"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...

Today's Subject:

Mark Levine, pianist, San Francisco.
www.marklevine.com

Master pianist Mark Levine as played with Woody Shaw, Mongo Santamaria, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Willie Bobo, Cal Tjader, Stan Getz and many others. His new CD is "Hey, It's Me"

Q: "Tell us a little about your childhood - where were you born and raised?"

I was born and raised in Concord, NH, where Latin music was seldom heard. Some of the earliest songs I remember, though, were "Perfidia" and "Frenesi." I started piano lessons when I was five, but I was an
indifferent student. My Mom took me to hear Perry Como when I was seven (not too many big name acts came through NH) and I remember thinking he was pretty cool.

Q: "Who was the most influential person in your life that affected you,and your decision to become an artist?

I studied with Jaki Byard for a while, and played in his big band in Boston. He played incredibly beautiful. Even when he played ugly he played beautiful.

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?"

Bob Porcelli had taken me to The Palladium a couple of times, to hear both Titos. A year later "Taco" Mesa recruited me to be in his band in Boston. The first day he spent teaching me how to play montunos. The first record he put on was Eddie and La Perfecta, and that was it.

Q: "What piece or pieces of music made the most impact on you and why?"

Jerry Gonzalez' "The Lucy Theme"
Eddie & Cal's "El Sonido Nuevo"
Peruchin's "Mamey Colorao"
Each, in its own way, made me aware of the combining my two musical loves.

Q: "Who's an artist you think more people should be aware of..."

Tony Martinez
Nguyen Le

Q: "At what hour of the day are you most productive and why?"

When the phone is least likely to ring

Q: "Are you a song writer?"

Yes

Q: "What kinds of things do you do to inspire your writing?"

I plead the 5th (Amendment)

Q: "What things do you practice day to day?"

I sit down and think "what did I play badly?" and work on that

Q: "What are your priorities when you go to the stage?"

To play my best
To listen to my fellow musicians

Q: "How do you see yourself in relation to the 'tradition'?"

I'm a white guy trying to play in clave.

Q: "What music do you listen to when you are relaxing?"

today it was:
an Isaac Delgado bootleg
John D'earth "Restoration Comedy"
Chucho's "Briyumba Palo Congo"
Nguyen Le "Maghreb & Friends"
Hassan Hakmoun "The Fire Within"

Q: "Give us a mental image of your favorite view in the world".

I'm on a desert Island in the middle of the Hudson River. The view to the east is NY. The view to the west is San Francisco (which would be in New Jersey).

Q: "If you have children what kind of musical education have you given them or do you intend to give them?"

When I came on to her scene, my daughter was already 15, and her musical path was already set (Zap Mama, Sting). The last thing she wanted was advice from Dad.

Q: "What does the music you play do for you, emotionally, spiritually, socially, whichever-other-ly?

Emotionally - it keeps me sane. Spiritually - When the music is really happening, it feels like its coming from somewhere else, and is just passing through me. Socially - I get to meet and work with incredibly talented and crazy people.

Q: "What changes or landmarks in your life can you attribute to the music you play?"

Traveling and experiencing other cultures. If I'd done something else, I might never have seen any of the world.

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?

Same answer as two questions back.

Q: "What one CD of those you have recorded would you keep if the others were forever lost??!!"

"Hey, It's Me"

Q: "What one CD of someone else's would you keep if all others were lost??!!"

The Peruchin recording that has "La Sitiera" and "Mamey Colorao" Mulgrew
Miller's "Wingspan"

Q: "Name an all-star band of your favorite musicians (and arrangers) or one
band for each genre (charanga, conjunto, big band, etc.)"

piano: Gonzalo and Mulgrew
bass: John Benitez and Paul Chambers
drums: El Negro and Elvin
trumpet: Chocolate and Woody
trombone: Conrad and Conrad
alto: Kenny Garrett and Tony Martinez
tenor: Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter
vocal: Beny More and Louis

Q: "What musicians would you most like to play with, now living on earth or elsewhere?"

same as above

Q: "What band or musicians would you have wanted to play with from the past and why?"

La Perfecta, Miles, Coltrane

Q: "Are critics important? Or do you rather see your music reviewed in the
vanity press?Are you susceptible to bad reviews?".

I respect some critics, and others should be doing something else for a living. Bad reviews are very rare. How often do you seen a bad review in Latin Beat or Jazz Times?

Q: "Do you believe in music as art, as opposed to a product for merchandising?"

Music is art, but art is also a product to be sold - it's been that way since a guy named Bernie introduced himself to one of the flute players hanging around the entrance to the Lascaux caves.

Q: "Would you still be a musician even if that means you´ll die of hunger?"

No, I'm not that romantic. If I had to change professions, I'd play 3rd base for The Giants.

Q: "If you had to choose a short segment (a few bars) from your work to represent you, which would it be?"

There's a few seconds in my solo on "Hey, It's Me Your Talkin' To" where I reach my full potential.

Q: "What food would you most liken your music to?"

Goulash

Q: "One piece of advice for musicians"

You are your own best teacher

Q: "One piece of advice for life"

Practice

Credits:
Allan Johnston - format questions
Eliseo Cardona - translations

Lea esta entrevista en Español visite www.anapapaya.com