An interview with Gianluigi Trovesi: Music is a part of my spirit … Videos

Jazz interview with an Italian jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Gianluigi Trovesi. An interview by email in writing and in italian.

JazzBluesNews.Space: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music?

Gianluigi Trovesi: – I was born, raised and still alive at Nembro, a small village in the province of Bergamo, and since childhood I have been surrounded and fascinated by all kinds of music. I lived in a courtyard where several families lived. Everyone was interested in music and most of them sang and played, who in the choir of the church and who in the band of the country. My father, a worker, was an amateur drummer playing in ballrooms. This yard was my first “Conservatory”.

JBN.S: – What interested you in picking up the clarinet?

GT: – My dad played a very good clarinet player, he was also an amateur. He was a good jazz player and played at Goodman. As a child I was fascinated by this sound. As a boy I asked to enter the country’s band and learn how to play the clarinet.

JBN.S: – What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the clarinet you are today? What made you choose the clarinet?

GT: – I have already explained in the previous question because I chose the clarinet. I would add that the first Jazz album I bought was the famous recording of Benny Goodman’s “Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert” concert.

In the band I realized that I had some talent and so I was advised to enroll at the “G.Donizetti” Conservatory in Bergamo. My clarinet teacher, Joseph Tassis, taught me how to play the orchestral and solo repertoire (from Mozart to Stravinsky). At the same Conservatory I attended the courses of Armonia Contrappunto e Fuga with master Vittorio Fellegara.

As for jazz, my training has developed with the listeners of the “Grandi”, not just clarinetists and saxophonists.

JBN.S: – What about your sound did that influence at all? What did you do to find and develop your sound?

GT: – Searching for good sound is a personal experience that comes from a lot of study and listening, studying and listening to the end result: My good sound is what I chose.

My sound was probably influenced by the classical study in Conservatory and Listening to the Great, such as Benny Goodman, Jimmy Giuffre, Buddy de Franco, Eric Dolphy.

Or, maybe, it’s the sound he found me …

JBN.S: – What practice routine or exercise did you develop to maintain and improve your current musical ability especially pertaining to rhythm?

GT: – My current musical capacity, including the rhythmic sense, has developed through the practice of different genres and within various musical formations.

In fact, over the years, I had the opportunity to play in popular bands, chamber music groups, ballet orchestras, symphonic orchestras, folk music, Jazz Big Band until I came to the formation of my own groups.

JBN.S: – Many aspiring musicians are always looking for advice when navigating through the music business. Is there any piece of advice you can offer to aspiring students or even your peers that you believe will help them succeed and stay positive in this business?

GT: – Unfortunately I can not give advice from an economic point of view.
The only advice I can give is that they have to love and study their music and instruments, beyond the results that at that time may seem inadequate.

JBN.S: – And finally jazz can be a business today and someday?

GT: – Difficult but possible. For some, jazz can become a profession. For others I hope it can always be a great passion.

JBN.S: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of the standard tunes are from half-a-century ago?

GT: – Jazz is a complex, difficult language. I do not think the lack of interest from young people is linked to the fact that the standards are dated.

I believe that teachers or disseminators play a key role. A good teacher should find a way to trigger the spark of interest in this language beyond the use of standards or songs from other sources.

JBN.S: – John Coltrane said music was his spirit. How do you understand the spirit and the meaning of life?

GT: – Music is a part of my spirit.

JBN.S: – What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

GT: – I’m not afraid right now. Hope is that my love for music can continue.

JBN.S: – What’s the next musical frontier for you?

GT: – I do not consider the music frontier a necessity to go on. I am very attracted to the forms and the music of the past, in which to discover new emotions.

JBN.S: – Are there any similarities between the blues / jazz and the genres of local folk music and traditional forms?

GT: – Jazz was born from the encounter of popular music of different origins. My first “Baghet” album was based on an ancient folk dance, “Saltarello”, of Nova Florentine (14th century).

JBN.S: – Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

GT: – Alterno Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Paris Salle Pleyel) at Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi.

Interview by Simon Sargsyan

And here are the answers to our questions in Italian, as Gianluigi Trovesi wrote.

Ecco le risposte alle nostre domande in italiano, come Gianluigi Trovesi scritto.

JBN.S: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music?

Gianluigi Trovesi: – Sono nato, cresciuto e tuttora vivo a Nembro, un piccolo paese della provincia di Bergamo, e fin da bambino sono stato circondato e affascinato da ogni tipo di musica. Abitavo in un cortile dove vivevano diverse famiglie. Tutti erano interessati alla musica e la maggior parte di essi cantavano e suonavano, chi nel coro della chiesa e chi nella banda del paese. Mio padre, operaio, era un batterista dilettante che suonava nelle sale da ballo. Questo cortile è stato il mio primo “Conservatorio”.

JBN.S: – What interested you in picking up the clarinet?

GT: – Con mio padre suonava un bravissimo clarinettista, anch’egli dilettante. Era un bravo jazzista e suonava alla Goodman. Fin da bambino rimasi affascinato da questo suono. Da ragazzo chiesi di entrare nella banda del paese e imparare a suonare il clarinetto.

JBN.S: – What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the clarinet you are today? What made you choose the clarinet?

GT: – Ho già spiegato nella domanda precedente perché io abbia scelto il clarinetto. Aggiungo che il primo disco di Jazz che acquistai era la famosa registrazione del concerto di Benny Goodman “Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert”.

Nella banda si accorsero che avevo un certo talento e quindi mi consigliarono di iscrivermi al Conservatorio “G.Donizetti” di Bergamo. Il mio insegnante di clarinetto, Giuseppe Tassis, mi ha insegnato a suonare il repertorio orchestrale e solistico (da Mozart a Stravinsky). Nello stesso Conservatorio ho frequentato i corsi di Armonia Contrappunto e Fuga con il maestro Vittorio Fellegara.

Per quanto riguarda il jazz la mia formazione si è sviluppata con l’ascolto dei “Grandi”, non solo  clarinettisti e sassofonisti .

JBN.S: – What about the Your sound did that influence at all? What did you do to find and develop your sound?

GT: – La ricerca di un buon suono è un’esperienza personale, che deriva da molto studio e ascolto, studio e ascolto fino al risultato finale: il MIO buon suono è quello che io ho scelto.

Il mio suono è stato probabilmente influenzato dallo studio classico in Conservatorio e dall’ascolto dei Grandi, tipo Benny Goodman, Jimmy Giuffre, Buddy de Franco, Eric Dolphy.

O, forse, è il suono che ha trovato me…

JBN.S: – What practice routine or exercise have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical ability especially pertaining to rhythm?

GT: – La mia attuale capacità musicale, compreso il senso ritmico, si è sviluppata attraverso la pratica di diversi generi e all’interno di varie formazioni musicali.

Infatti, nel corso degli anni, ho avuta la possibilità di suonare in Bande Popolari, Gruppi di Musica da camera, Orchestre di Musica da ballo, Orchestre Sinfoniche, Folk music, Jazz Big Band fino ad arrivare alla costituzione di gruppi miei.

JBN.S: – Many aspiring musicians are always looking for advice when navigating thru the music business. Is there any piece of advice you can offer to aspiring students or even your peers that you believe will help them succeed and stay positive in this business?

GT: – Purtroppo non posso dare consigli da un punto di vista economico e di successo.

L’unico consiglio che posso dare è che devono amare e studiare la musica e il proprio strumento, al di là dei risultati che in quel momento possono sembrare insufficienti.

JBN.S: – Аnd finally jazz can be a business today and someday?

GT: – Difficilissimo, ma possibile.

Per alcuni il jazz può diventare una professione. Per gli altri spero possa essere sempre una grande passione.

JBN.S: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of the standard tunes are from half-a-century ago?

GT: – Il jazz è un linguaggio complesso, difficile. L’eventuale mancanza di interesse da parte dei giovani non penso sia legata al fatto che gli standard siano datati.

Credo invece che gli insegnanti o i divulgatori abbiano un ruolo fondamentale. Un buon insegnante dovrebbe trovare un modo per far scattare la scintilla dell’interesse verso questo linguaggio al di là dell’utilizzo di standard o brani di altra provenienza.

JBN.S: – John Coltrane said that music was his spirit. How do you understand the spirit and the meaning of life?

GT: – La musica è una parte del mio spirito.

JBN.S: – What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

Non ho paure in questo momento. La speranza è che il mio amore per la musica possa continuare.

JBN.S: – What’s the next musical frontier for you?

GT: – Non considero la frontiera musicale necessariamente un andare avanti. Io sono molto attratto dalle forme e dalle musiche del passato, nelle quali scoprire emozioni nuove.

JBN.S: – Are there any similarities between the blues/jazz and the genres of local folk music and traditional forms?

GT: – Il Jazz nasce dall’incontro di musiche popolari di origini diverse.

Il mio primo disco “Baghet” era basato su un’antica danza popolare,  “Saltarello”,  dell’Ars Nova fiorentina (secolo XIV).

JBN.S: – Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

GT: – Alterno Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Paris Salle Pleyel) al Rigoletto di Giuseppe Verdi.

Intervista di Simon Sargsyan