John Patitucci

Posted on By Pablo Held

It was a dream come true to talk with master bassist & composer John Patitucci. Easy going, inspiring and deep! Plus he played lots of bass, some piano and we went through several of his compositions- as you know, I always hope for these things to happen and John was totally open for it. I think we cover a lot of ground in this conversation, where John generously shares his experiences and insights from his exciting life in music and I’m in total fan-boy mode.

A little side note- of course it’s evident that John is an absolute pro in music, but he was also so well prepared for this interview: he had good mics set up for his voice AND his bass and he came in early (15 minutes before our scheduled time) two make sure everything worked. Can’t ask for more!

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Jason Seizer

Posted on By Pablo Held

Jason Seizer brings people together. As saxophonist and bandleader, but also as a producer & engineer of 100+ albums for the great German label Pirouet Records. He has big ears and an open heart, a personal sound on the saxophone and a distinct vision for the music.

Jason and me go way back. What started as a producer-musician relationship quickly became a deep friendship. With each album we made together we grew closer together. I turn to Jason for advice on musical things, but also about life in general. He’s my friend and I owe him a lot!

But I’m not alone with this. Under the banner of Pirouet Records, Jason has given so many of my heroes and my close friends a musical home, helping us all to realize musical dreams.

In our conversation we reflect on Jason’s life in music, taking lessons with Joe Lovano & Ferdinand Povel, the development of his quartet, what he needs from his fellow musicians and the importance of “the hang”.

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David Virelles

Posted on By Pablo Held

I first noticed David Virelles’ name in 2011. I was checking out which bands were playing at the Village Vanguard, which is when I saw that Chris Potter had a new pianist in his group. I had been following Chris’ music heavily for quite some time back then, so naturally I was curious about a change in his line up. Since I don’t live in New York, I asked a friend of mine who lived there at the time to go and secretly record a set for me.

I was struck by David’s unique style, which to my ears brought something new to the table compared to what was considered en vogue that time. It became quite noticeable how David quickly influenced a new generation of musicians, making important contributions to the music of today. I’m happy I could include David in this series of interviews.

Topics include David’s relationship to his mentors Henry Threadgill and Barry Harris, leaving space, practice routines, warming up, material that David has been working on recently, the process behind a couple of his own albums, Andrew Hill, playing with Paul Motian and much more.

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