Spike Wilner interviewed about running Smalls jazz club in New York. Lots of strong views...
on jazz education : "If you want to learn how to play jazz then get some jazz records, copy solos, come out to the jam sessions and play, go to live clubs and meet jazz musicians. That’s all you need"
on getting gigs: "I don’t like it when people call me everyday asking “when are you going to listen to my CD?”. That’s not the way it works. What I like to see is young guys come in and hang out, sit in and if they’re good, people notice."
on improvisation: "I don’t believe that improvised music is jazz. Improvisation is in all music and you can improvise anyway you like. Jazz is not only about improvisation. Jazz is a tradition, it’s a feeling, just the way any music has a feeling"
on being a jazz musician: "You have to understand that you’re an artist. An artist is someone who is devoted to the art for the sake of the art. It means day to day work, investigation to yourself, your taste, your personality. Study, work, study, work with no idea of making money, no idea of reward. The reward is the work.... Art is a spiritual journey. Art is about self discovery, rigorous discipline. I believe that musicians need to embrace that especially with jazz. It’s a spiritual music."
Do you agree?
Read the full interview here
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