Interview with Simeon Holzer: For me the meaning of life is to do what makes you happy: Video

Jazz interview with jazz musicant Simeon Holzer. An interview by email in writing. 

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

Simeon Holzer: – I grew up as son of a professional musician, so ever since i can think back music was a daily topic. We had drums, guitar, piano, and bass at home so i could try out everything i wanted at any time.

JBN.S: – What got you interested in picking up the your musical instrument? What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the level of playing you have today? What made you choose the your musical instrument?

SH: – I started taking piano lessons when i was 7 until 10 years old. From this time on i took drumlessons at my dad, which is his job. When i went to high school i chose music as main topic and started to take guitar lessons. In summer 2010 i won a scholarship of 2 semesters at swiss jazz school (with drums), where i was for 2 years until 2013, then stopped and made myself self-employed. At this time i was already producing and djing for around two years.

That‘s why today i am producing for very different project and my album On My Own was a back to the roots project. As One man band.

As „Simeon“ i do mostly radio friendly dance songs which i also sing myself.

JBN.S: – How did your sound evolve over time? What did you do to find and develop your sound?

SH: – Inspired by a lot of genres and people i worked with, i got to know such a big range of my musical passion. So that now i am composing and producing from electronic music over film scoring till jazz. All of those styles helped me developing myself all over and over every day.

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

SH: – I think my best way to improve my rhythmics and timing were 2 things:

producing in a world of perfect quantized rhythms

Learning to be in time on 4-5 instruments, which are all different considering the attack of the sound

JBN.S: – Which harmonies and harmonic patterns do you prefer now?

SH: – When in fall 2017 i bought a nord piano i started to practise 3-4h a day without recognizing, it was just so realistic and so much fun. And my wish was always to not just know inside-outside lines in theory but also play them. For me thats the kind of tension and sound that makes jazz what it feels like.

JBN.S: – Which are the best jazz albums for you of 2017 year?

SH: – I think this is really subjective. There are so many amazing artists out there that need to be noticed … so that i dont want to focuse one some single ones.

JBN.S: – What’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

SH: – For me this is sometimes a small gap as i recognized. How much do you want to think about what you are playing or rather just play out of your soul? The music is 80% out of my heart without thinking about what is right or wrong.

JBN.S: – Please any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

SH: – The biggest experience i think is the studio i mentioned in 6.

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?

SH: – As a musician that knows both commercial and alternative music business i would say it is a question you have to ask yourself. If you are just making music for your soul and passion, dont think about the money. Be happy if it works but dont expect it.

If you are thinking to live from music u will have to go in the shark tank of music business.

So now you see why i am doing both of it.

JBN.S: – Аnd furthermore, can jazz be a business today or someday?

SH: – It can but it will never be as big as the pop music business, my opinion

JBN.S: – Which collaboration have been the most important experiences for you?

SH: – For Jazz; the drum teacher i had in college: Dejan Terzic. Amazing experience..

For pop music: Songwriters like Jenson Vaughan that worked with names like madonna.

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

SH: – I think there is always a way to reinvent the classics. Standarts are so important to learn and understand the jazz theory itself. In any way. From an amateur to a real crack, there is always a challenge.

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

SH: – For me the meaning of life is to do what makes you happy. And do it everyday. Dont do a job from monday to friday which makes you unhappy. We live in a modern world where everyone can find its own way to live.

And music gives me what i need everyday.

JBN.S: – What are your expectations of the future? What brings you fear or anxiety?

SH: – Living from music is always a risk and for sure it brings fear with it BUT nothing can compare to the privilege living your passion.

JBN.S: – If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

SH: – I would try to bring back the value music had back in the days. Where everyone payed for it without doubt. Where there were a lot of opportunities to play and give concerts and earn the respect for it.

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

SH: – I want to bring my music around the whole world. Wether it is with jazz or pop, there is no bigger dream for me than reaching and touching the souls of a lot of people with the music you made.

JBN.S: – Are there any similarities between jazz and world music, including folk music?

SH: – I think the similarity is that every genre started from the same wish i described in 17. but with different backgrounds the music will sound different.

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

SH: – Nearly everything, really. For me music is not limited by genre, depending on the mood i need a different kind of music.

As long as the quality is good.

JBN.S: – What’s your current setup?

SH: – A list of what i own u find on famoussound.ch/refequip.html

JBN.S: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really wanna go?

SH: – Difficult question … sometimes i would want to go back to the times i described before, where music had its big value. BUT in these times i would have never been able to build up my studio and buy all my stuff. As well as it would have been much more difficult to release music..

So that‘s why i am happy with the time i live in.

JBN.S: – I have been asking you so far, now may I have a question from yourself …

SH: – So i was wondering how did you meet my name and album, and what about it made you asking me for this interview?

JBN.S: – Thank you for answers. From jazz space …

SH: – Thanks a lot.

Interview by Simon Sargsyan