#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!
