Interview with Peter Eigenmann: I don`t know, I just play the way I like and hope the listeners like it to: Video

Jazz interview with jazz guitarist Peter Eigenmann. An interview by email in writing. 

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

Peter Eigenmann: – I grew up in a small village in Switzerland. In 1965 I heard a guitarist in a dancing, his name was Elek Bascic, hungarian guitarist. I thougt, I want to learn to play guitar to be able to play like him one day.

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?

PE: – Could not find a teacher for many years. Learnd by listening and copiing guys like Kenny Burrell etc. Wolfgang Muthspiel helped me an now young guitar master Travis Reuter.

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

PE: – I loved the sound of Jimmy Raney, later of Jim Hall an Larry Koonse. I Don`t know how it envolved, it got better over the years.

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

PE: – Practiced with metronome, tried to get the touch of Johnny Smith, Benson, Jim Hall etc.

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

PE: – Can not discribe, just try to find more and more voicings.

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

PE: – There are a lot good and not so good memories. Remember a few gigs that I played with great trombonist Ed Neumeister where we had some magical moments. Possibly the best thing that can happen.

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

PE: – Playing with Billie Brooks, Ken Cervenka, Woody Shaw, Ed Neumeister, Jesper Lundgaard.

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

PE: – I don`t know, I just play the way I like and hope the listeners like it to.

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

PE: – Hope I can play for many more years and can make progress …. I`m scared that the political right wing grows, hope that will change soon.

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

PE: – I can`t change anything unfortunately.

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

PE: – Keep doing what I like to do.

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

PE: – I don`t know, never thought about that.

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

PE: – I`m interested what younger players do, for example guitarists like Ben Monder, Lage Lund, Travis Reuter, and still the older guys like Jim Hall, Wes, Ed Bickert and many many more.

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

PE: – The 50es and 60es whre great times for this music, many new things happened and jazz had a wider audience.

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

PE: – Wy did Bob Dylan get the Nobel Price?

JBN.S: – Thank you for answers. I don`t know. I do not listen to him.

Interview by Simon Sargsyan