July 2003 – https://www.abstractlogix.com/

Steve Khan

July 15, 2003

Steve Khan is one of our most distinguished guitar players. Over the last thirty years, he has experimented with jazz, and jazz-fusion to create some brilliant music. A distinguished author, he has written books on subjects ranging from the just published, PENTATONIC KHANCEPTS to transcriptions of Montgomery and Martino. He is a fountain of knowledge.

AL: IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE WORKS?

SK: The truth is nothing specific! However, one could say that I am always, constantly, in the process of preparation for another recording project, even when one is NOT on the horizon! Although I don’t seem to ‘stockpile’ original tunes, I do spend time thinking about and considering music composed by others which I might want to interpret when the opportunity to record arises. When it does appear, I usually begin to write, to compose again. I am, however, in the process of preparing for another series of dates in Venezuela, which will likely occur during the September / October ’03 area if all goes as planned.

AL: DO YOU PREFER PLAYING ACOUSTIC OR ELECTRIC?

SK: Here, I can’t honestly say that there’s a preference. If I could only take ONE guitar with me, when I had to travel somewhere, well, that’s always going to be my Gibson ES-335 which is an electric. However, over the years, I have always felt expressive on the acoustic steel-string (a Martin MC-28). And suddenly, when YOU ARE HERE was recorded, I found my voice on the acoustic nylon-string (a Yamaha APX-10N) as well. So, I now enjoy that very much. Unfortunately, with the very long and cruel winter we experienced here in the Northeast, I opened the case of that instrument, and the bridge had completely snapped off!! I guess the glue dried out. So, it’s been in the shop and is getting repaired. But, the cosmetic aspects, how it ‘looks,’ those things are meaningless to me; it’s the sound and the feel. So, it will probably look pretty bad when I do get it back…..but, not quite as bad as Willie Nelson’s famous guitar, but bad nonetheless!!! [All of my equipment can be read about at: http://www.stevekhan.com/equipment.htm]

AL: WHAT IS THE BOOK PENTATONIC KHANCEPTS ABOUT?

SK: The book is drawn from concepts which I have been sharing with my private students, and those who have attended my clinics and master classes, for now over 30 years. Like many aspects of my early music education and jazz education, these were ideas which I came upon by myself, because during the years when I was trying to learn about such things, the mid-’60s, there wasn’t the scope of information (books, videos, play-alongs, etc.) which exists today. As there are already many fine books dealing with jazz lines and their formation, and various theories about how one can best speak the linear language of jazz, I felt that I had to narrow my focus and concentrate on one area. This book is intended to work hand-in-hand with CHORD KHANCEPTS and function as its linear adjunct. It is, hopefully, a relatively comprehensive study of the improvisational usage of, what I feel are, the two most common pentatonic: the minor pentatonic[R, m3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th] and what I have come to call the dominant 7th pentatonic[R, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th]. In addition, the book tries to clarify the difference between the blues scale and the minor pentatonic scale. With that done, the book shows how one can then backtrack and put to use the blues scale over what might seem to be some pretty uncommon chord structures. It all works beautifully together in the end. The book then seeks and explains, and in great detail, how one goes about applying these simple formations to the basic harmonic families encountered in jazz or any music where improvisation is important. Any instrumentalist could benefit from the concepts in this book. If one is trying to specifically narrow it down to the guitar, well, I’d have to say that obviously those players who are trying to further develop their abilities to improvise would benefit the most. That doesn’t necessarily mean that only ‘jazz’ or ‘jazz-fusion’ players would get the most out it. The book is really geared towards everyone! It is not intended to speak over anyone’s head, nor beneath it. It appears in standard notation with TAB…..so, one could easily say that it’s a rock-friendly book. By that I mean, players, whose primary focus might be in rock, R&B, hip-hop, blues, country, pop, and other areas, should also be able to gain a lot from the shared information. There is yet another fantastic example/play-along CD, only one (1) this time, accompanying the book and its text. The CD features performed examples which appear in the book as well as Steve’s performance improvisations. The book can be obtained from Amazon.com, as well as Jamey Aebersold or directly from Warner Bros. Publications at: (800) 628-1528 or (305) 621-1636. www.stevekhan.com

AL: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT YOUR RECENT TRIP TO VENEZUELA THAT CREATED SUCH A BIG IMPRESSION ON YOU?

SK: Venezuela has become like a second home to me. I never expected to become so enamored of another country, another culture, another language, but this is what happened through an extraordinary set of unexpected circumstances in December of 1998. But, in truth, it began to develop with a simple yet absurd phone call from Manolo Badrena in 1995. My recent trip there to play, for the first time leading my own trio, was perhaps too special for me to begin to explain in mere words. I can only say that I will never ever forget how the music, and the spirit of music-making, within my approach, was received by the people. These were truly the most special moments of my musical life, where live playing is concerned.

AL: “GOT MY MENTAL” IS A FAN FAVORITE..

SK: “GOT MY MENTAL” (’97) is a recording which came VERY close to NOT happening at all. Were it not for the loyalty and ingenuity of Kenny Inaoka, my sub-publisher in Japan, it’s highly likely it just would not have gotten done! Initially, this was scheduled to be a trio recording with John Patitucci and Jack DeJohnette, but, as I began to craft the arrangements, I started to hear the need for additional percussion. In recent years, most of my listening for pleasure and study has been all Salsa and Latin music. I’ve been lucky enough to become friends with some of the great players from New York City, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Cuba. It was a great thrill for me that both Marc Quiones and Bobby Allende could be part of this recording as they are two of my absolute favorite players! In addition, Don Alias, another longtime musical associate, lent his special talents to three of the tracks. Brazilian percussionist Cafe helped make my interpretation of I Have Dreamed just what I was hoping it could be, and that is, a unique journey in exploring form…getting through a song ONCE! The recording also features another song from my late father, Sammy Kahn. Here I chose a Sinatra classic, ‘The Last Dance’, but it’s treated as a ballad. I guess growing-up and hearing it playing in the house…no matter what Sinatra’s tempo was, I heard it as a sentimental ballad. I just cannot say enough great things about both John & Jack, obviously two players of great stature, but, please know that these two very special musicians come ready to play and to PLAY HARD…as a leader, you cannot ask for more. I admire them both even more than before. Engineered again by Malcolm Pollack, the recording was dedicated to my dear friend and colleague Don Grolnick who is missed by all those lucky enough to be counted as his friends.

AL: HAVING ACHIEVED SO MUCH ALREADY, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?

SK: Well, the process of learning in all areas of life is simply endless. So, there is ALWAYS somewhere to go from wherever you might find yourself at a given moment. It is easy to discover what you don’t know, and to proceed accordingly. The pursuit of excellence(of doing something well, to the best of your abilities) is always just beyond one’s grasp); and the truth is, you NEVER get there!!! There’s always something left to do, to be explored. So, in a sense, there is little or no time for self-satisfaction. Sometimes, a pat on the back is all you can do, and then you must be on your way again to the next goal, the next destination. Success (whatever that might be relative to each one of us) should never be measured in terms of fame or stardom, for these are shallow and, in the end, meaningless pursuits. One must try to never be fooled by such things, or the people who are consumed with them, because it / they can only distract you from what is truly important. So, in answer to your question, I just want to continue to get better as a music-maker. That is what I am, that is what I strive to be a music-maker……I happen to make music with a guitar. It is not the other way around!!!

AL: WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNG GUITAR PLAYERS?

SK: I suppose that this answer is connected to the previous response. One, and perhaps most important of all, is NEVER give-up!!! Don’t let go of your dreams!!! No matter how many times you are told that you are NOT GOOD ENOUGH, and countless other cruel critiques, just keep believing in yourself, in your humanity, in your abilities to communicate some part of that, and something good, something positive will eventually come of it. It is easy to be beaten-down and beaten-up by the things people say or the circumstances that life throws at us, but, never allow such things to push you out of the game! Two, simply try to reach the highest level of your own potential. Do not aim low, aim to be the best that YOU can be. I know that this sounds like a trite message from some jive self-help guru in an infomercial but it does have some merit. Measure yourself, and your work against the best that is out there. Don’t settle for less in any aspect of your art form. Three, each time you’re about to play music, try to envision (perhaps even the night before) just how things could go in their most perfect form. Sometimes, these thoughts of great beauty can actually help you accomplish a small portion of your dream with your band mates! It is perhaps an abstract approach but it can help to guide you from the inside out to those who listen. No matter what, I am wishing each one of you good luck and success, success on your own terms!!!

Latest album

Latest NEWS

Please Subscribe your mail to get notification from AbstractLogix.

Facebook-f

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Copyright © 2021 ABSTRACT LOGIX

Facebook-f

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Copyright © 2021 ABSTRACT LOGIX

Jeff Coffin Interview

July 14, 2003

Jeff Coffin, News

Jeff Coffin

Buy

Itunes-note

Amazon

Bandcamp

Jeff Coffin is one of the most accomplished sax players today. He became a very familiar name after the Flecktones hired him as their fourth member. As a flecktone he has toured around the planet performing in front of thousands of people. An endless thirst for new ideas and sound, he has been touring with his own band featuring the great Jeff Sipe on drums. His last two records are a testament to his abilities. He has a new solo record coming out as well as a New Flecktones record. This is what Jeff Coffin had to say about his musical journey.

AL: I BELIEVE YOU JUST FINISHED RECORDING YOUR NEW ALBUM, COULD YOU SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT IT?

JC: Sure. I recorded it in early June 2003 in a beautiful studio just outside of Nashville called Darkhorse Recording Studios. It should be ready sometime early 2004. I am very excited about it. It’s a funkier project, more akin to what I do on the road, than I have done before. Here is a list of some of the players… Jeff Apt. Q-258 Sipe: drums, Chris Thile: mandolin, Victor Wooten: electric / acoustic bass, Derek Jones: electric/acoustic bass, Johnny Neel: B-3, Pat Bergeson: guitar, Tyler Wood: piano/B-3, Rod McGaha: trumpet, Roy Agee: trombone, Joe Murphy: tuba. Futureman & Bela have also agreed to do some playing on the CD and I have some other overdubs to do as well. This is the first time I have done a project this way…There is also a vocal tune for the first time as well as a children’s choir. keep checking the web site for more info as it comes available. (Also, the Flecktones have a new CD, “LITTLE WORLDS”, coming out on August 12, 2003 on Sony / Columbia. It will be a triple CD. Check it out.)

AL: HOW DOES IT SOUND IN COMPARISON TO YOUR LAST TWO RECORDS?

JC: To me, each of these has started where the other left off. I think the new recording has a more universal appeal to it. There are tunes that have African, New Orleans, (East) Indian, folk and jazz elements to them. I am trying to simplify my writing and distill down ideas that will allow the tunes to sound simple but they are actually more complex than one might realise. I am trying to write from the melody and the phrase rather than think ok, I am gonna write something in 5/4 or 13/4, etc….It’s really not a jazz recording but there is lots of improvisation and really great inner group playing.

AL: DO YOU COMPOSE ON THE SAX OR THE PIANO?

JC: Sometimes both, sometimes neither. I can be hit by a melody or shape of a phrase in the strangest places. I might be walking downstairs to my studio or be on a subway or on the bus or in my car and I have to scramble to get the idea down before it is gone. Bela has a good method where he calls his cell phone and will sing or play the melody to the voice mail. I stole his idea.

AL: THE FIRST TIME I HEARD YOU WITH THE FLECKTONES, YOUR TONE REMINDED ME A LOT OF CHARLIE PARKER. YOUR SOUND WAS A BIT LOUDER AND FIERCE THAN THE GREAT PAUL MCANDLESS FROM OREGON, WHO IS ALSO AN AMAZING MUSICIAN. IS THAT WHAT YOU BROUGHT ON THE TABLE?

JC: First let me say that I am a huge Paul McCandles fan. He has a quality and emotion to his playing that is second to none. He had an integrity to his music that is continually inspiring. I guess what I bring to the Flecktones is my passion and my attraction to the organic nature of music. Also, I try to bring a vocal quality to my phrasing that I think brings in a different dynamic to the group. When you play sax, you HAVE to breathe. That is not a necessity when playing drums, keys or banjo or bass. (Obviously, I am referring to the phrasings of music.) I think That having a windblown instrument enhances what the group was already doing by breaking up phrasings and lending that vocalness to the sound. To me, instruments are like vocals without words.

AL: WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND PLAYING TWO SAXES AT THE SAME TIME?

JC: Rahsaan Roland Kirk. It is my nod to him, a tribute of sorts, of the open page that music presents to each and every one of us at all times. If you try things and experiment with your instrument you will find many ways of doing things that seem far fetched to some. Roland Kirk played three saxes at a time and would circular breathe while doing it! Now that’s some imagination! fusion music.

AL: WHEN DID YOU LEARN TO PLAY THE FLUTE?

JC: I have studied a little bit over that last 10/15 years but mostly I have worked on it myself. I need to get with a really great teacher sometime soon though. I feel the calling.

AL: CAN WE EXPECT ANY WORK WITH YOU AND HARIPRASAD CHAURASIA IN THE FUTURE?

JC: I wish! But I don’t think so. I have never met him and don’t think I would be in a position to do something with him. I love his playing and how he uses the tone of the bansuri (with usually no vibrato) to express emotions.

AL: HOW DOES YOUR PLAYING CHANGE WHEN YOU ARE WITH YOUR OWN BAND COMPARED TO WHEN YOU ARE WITH THE FLECKTONES?

JC: I think that my playing with the Mu’tet is a bit more aggressive, the solos are longer and we tend to explore a tune longer than we do with the Tones. I have been branching out more to do works that are different from one another but still retain a thread throughout. The music of the Mu’tet is consciously directed to physical movement also. Dance type movement or however your body tends to move. I think that all music should be groovin on some level. Whether it be avant garde jazz or drum & bass or something classical….regardless of the genre, it should have motion and movement.

AL: WHAT DO YOU TELL TO THE GREAT BUNCH OF SAX PLAYERS OUT THERE?

JC: I would encourage them to be patient, work hard every day you can, be easy to get along with, be ready for whatever situation you are called upon to do, be easy to get along with, be open to new possibilities in your situation, leave you ego at the curb, be easy to get along with, play as many different kinds of gigs as you can, study with musicians who inspire you, transcribe lots of solos, listen to lots of different kinds of music, be easy to get along with, and, most importantly, experience life in all its wonder.

Latest album

Latest NEWS

Please Subscribe your mail to get notification from AbstractLogix.

Facebook-f

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Copyright © 2021 ABSTRACT LOGIX

Facebook-f

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Copyright © 2021 ABSTRACT LOGIX

Pat Martino Interview

July 14, 2003

News, Pat Martino

Pat Martino

Buy

Itunes-note

Amazon

Bandcamp

When guitarist Pat Martino walked the streets of Harlem in the late fifties he had within him a burning desire for learning jazz. After studying the music of John Coltrane, he expanded his horizons and delved into all aspects of music to develop his own unique style. Over the years, he has become a very influential player. Pat has led an extraordinary life of great tragedy and the joys of overcoming incredible obstacles. Pat Martino was kind enough to take the time to share some of his thoughts with us.

AL: WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY?

PM: It is very difficult for me to classify everything that I have been doing to one general target, so in that sense it is quite difficult to say. I move my life from moment to moment. It is the present moment that is so full of joy and excitement. It is as important and fun as any moment or anything in the past. I have been playing music, traveling and enjoying my family.

AL: YOU’VE JUST FINISHED RECORDING YOUR NEW PROJECT.

PM: The new album is called “Think Tank”. It has been a great experience for me. The music is really about social experiences that I have had with everyone in my life. When I started the project, I really was not sure how it was going to evolve; however, quite a number of things began to invisibly form and take a shape and a meaning that was not predetermined. Christian McBride and the rest of us have been very involved throughout the project. It was a very deep interest of mine to bring all five of us together in unison. I was a little worried in the beginning, for the material was difficult to choose. Sometimes, you worry if everyone will personally enjoy it. The music has a lot to do with John Coltrane, in fact, it is a personal tribute. There are a few compositions about him. The song, “Think Tank” itself is similar to a standard minor blues; its construction was odd comparatively. The topic for the motif is drawn from three words: Coltrane, Tenor and Blue. Their transfer into melodies came from the interface of the English Alphabet and the Aeolian Mode, which in itself is a mirror image of the first seven letters of that alphabet, A to G, continuously repeated from H to Z. The placement of the tones, phrasing and chord changes were improvised. It is a study that is referred to as ALPHABETIC JUNCTION . Using all 26 letters of the English alphabet you coordinate scale forms to the letters, in the western context being seven tones in numbers, splitting that into 3 parts and then broken again. I just finished a clinic and part of that was GIANT STEPS by John Coltrane which was a turning point from Bebop to Hard Bop and rather than dealing with normal repetition, it became a deep interest of mine to bring different dimensions. SACRED GEOMETRY is a parallel and similar subject.

AL: ARE YOU INSPIRED TO WRITE MUSIC?

PM: I am not sure how to even answer that. You know, it is very similar to human anatomy. It is a part of my life and the fuel for my inspiration and existence. It is almost impossible for me to contain my emotions and ideas and somehow it takes of itself.

AL: YOU HAVE OVERCOME SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES IN YOUR LIFE. DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDEDICATE YOURSELF TO MUSIC?

PM: You bet! My desire and dedication have increased exponentially. Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved and desired to play music. When I was starting out, I dreamt of being a jazz guitar player and having a rich and fulfilling career. After I recovered from amnesia and returned to dexterity, my craftsmanship has transcended seamlessly, my focus began to travel towards my destination and everything else around me. The destination was the MOMENT, the PRESENT in essence, this beautiful world of ours. I feel rejuvenated today, seems like I have returned to my childhood with a keen interest and inquisitiveness about everything revolving around my life, the music, the people, the social fiber. Music is my second nature, as Jimi Hendrix would say, “the difference between power of love and love of power.”

AL: WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING TO DO WITH THE GUITAR YOU DESIGNED FOR GIBSON?

PM: I looked for a lot of sustain in its sound. One of my other interests was cost, so I removed the inlay. The strings lay straight across the headstock, allowing you to place the first finger behind the nut as if it were on the first fret instead of totally open. The Fon the 6th string would now be conceived on the second fret as opposed to the first, along with fingerings that remain similar to the players familiarity. The open strings remain straight like they already do across the rest of the fingerboard. The carved top is made of Tiger Maple on the Custom model and Regular Maple on the Standard model. The fret board is made of full ebony on the Custom and an ebony-rosewood mixture on the Standard. The pick ups are 1957 hum bucking pickups. The guitar itself is a cross between a Les Paul Custom and a L5S.

AL: DO YOU EVER LISTEN TO YOUR OLD RECORDINGS?

PM: I actually do not listen to any of my old stuff. Pat Metheny once told me how he thought that certain stages of recording are the closest experience that men can relate to labor pains. You have to get away from it sometimes. When the album is done, you just have to let it go on its own journey. It has its own freedom and most of the time the result is favorable and surprising.

AL: YOU HAVE REISSUED JOYOUS LAKE AND STONE BLUE.

PM: It was a very personal decision. Joyous Lake was a great band, as well as an exciting recording and I wanted to reactivate the interest. Delmar Brown, bassist James Genus and drummer Kenwood Dennard came along with the addition of Eric Alexander on Tenor Saxophone which brought everything full circle. I had a dedication to the band.

AL: ALL SIDES NOW WAS JUST A GREAT RECORDING. MICHAEL HEDGES AND CASSANDRA WILSON WERE FEATURED.

PM: Absolutely. Michael was such a great soul. Once when I was in a hospital in New York City, he would come and play, even when I was out of reality and consciousness. I really admired it when he brought to my attention his love for 12 tone music and his love for composers like Stockhausen and Morton Feldman. He was also very fond of alternate tunings which made his music sound quite interesting. I deeply miss him today. “All Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell is a piece of music that I love. It is really about the moment.

AL: YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A FONDNESS FOR DIGITAL ART.

PM: I enjoy exploring concepts in Sacred Geometry as far as forms of the art. It helps me to understand the importance of organization. The computer is like a sketchbook, encyclopedic in size, and allows so much to be done. It is quite enjoyable.

AL: WHAT WAS THE GENESIS OF YOUR CD FIREDANCE?

PM: Peter Block called me and asked me if I would be interested in doing a project with an Indian motif. I love the Indian ragas and tala systems. So, I went out to California and remained there for 3 days. I love North Indian music and all they asked was for me to correlate ragas to western jazz improvisations. Baiyina was idiomatically the first of my east / west recordings and FIREDANCE was the second. Also, JOYOUS LAKE and STONE BLUE, although different, were similar. It seems to be a cyclic event, repeating itself on its own. I am sure it will happen again, sometime in the future.

AL: Thanks a lot for your time Pat, it is definitely a highlight to be able to speak to a living Legend. We wish you the best of health and a long, fruitful, musical journey.

Latest album

Latest NEWS

Please Subscribe your mail to get notification from AbstractLogix.

Facebook-f

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Copyright © 2021 ABSTRACT LOGIX

Facebook-f

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Copyright © 2021 ABSTRACT LOGIX

Avi Bortnick Interview

July 7, 2003

Avi Bortnick, News

Avi Bortnick

Buy

Itunes-note

Amazon

Bandcamp

Young Avi Bortnick is John Scofield‘s rhythm guitarist. Though he is quite happy to be playing rhythm guitar for a jazz superstar, he wants to broaden his horizons. In an attempt to do so, he has just recorded his first solo effort, “Clean Slate”. “Clean Slate” is a jazz and funk affair that has a lot of people buzzing. Avi talked about his new direction with Abstract Logix.

AL: How did it all begin?

AB: My parents started me on guitar when I was 7 or 8. Soon after, I started taking classical guitar lessons, and I really didn’t like it. I found classical music boring, and was more into playing with my friends. I practiced less and less, until my teacher thought taking lessons was pointless. So I stopped, and then I really started practicing, and got into guitar, because I was free to just play the simple rock music I liked to listen to. Ted Nugent, Led Zeppelin, REO Speedwagon, Mothers Finest, Foghat, Boston, whatever. I just enjoyed banging out chords and trying to solo. So I basically started teaching myself everything I hadn’t learned while taking classical lessons. Around age 14 I got into soul and jazz and started learning theory as it applies to improvisation. I checked out books from the library and from school — wherever I could — to try and unlock the mysteries of improvising. Separately, at age 12, I started taking piano lessons. Maybe it was because I was older, but I enjoyed classical piano more than classical guitar. I got into funk and soul music in high school, which was a majority black school in St. Louis, so it was easy to get into this music and play it with people. I was in a group called Horizon doing the funky covers of the day — Earth Wind and Fire, Chic, Peaches and Herb, Rick James, whatever. Later we became more of a fusion group, called Mirage. We did Dixie Dregs, Jean Luc Ponty, Pat Metheny and some original stuff. It was really fun and a great learning experience, the best really. The main jazz guitar players I was into were Pat Martino, George Benson, and Pat Metheny. I heard Pat Metheny at age 16 and that really had an effect on me. It was exciting like rock music, but had a lot of harmonic depth and beautiful melodies. But I also heard him and knew that I could never be that good. In general, even though I practiced a lot in high school, and harbored secret ambitions about being a professional musician, I doubted I was good enough, so by the time I went to college, I had decided that it was probably not a good idea to major in music. I compared myself to the greats, and didn’t feel I was a member of that club. But I pretty much always played in jazz combos or other groups, so even though I didn’t major in music, I started working doing gigs pretty soon after college in the SF Bay area. I ended up working so much that I didn’t need a day job. I mainly played African music (with Kotoja) and Caribbean music (with Jeff Narell, Harry Best and other steel drummers). I also started an Acid Jazz group around 1991, called The Dry Look. But eventually, I knew that I didn’t want to make this my life, so I decided to go to grad school and study architectural acoustics. Soon after arriving at the University of Florida in 1994, I put up flyers to start a band. The band became called What It Is, and we became very popular very fast, in Gainesville, and throughout the Southeast. We put out two self-produced records (“When Groove Was King” and “Soul Pop”), and had a fair amount of label interest, but nothing materialized. We moved out to San Francisco in 1996 and played on the west coast and around San Francisco. Eventually, I had enough and left in 1999. I was already working in acoustics, and just switched to making this more the focus of my working life. Then in early 2000, everything changed when John Scofield called me. I’ve been with him since.

AL: What was What it is?

AB: What It Is was a great band in its day. It started as a continuation of my instrumental funky group, The Dry Look. But Jerry Kennedy, What It Is’ bass player, revealed that he was a really good singer. So we became more vocal oriented, and Jerry started writing more of the tunes. The band had a strong retro flavor, but was pretty organic and original, I think. I think we also separated ourselves from other bands in that we had songs with melody, structure, chord changes, rather than vamps on one chord and long boring solos. The records are pretty much impossible to find these days — maybe used, though people who have them tend to really hold on to them it seems. Anyway, we were not only good musically, but we put on a strong, fun show. We were inches away from being signed, but labels had a hard time figuring out a marketing angle.

AL: You have a degree in ARCHITECHTURAL ACOUSTICS. What in the world is that?

AB: In architectural acoustics, the acoustical consultant basically gives advice to an architect about sound related issues — how a room sounds, sound isolation, and noise control from the building’s mechanical system. Typically, I’d receive a roll of drawings and go over it with a trained eye, looking for problems and recommending changes to design.

AL: How is it playing with John? You have to hold back on the soloing side of things.

AB: Playing with John has been fantastic, though since I don’t solo in a traditional sense; my soloing chops are pretty down these days. I can get back up to speed with a couple of weeks of practice, though. But my rhythm guitar playing and sampling chops are all much better than years ago.

AL: You have just finished a new album.

AB: “Clean Slate” is more about my overall guitar playing and composition, rather than just rhythm guitar playing and sampling stuff. Actually, some of the tunes sprung from a desire to avoid doing the funky guitar playing thing. So I think people will be surprised to hear it, though I couldn’t put out a CD without throwing in a dose of what people might know me for. Anyway, I play guitar, bass, some of the keyboards, some percussion, and even some drums. I pretty much engineered all of it myself, and mixed it myself. I worked on it for over a year, off and on, and much of it was recorded with my remote setup — iBook and AudioSport Quattro USB interface. I have a killer keyboard player, Michael Bluestein, on it, and several excellent drummers. Most of the drumming was the last instrument recorded, after I had recorded everything else, so it’s sort of backwards. But much of it sounds very organic, like it was a band playing live in the studio. The styles of the CD range from rock, funk, country, African, electronica. It’s a pretty fun record, but also reflects my belief in the primacy of melody over extended soloing, though I do solo on the record. The best solos, though, are Michael Bluestein’s.

AL: What’s next for Avi?

AB: I’m not sure. Right now, I’m still touring pretty heavily with John. I want to make another CD, much more electronic-oriented, but I’m not sure when I’ll put it out. John’s funky band is going to be on hiatus for a while starting in October, so you might be able to find me in a cubicle somewhere, buried in a set of architectural drawings.

Latest album

Latest NEWS

Please Subscribe your mail to get notification from AbstractLogix.

The Fuze Speaks: David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski

July 5, 2003

David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski, News

David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski

Buy

Itunes-note

Amazon

Bandcamp

Guitarist David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski music lands with a “Lunar Crush”. Never mind that that album is still being talked about years later. Fiuczynski is still shredding. His latest release, “Kif”, is yet another groundbreaking effort. This time out Dave merges his unique jazz-rock-punk output with the sounds of North Africa. David took some time from his busy schedule at Berklee College of Music where he is a visiting professor this summer to answer a few questions from Abstract Logix.

AL: What makes your music so distinctive?

DF: I’ve always been very interested in painting, like the late impressionists and the expressionists (German and American). I loved these intense colors and that’s the way I want my music to sound, like the strong interactions of intense colors.

AL: What colors are on your palette now?

DF: Lately I’m working on integrating Indian, Eastern European and East Asian sounds into my playing. I’m very interested most of all in the melodic inflections and embellishments. As a matter of fact, I’m taking an ‘erhu’ (one string Chinese violin) lesson this week!

AL: Your new album is another departure.

DF: I’m very happy about “Kif”. I had an opportunity to play in Morocco in 1992 and all the local musicians told me that Jimi Hendrix came to Morocco. This put a bug in my ear – since then I’ve been trying to mix Middle Eastern (and other sounds) with western grooves. I’ve played with a lot of downtown New York bands that mixed some of this music, but “Kif” is my personal take on that. I always wanted more grooves! So now there’s “Kif”. We worked on this for a long time. It was very hard for me to incorporate these sounds onto my instrument, but I’m very happy with the results.

AL: What has changed in your music from “Lunar Crush” to “Kif” ?

DF: To a certain extent nothing has changed. I’ve always been interested in what I call groove-sandwiching, popular grooves on the bottom, extended harmony in the middle and unusual melodies, players, singing, improv on top. It’s just that now I’m much more interested in the top part being more eastern sounding.

AL: What does the future hold for your fans?

DF: More eastern and more microtonal and ambient. There are a lot of new sounds that I would like to combine and it seems there are new possibilities with microtonal harmonies and melodies.

Latest album

Latest NEWS

Please Subscribe your mail to get notification from AbstractLogix.

Alex Skolnick Interview

July 3, 2003

Alex Skolnick, News

Alex Skolnick

Buy

Itunes-note

Amazon

Bandcamp

Alex Skolnick’s claim to fame has been as the guitarist for the metal band Testament. But recently, he has turned direction sharply. He has a new highly praised jazz oriented trio record out. Soon he will be touring with another metal man, Chris Poland, who has also reformed himself. Next we will be hearing that George Benson is going metal- just to balance the scales. Abstract Logix recently caught up with Alex and asked him a few questions.

AL: What led a metal man to go jazz trio?

AS: It was a long process that took over ten years. Most of the time, I wasn’t aware of it, I only went with how I felt. It started with discovering jazz through electric fusion, especially Miles and those associated with him (McLaughlin, Corea, Zawinul etc…) I was in Testament at the time and saw a lot in fusion that I could relate to metal. But I also wanted to one day be able to play on a level closer to that of my new heroes. I soon realized that the only way to do so was to have a foundation in acoustic jazz, so I began studying privately and absorbing a lot of books and CDs. Eventually, I felt the need to leave Testament and intensify my studies. A few years later, I enrolled in the New School jazz program in New York City and that’s where my playing and composition finally came together. It’s also where my trio was born.

AL: So part of this transition was a need to be a better player?

AS: It also incorporated a desire to be an all around musician. I’ve had the good fortune to work with many artists that are based in New York City recently and I’m able to cover a lot of different styles, from folk and world music to cabaret. I knew I didn’t want to be stuck in the world of metal, although I still appreciate the music. But it really felt like a ghetto which was closed off from the rest of music, with players who were very limited. I didn’t want to be like that forever.

AL: Who is in your current trio?

AS: I’ve got two amazing, very young players, Matt Zebroski on the drums and John Graham Davis on the bass. They bring so much to the project and I can honestly say it wouldn’t be the same without them. Their abilities are very strong but they’re also extremely good listeners. We started just as a side project to go over homework assignments and practice jazz standards. One day I had the crazy idea to try a tune by the German metal band Scorpions, who’d achieved enormous popularity in the US while I was in high school. It worked and the next thing you know, I was arranging tunes by Kiss, Black Sabbath, Ozzy and more, in the context of an acoustic jazz guitar trio. Of course I’m incorporating elements of a lot of my favorite jazz, from Bill Evans to John Coltrane, but there’s a rock element as well. I’ve been amazed by the response to our first CD “Goodbye To Romance: Standards For A New Generation”. I never expected to be on the jazz radio charts in the US and be covered in Downbeat.

AL: You have a tour coming up.

AS: Guitarevolution is a tour with Marty Friedman, Chris Poland’s Ohm and my trio. We’re all doing instrumental projects now and it’s interesting because we were metal players at one time but we’ve evolved. It’s going to be a lot of fun. There may be some jams with all of us at some point.

AL: How do you approach improvisation?

AS: Improvisation is expressing yourself and capturing the moment through music. It’s all about not doing the exact same thing every time and bringing something new. It’s also about accepting when it doesn’t go as well as you’d like and appreciating it when it does.

Latest album

Latest NEWS

Please Subscribe your mail to get notification from AbstractLogix.

Monthly Archives: July 2003

Steve Khan

Latest album

Latest NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Jeff Coffin Interview

Latest album

Latest NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Pat Martino Interview

Latest album

Latest NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Avi Bortnick Interview

Latest album

Latest NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

The Fuze Speaks: David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski

Latest album

Latest NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Alex Skolnick Interview

Latest album

Latest NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

SUBSCRIBE