"Questions, Questions..."
A series of interviews with the members of The Latin Jazz
Discussion List. All the questions were submitted by other members
of the group, their peers. Each artist was given a number of
questions with the option of answering as many as they wished.
Further discussion with the artist in this forum is invited...
Jillian
Vocalist - Los Jóvenes del Barrio
www.losjovenesdelbarrio.com
Latest CD "Es Diferente"
Q: "Tell us a little about your childhood - where
were you born and raised?"
A: Born in Spokane Washington, raised in Eugene and
Portland Oregon. I have direct descendants on the Mayflower--my
heritage is German/English/Scottish. When I was 3 my parents
divorced and my Dad married a black woman with 3 kids. With my
brother and I, that made 5, they had 2 together that made 7 of
us. Dad was/is a political activist, I grew up in a coalition,
communist/socialist teaching, we all had our Mao Tse Tung red
books...at the age of 11, my Dad went to prison for the last
time. 2 years at my step mother's home (after he left) was the
last of that family life--she resented my brother and I terribly,
it got real bad... I never could blame her. My brother and I
went into the state system of foster care. I lived in 4 foster
homes. The 3rd one (age 15) is where I started dancing and really
found a purpose, something I was good at, got attention for.
At the age of 18 the money stopped coming in from the state and
I moved to NY. That's the very short of the long of it.
Q: "Who was the most influential person in your
life that affected you, and your decision to become an artist?
A: There were several...my sister, my high school ballet
teacher, my hippie neighbour who was an actress, the head of
the Martha Graham dance school in NY, my fencing teacher...and
my Dad and step mother who were into music and played great stuff
all of the time with fervor and passion.
Q: "When did you first fall in love with Latin
music - or - when did you first choose latin music as a career
path? Can you remember which band or artist turned you on?"
A: Being with my husband Johnny Almendra made me fall
in love with the music. Latin music as a career path? It was
laid in my path, who knows what's next. First band? Tito Puente,
Mongo, and Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz!
Q: "What piece or pieces of music made the most
impact on you and why?"
John Coltrane's "KULU SE MAMA"...it opened up my
mind and I remember so vividly the tune, the experience of hearing
it, it was so different sounding. I was 7 years old. Aretha's
Blues album, that voice taught me a lot...Etta James, just strong...Celia
Cruz, her rhythmic ability, PHAT voice...Also the music of Billie
Holiday, Lena Horne and Judy Garland...those women...so much
emotion, so much pain and conviction, they spoke for me, made
me feel like I wasn't alone in the world with my troubles. The
voice of Monserrat Caballe in Carnegie Hall, UNF#^&%*# believably
pure and God like. And let's not forget "South Pacific"
the musical--my Dad played that all of the time TOO!
Q: "Who's an artist you think more people should
be aware of..."
A: ¡Jacquelin Castellano de Cuba!
Q: "At what hour of the day are you most productive
and why?"
A: Late morning...had my coffee, checked my email,
ready for action!
Q: "Are you a song writer?"
A: Yes
Q: "What kinds of things do you do to inspire
your writing?"
A: Play favorite artists/composers on the stereo, drive,
pace...
Q: "What things do you practice day to day?"
A: Day to day? Breathing, operatic repertoire (keeps
my chops up), vocal exercises, listening to music.
Q: "What are your priorities when you go to the
stage?"
Do the best job I can do, serve my craft and the music, have
FUN!!!! Oh, and capture the people.
Q: "How do you see yourself in relation to the
'tradition'?"
A: As an oddball.
Q: "What music do you listen to when you are relaxing?"
A: Opera, Jill Scott, McCoy Tyner, Sarah Vaughan, Gospel
(Yolanda Adams--AHH), Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Mi Gran Pasíon),
Brian Mcknight....so many, depends on the mood.
Q: "Give us a mental image of your favorite view
in the world".
A: Southern most tip of the United States... Southern
most tip of the island of Hawaii...so unbelievably quiet except
for the constant rush of the wind, all trees and bushes, leaning
away from the wind, dry, arid, standing on the cliff, staring
out into the vast ocean, stretching the eyes to see a whale or
anything jump up into the never ending nothingness...knowing
that the nothingness is so full of wonder and mystery, the water,
turquoise blue, strong and crashing against the rocks below...my
hair, totally blown back from my face, taking it all in with
a sense of tremendous peace and awe.
Q: "If you have children what kind of musical
education have you given them or do you intend to give them?"
A: Don't have any.
Q: "What does the music you play do for you, emotionally,
spiritually, socially, whichever-other-ly?
A: Everything, It takes away pain, it says what I feel,
it gives me purpose, it expresses my personality, it gives me
joy, it lifts me up when I'm down, relieves pain, alleviates
worry, makes me feel loved.
Q: "What changes or landmarks in your life can
you attribute to the music you play?"
A: Landmarks? Changes? Hmmmmmm...Latin music has given
me a tremendous awareness of rhythm and has enriched everything
that I do musically and otherwise. This question is a little
odd for me.
Q: "When the music is at it's best in your opinion,
what is it that's happening (to make it the best) and what do
you feel?
A: When it's the best, everybody is listening to each
other and getting off on the groove, the energy is locked as
well as the instrumentation. It feels SO DAMN GOOD!!! Like a
super super glorious natural high! Just joyful and totally fulfilling.
Q: "What one CD of those you have recorded would
you keep if the others were forever lost??!!"
A: The last, "Es Diferente", I sang on every
track this time and proved to myself that I could really do this
stuff. I also co-produced it with Johnny.
Q: "What one CD of someone else's would you keep
if all others were lost??!!"
A: That's an unfair question! So many, I can't answer
this!
Q: "Name an all-star band of your favorite musicians
(and arrangers) or one band for each genre (charanga, conjunto,
big band, etc.)"
A: Oh boy...Richard Tee (he's gone I know) and McCoy
Tyner on piano, Dennis Chambers and Rocky Bryant on drums with
Giovanni Hidalgo and Johnny Almendra on percussion accompanied
by a full ensemble of Arabic drummers, Gene Perez, Bernie Miñoso
and Tracy Wormworth trading bass, Jeff Campbell and John
Scofield on guitar, Bobby Franchescini on Tenor, Bobby Porcelli
on alto, Frank Lacy and Ozzie Melendez on Trombone, Piro Rodriguez
and Eddie Allen on Trumpet, Regina Carter and Itzak Perlman on
violin, YoYo Ma on cello, and Donny Mcklurkin's choir! WHEW!!!!!!!
WHAT A WONDERFUL MESS!!!!!!
Q: "What musicians would you most like to play
with, now living on earth or elsewhere?"
A: McCoy Tyner...Gonzalo Rubalcaba... Vocal Sampling...
George Clinton... D'Angelo... Tina Turner... Brian McKnight...
Peabo Bryson... Chaka Khan...
Q: "What band or musicians would you have wanted
to play with from the past and why?"
A: Ellington, and Billy Strayhorn...so elegant and
dignified, not to mention some of my very favorite songs.
Q: "Are critics important? Or do you rather see
your music reviewed in the vanity press?Are you susceptible to
bad reviews?".
A: Important? Yes, because the public looks to them
for reassurance and often guidance. I also believe that critics
are just human beings with opinions, not necessarily experts
at all, and if we 'believe' the good reviews, we have to 'believe'
the bad ones. Susceptible to bad reviews? Haven't had one to
be perfectly honest, but I think I probably would be, I'd think
about it and get a little huffy at first, then I'd think on it
some more, then I'd let it go.
Q: "Do you believe in music as art, as opposed
to a product for merchandising?"
A: I think it's both. Yes it's art but it better be
sellable otherwise 'yo ass is gonna starve!
Q: "Would you still be a musician even if that
means you´ll die of hunger?"
A: Nope. This is a ridiculous question. Starvation
isn't a choice if you HAVE the choice unless you're stupid or
a martyr!
Q: "If you had to choose a short segment (a few
bars) from your work to represent you, which would it be?"
A: From "RECONFIRMANDO", the song "Compasíon"...and,
interpreting "Lush Life"or "Round Midnight"...
Q: "What food would you most liken your music
to?"
A: Refrigerator soup--throw everything you have in
there and taste the variety of flavors!!
Q: "Do you believe in aliens? (HAHAHAHA!)"
A: I have an open mind to the possibility...I think
it's arrogant to think we could be the ONLY beings in this HUGE
universe!
Q: "One piece of advice for musicians"
A: 2 pieces of advice: 1) You better love this shit,
and 2) LISTEN!!!!!!
Q: "One piece of advice for listeners (or dancers)."
A: Keep an open mind, listen carefully.
Q: "One piece of advice for life"
A: One piece? How about 3? 1) Do what makes you happy,
and 2) Remember what's really important--LOVE, given and received
in all manners with generosity and selflessness, and 3) If you
fall, get back up.
Credits:
Allan Johnston - format questions
Eliseo Cardona - translations
Lea esta entrevista en Español visite
www.anapapaya.com
