On Sept. 30, 2009, I met with Russian author, journalist and Managing Editor of Jazz.ru Cyril Moshkow at the Library of Congress to discuss the history of jazz in Russia and the American influence on Russian jazz musicians. The conversation was co-sponsored by the Open World Leadership Center and the Library’s Music Division.
Since winning the Thelonious Monk International Bass Competition, Ben Williams has recorded his 2011 debut as leader, the critically acclaimed State of Art (Concord), formed his own group Sound Effect, and continued recording and working with top stars, like Pat Metheny’s Unity Band. The 29 year-old acoustic and electric bassist placed 2nd in the JazzTimes critic’s poll for best new artist, and he appears most recently on the newly released NEXT Collective CD. Though he’s been in New York since his Juilliard days, I managed to catch up with Williams the day after Christmas in his hometown of Washington D.C.
1. Wayne Shorter
“Orbits” (from Without a Net, Blue Note). Shorter, soprano saxophone; Danilo Perez, piano; John Patitucci, bass; Brian Blade, drums. Recorded in 2011. Continue reading
Here’s the final part of this interview with John McLaughlin from June 2, 2012 at the Alfa Jazz Festival in Lviv, Ukraine. Pt. 1 of this interview can be found here.
You mention that you had a number of musical gurus in your life: Ravi Shankar, Monk, Coltrane… who else?
Miles. Oh yeah.
Can you say what you’ve learned from Miles?
When I first started at WPFW, I naively tried to arrange an interview with one of my vocal heroes, Betty Carter. As a young man, I had more nerve than skills or common sense, not realizing I would have to pass her test before she’d agree to invest her time with someone so green. I went to Blues Alley two nights in a row before even approaching her. When I did, she asked me some questions, then sang a bit of melody in my ear and asked me if I knew the tune. I lucked out and told her it was the verse to “Stardust,” after which she agreed to give me 15 minutes following the next set.
You tour all over the world. What do you think of the way jazz is presented on radio in this country?
Lousy! [laughs]. Not enough of it to expose the young kids to it, to make them aware of what’s been going on and what is going on. There’s really not enough music on the radio, jazz that is.
Sonny Rollins, Molde
This interview with Sonny Rollins was commissioned as an NEA Jazz Masters oral history in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Oral History Program, recorded on Feb. 28, 2011 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Rollins, who was 80 years old at the time, seemed to enjoy the questions and the flow of the conversation, which stretched to nearly 3 hours, pausing only to change tapes. Pt. 1 of this interview is here, followed by Pt. 2, Pt. 3, Pt. 4 and 5. Photo by Larry Appelbaum.
Appelbaum: What do you think makes a good improvisation?
This interview with Sonny Rollins was commissioned as an NEA Jazz Masters oral history in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Oral History Program, recorded on Feb. 28, 2011 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Rollins, who was 80 years old at the time, seemed to enjoy the questions and the flow of the conversation, which stretched to nearly 3 hours, pausing only to change tapes. Pt. 1 of this interview is here, followed by Pt. 2, Pt. 3 and Pt. 4.
Appelbaum: You did an interview with Arthur Taylor–very interesting interview–that
was published in his book “Notes and Tones.” And in the interview, you say, “I don’t have
the greatest opinion of myself. I recognize a lot of my faults.” And I guess, first, I need
to, I’m obligated to ask: What do you think those faults are?
This interview with Sonny Rollins was commissioned as an NEA Jazz Masters oral history in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Oral History Program, recorded on Feb. 28, 2011 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Rollins, who was 80 years old at the time, seemed to enjoy the questions and the flow of the conversation, which stretched to nearly 3 hours, pausing only to change tapes. Pt. 1 of this interview is here, followed by Pt. 2 and Pt. 3
Appelbaum: Let’s jump ahead a little bit to your first recording session.
Rollins: Okay.
Appelbaum: I assume it was with the vocalist…who was…?
Rollins: Babs Gonzales.
This interview with Sonny Rollins was commissioned as an NEA Jazz Masters oral history in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Oral History Program, recorded on Feb. 28, 2011 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Rollins, who was 80 years old at the time, seemed to enjoy the questions and the flow of the conversation, which stretched to nearly 3 hours, pausing only to change tapes. Pt 1 of this interview is here. Pt. 2 is here.
Appelbaum: Let’s continue. When you were at a certain crossroads, you were playing the
horn, you loved this music so much, you knew you’re going to dedicate your life to it, but
in terms of style, many people of your generation–horn players–went either
towards Coleman Hawkins or towards Lester Young. And I wonder if you ever felt you
had to make a choice, and if so, how did you make that choice?
In my early days at WPFW-FM, I worked as an engineer for our live broadcasts in and around Washington D.C. In the summer of 1984, we set up at the Carter Barron Amphitheater to broadcast Dizzy Gillespie’s concert, but at the last minute our host couldn’t make it so I stepped in to do the intermission interview with Dizzy.
This interview with Sonny Rollins was commissioned as an NEA Jazz Masters oral history in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Oral History Program, recorded on Feb. 28, 2011 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Rollins, who was 80 years old at the time, seemed to enjoy the questions and the flow of the conversation, which stretched to nearly 3 hours, pausing only to change tapes. Part 1 of this interview is here: http://larryappelbaum.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/interview-with-sonny-rollins-pt-1/.
Pt. 2
Appelbaum: I meant to ask…how did you acquire the nickname “Sonny?”
