SEVEN ?s WITH BRUCE WILLIAMS

Bruce Williams

Bruce Williams performs with his quartet, Thursday February 23 at Makeda

 

NBJP:  What living musician do you admire most? Why?

BW: Gary Bartz. He is sort of a painter and a poet when he plays. He’s always stood for something and has presented his ideas in an intelligent  and soulful manner.

NBJP:What would you want to be if you weren’t a jazz musician?

BW: Probably a lawyer or a pro MMA fighter.

NBJP:If you could only own one CD (Download–whatever), what would it be?

BW: Jackie McLeans’  “Jackie’s Bag”

NBJP: Complete this sentence: If I can, I try to avoid_____________________

BW: negativity. It drains me.

NBJP: What’s the worst job you ever had?

BW: Cleaning the offices at the World Bank in D.C.

NBJP: What’s the last book you read?

BW: University of Jiu Jitsu by Saolo Ribero

NBJP:  If you could live anywhere, where would that be?

BW: Back in the D.C. area or the Bay area.

 

 

SEVEN ?s WITH AARON WEIMAN

photo: Mary Brown/Mary B. Photography & Design

NBJP:  What musical instrument (that you don’t play)would you  like to be able to play?

AW: Cello — I love the beautiful range

NBJP: What’s your favorite non-jazz tune?

AW: Tough call between Scriabin’s 5th Piano Sonata and Prokofiev’s 4th Sonata.   I love dark and beautiful Russian piano music 

NBJP: If you could live anywhere on the planet where would that be?

AW:  Anyplace with great food and a music scene, right now I’m thinking Barcelona

NBJP: What’s a food you shouldn’t eat, but can’t resist?

AW: Pork belly with so much fat that it melts in your mouth

NBJP: What’s the worst job (non musical) you ever had?

AW: Honestly, I love what I do and I try to keep it that way.  

NBJP:  What musician influenced you the most?

AW:  I have had several really important teachers and mentors in this music, but I must recognize Stanley Cowell. He has been my teacher and guide since I went up to him after one of his concerts and told him I played jazz piano too.  I was 11.  The arrogance of youth. 

NBJP:  If you could only own one CD/album, what would it be?

AW:  For the last several years, Toots Theilmans’s Brazil Project has been in heavy rotation.  He’s such a melodic genius.  

SEVEN ?s WITH BEHN GILLECE

VIBRAPHONIST, BEHN GILLECE PERFORMS THURSDAY

FEBRUARY 16 AT MAKEDA

 NBJP:   Other than the   instrument you play, what’s your favorite instrument to listen to?

BG: Piano

NBJP:  Who’s your favorite non-jazz composer?

BG: Frank Zappa

NBJP:        What inspires you creatively?

BG: Pretty much anything can spark it!

NBJP:        What’s one thing other than milk or water we’d ALWAYS find in your refrigerator?

BG: Eggs

NBJP:      What’s your favorite jazz club to perform in?

BG: Smalls

NBJP:      When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

BG: An author 

NBJP:       If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

BG: If I could answer that, then I probably would have done it already!

SEVEN ?S WITH MISHA FATKIEV

GUITARIST MISHA FATKIEV PERFORMS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 7-10PM  AT GLASS WOODS TAVERN AT THE HYATT

NBJP :If you were about to have your last meal, what would it be?

MF:  Depends on who’s cooking! Ha:). Seriously though, I love lamb kebab

NBJP: What’s your favorite jazz club to go to if you’re going to hang?

MF:  It’s always a blast at Makeda’s, we end up hanging for hours after the gig!

NBJP: What musician influenced you the most?

MF:  Jimi Hendrix

NBJP: What instrument, other than the one you play,  would you  like to be able to play?

MF:  Trumpet!!  I always wanted to play trumpet.  And I did for a while (shhh..:))

NBJP: What’s your favorite non-musical pastime?

MF: Eating, lol

NBJP: What’s your favorite jazz tune?

MF:  This is a tough one, I love the tune, “The Man I Love”

NBJP: What quality do you like least about yourself?

SEVEN ?s WITH ABE OVADIA

Guitarist, Abe Ovadia, performs next Tuesday, Valentine’s Day at Makeda.

NBJP:  Other than being a musician what’s the best job you ever had?

AO: Camp counselor for 2nd graders! 

NBJP:  What one word would your friends use to describe you?

AO: Eccentric

NBJP:   What’s the one thing about you few people know?

AO: I used to work for Carnival Cruise Lines as a guitarist.

NBJP:    How old were you when you first played in front of an audience (other than family) and what song was it?

AO: 9 years old and it was The Star Spangled Banner 

NBJP: What’s your favorite city to visit?

AO: Los Angeles 

NBJP:  What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

AO: Popped Corn, pretzels, crackers with some apple juice right before going to sleep!

NBJP:  What musician influenced you the most?

AO: John Coltrane and his Classic Quartet

SEVEN ?s WITH TOM DICARLO

Bassist Tom DiCarlo performs for the New Brunswick Jazz Project Wednesday Feb 1 with Vanessa Perea and Thursday February 2, with Lee Hogans. 

photo: Chris Drukkar

 

NBJP:  What musical instrument (that you don’t play)would you  like to be able to play?

TD: Piano

NBJP: What’s your favorite jazz tune?

TD: ”West EndBlues“

NBJP: What is your  favorite non-musical pastime?

TD:  Being Outdoors

NBJP: What’s a food you shouldn’t eat, but can’t resist?

TD:  Cheesecake!!

NBJP: What would you like to be if you were not a bassist?

TD: I love playing the bass.

NBJP:  What musician influenced you the most?

TD:  One of them is Red Mitchell. There are many though…

 NBJP:  If you could only own one CD/album, what would it be?

TD: ”Love Deluxe” by Sade