Interview with Marcin R. Malinowski: Life is most important thing in everything you do: Video

Jazz interview with jazz pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer Marcin R. Malinowski. An interview by email in writing. 

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

Marcin R. Malinowski: – I was born in Gdynia, Poland. It is port city on Baltic Sea coast. Music was always around me, I was surrounded by music since ever. And it was natural process to get interested in music in more aware way. I started my musical education from classical music. When I was 6 y/o the violin was my first instrument. Then on after different cases I ended up on keyboards.

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

MRM: – Piano is most natural instrument to study music, making researches, seeking own way to express as musician-composer. Even when I started my researches in ethnic music I used piano/synthesizers in a bit different way then in more classical (tempered) music. Also, piano as well as any other instument is only a tool. Tool which helps to discover new areas in a huge space of sound and silence.

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

MRM: – From pure acoustic sound into electronics briefly. I use things I’ve learnt through the way, fusing my experiences. Nowadays computers and electronics offer bigger room to to express. Another useful tools allowing musical expression.

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

MRM: – Life is most important thing in everything you do. Living your life in aware way is the best practice in everything. You can see many things which can inspire to ‘’telling stories’’ as the music, as an art in general. Everything has its own pulse, groove or something like this you only have to transpose it into your own language. Simple but not always easy 🙂

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

MRM: – Modal harmonies and scales. I try to think about harmony and other musical aspects as the sound creating elements.

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

MRM: – No limits, I guess. Open mind and soul is the key 🙂

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

MRM: – Lot of memories … Meeting people is most important thing, on stage, sharing the creativity. I used to play in clubs, in philharmonic theaters, concert halls. In 2012 I had a big pleasure to work with Armenian musicians playing several gigs in Yerevan. One of them, in Cafescjan Center of Arts was broadcasted by Armenian TV.

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

MRM: – Creativity is a point. Doesn’t matter how old is composition if it’s able to open the door to one’s creativity.

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

MRM: – Well, simple and difficult question at the same time. The meaning of life is to live, the rest is only the story.. On the other hand, we can tell beautiful story as well as the nightmare. It’s our choice what and how to make it.

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

MRM: – I think I would change nothing. It’s just a process and we are lucky being in it and having a chance to observe it.

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

MRM: – Contemporary classical music, ethno, world music, jazz masters.

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

MRM: – Everywhere 🙂 there is still so many places to discover

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

MRM: – No questions, but I want to thank you for the interest in my music 🙂

JBN.S: – Thank you for answers.

Interview by Simon Sargsyan