me use a "safe" one, from the song description of one of the
original tunes (called "Hurry Up and Wait") from my newest CD: "This is a song dedicated to the type of jobs we can play in Japan as
working musicians. I wrote this in a humorous attempt to musically
capture the nature of being told by the agent to hurry, then wait,
then hurry, then wait. Though I have experienced my own fair share of
such gigs, an extreme example was told to me by my sax player in
Japan, who was flown to a far away province only to be sent home the
next day (paid amply of course) without actually ever playing a note,
despite being asked to go onstage with instruments, standing there
for awhile, on three separate occasions, before being sent back to
the hotel!"
#7 Favorite Venue:
Any venue where we are treated with respect by the
staff, paid well, and with an interested, appreciative audience. Of
course, the interested, appreciative audience is foremost, but the
the other things are necessary too. My regular trio gig at the
Intercontinental Hotel in Japan is good. My 7 year gig at Raffles
Hotel in Singapore was good. For jazz clubs, one gig that stood out
was The Cotton Club, because all three criteria above were met
royally, despite a fairly low customer turnout overall. I`ve heard
The Blue Note in Japan is great too, though I`ve only played at their
sister clubs (same owners), Motion Blue and The Cotton Club).
Ultimately, what happens on the bandstand is THE most important.
#8 Favorite CD in my own discography
and why:
My stock answer to that
question is: "...the NEXT one!...", but I suppose, if I am forced to
pick one, it would be the Integration releases, an intended double CD
set released separately as Integration, and Integration II. The
reason is, it represented a sort of culmination of my work during one
particularly important period of my life which was happy and fruitful
both professionally and personally.
#9 What`s the most important thing
I contribute musically:
I want to
say honesty, a voice, a style, a passion, a love... But perhaps that
is not unique...
I can say, I have not heard Jazz that is at the same time, true to
the roots and traditions of the Music, yet simultaneously
incorporating instruments like Didjeridu, Tabla, Surdo, etc... and
front-line combinations of guitar/trombone/tenor, or, soprano/
trombone/bass clarinet, etc... One tune I wrote called The Sweet One,
has guitar melody with no drums, only acoustic bass, tabla and conga.
My songs are at once, complicated and simple, with depth yet easy to
hum, traditional and yet contemporary.
#10 Something not readily known about
me:
I love cooking and was once
offered a career via a "keyhole" job at the FourSeasons restaurant in
NYC and an "in" to study at the famed Culinary Institute of NY. I was a real estate salesman who "talked his way" into a job with one
of the biggest industrial/commercial firms in NYC, to set a company
sales record in my first year.
I am quite the organized homebody and to some extent, enjoy
housekeeping.
I sleep in the nude.
#11 How do I use the internet:
I have invested a lot in my website,
which is one of the more comprehensive and informative on the web I
believe. I have had a bulk mail list for years. Before the internet,
I used paste-on mailing labels, now I have one on my server. The site
and the list have been recently updated and re-designed, so
hopefully, both have never been more user friendly. Generally, I
never liked computers, and was late to get into using one. But once I
overcame my child-ish resistance to them, I quickly became addicted
(in a way) to email. I think the computers` advantages have made it
invaluable to my staying in touch with people, particualrly since I
have moved around a lot in countries where the phone lines can
sometimes be unreliable. I am fairly sure that there are yet untapped
benefits of the internet I have not had the time or inclination to
utilize fully. I am not a techy-person, and don`t like spending hours
in front of the computer screen.
#12 CD`s I am listening to now:
The only CD I am listening to now is
my own - the rough unedited, unmixed music of my newest release due
in a couple more months. To tell the truth, I rarely listen anymore
due to a grueling time schedule with both work and home life.
Normally, on my way to gigs, I would listen to the radio, but in
Japan, there`s no radio worth listening to (for me). And at home, I`m
usually cooking, eating, cleaning, doing emails and marketing work
like this, or watching TV. In truth, at my age, I prefer silence, or
natures natural sounds (birds singing, ocean waves lapping the shore).
#13 Desert Island picks:
This is a silly question. There`s a list of my favorite
(jazz) albums on my website.
If I really were stranded on a desert island, cds would
be the last thing I`d think about. Give me my Golden Retriever
and a good knife! ok, well... maybe Coltrane`s Afro Blue
or Transition, Art Farmer/ Pepper Adams with Herbie Hancock
"Out of This World", Gnu High-Kenny Wheeler with Keith Jarrett,
Blakey`s Live at Birdland 1963, The Incredible Jazz Guitar
of Wes Montgomery. Alternatively, some James Brown, Graham
Central Station, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dinah Washington
and some Jimi Hendrix! Geez what a question!
#14 How do I describe the State of
Jazz today:
Wow! from a question
about (only 5) desert island picks to something as serious as this...
That`s a tough one. Let me say this: Jazz is alive and well. With the
exception of some great pop/rock/folk/blues music (in the minority
for sure), and some classical-romantic music from the late 1800`s,
Jazz is THE most expressive and evocative music on Earth. It`s
evolving and changing like everything else, so perhaps, some older
traditional definitions may become obsolete as more and more unifying
and mixing of styles/cultures occur. There are a multitude of
negative things to observe, if one chooses to focus on the negative.
However, Jazz can best be served by focusing on the positive - so I
say, keep swinging and grooving and listening to the Masters to learn
from.
#15 What are essential requirements
to keep Jazz going:
It`s like the
joke about Real Estate - what`s important? 1. Location 2. Location 3.
Location. For Jazz I suppose it`s 1. Listen. 2. Listen 3. Listen. For musicians, respect the
traditions, the Masters, study and learn how to play, but most of all
- think about developing your own voice/style, even if it may not
seem profitable at first. For the general public - be more open
minded! Go out to more live jazz shows. Find out what local and
independent musicians are doing and support them however you can.
Don`t accept the brainwashing music some major media outlets are
pushing - tell yourself you want to look for music that moves you and
makes you think, that stimulates the brain and body, not numbs it. Go
your OWN way, seek alternatives to the numbing, mindless, music by
formula trash that pervades much of todays scene.
#16 What is in the future for me:
I am focused on finishing my 8th
CD. I just returned from Singapore where I began recording my 8th CD,
titled "Paint a Picture, Tell a Story".
It will contain 6 Chako original compositions, and feature Delfeayo
Marsalis on trombone and Don Byron on sax and bass clarinet, with a
rhythm section of Christy Smith on bass,
Greg Lyons on sax, and Mark DeRose on drums. Besides the 6 Chako
originals, there will be 2 trio tracks and 2 quartet tracks (4 non-
originals). I am very excited about this - look for more news as and
when things develop further.
Once that is done, I will look forward to another recording project
in the States, either in LA or NYC. That 9th CD project will be
mostly trio music, including both standards and originals, and
involving all major "name" players. In the meantime, I am busy trying
to make a living to afford the recording I`m doing, teaching and
playing, trying to boost my reputation both internationally and in
Japan locally. Then, there`s housecleaning...
#17 By day:
I am teaching English in Japan for Berlitz, the world`s
leading language school. At first I took the job out of (financial)
desperation, not expecting to really enjoy it. But, in fact, I do. I
enjoy the students I teach, and end up learning quite a bit from them
in the process of helping them with their English. Also, they are
quite interested in my music and tend to come to the clubs where I
play here, which is an added bonus. However, as my music career here
has grown significantly in the past year or so, I have, as of July
2006, changed my teaching job to a part time one, so that now I can
be more flexible with my schedule for gigs and recordings. Now, every
day, I am either playing a music job, or teaching - no day off!
