Interviews

If there is one thing I learned from this conversation with Tommy Campbell, it’s that nothing can prepare you for a conversation with Tommy Campbell. Just like a magnificent jazz improvisation suddenly resonates with the feelings that you didn’t even know existed, talking to Mr. Campbell makes you feel like you went on a trip to a far away planet. He’s not your guide there; he is the planet. With a personality of that scale, he certainly doesn’t fit in the narrow frame of an interview, but even a glimpse of Planet Campbell can make anyone a happier human being.

Bobby Sanabria talking about jazz is music in its own right. Think about it, even his name sounds like a drum solo: bob-by-sa-nab-ria! When he talks, there’s rhythm, there’s depth, there are nods to the greats and visions of the future, and there’s his trademark ability to expand the listener’s mind. You may not know the first thing about drums and Afro-Cuban jazz but once you watch him explain the basics, you will question the quality of life without a drum set. It’s not that only his passion for jazz is contagious; Bobby Sanabria will infect you and teach you how to pass on the virus.

What happens when you become a legend? Do you hang around your trophy room with a feather duster? Do you turn into a grumpy recluse full of contempt for the youth? Mike Stern, a six-time Grammy nominee jazz guitarist, holds all kinds of titles and awards naming him a jazz legend and the best player of all times. You would think he could allow himself some healthy condescension towards… Well, pretty much everything. But he doesn’t. Mike Stern is an active musician, teacher, and, recently, a judge in Made in New York Jazz Competition.

You develop your feelings by paying attention and being honest with yourself.
Pay attention to “how” and “why” things make you feel the way you do.....