Interview with Sam Gendel: I truly don’t: Video

Jazz interview with a bad musician, as if saxophonist Sam Gendel. An interview by email in writing. There are also such fools who appear to be the bad musicians, to be burned.

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

Sam Gendel: – I am from the CENTRAL VALLEY of California – a small town called Visalia. I remember having cassette tapes that I would play all the time, so I suppose I always liked music, much like anyone. But it appears I grew a different sort of affinity for it, one that led to me making it my career. It still surprises me, but in a good way.

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

SG: – It happens so slowly that it can be hard to remember. I pay attention to the world around me, and little things inform my efforts. My sound continues to change as I do, but I definitely never wanted to sound like anyone. Growing up, as soon as someone would comment on my sound in reference to someone else, I would immediately delete the music being referred to from my catalog, so as not to be influenced. I don’t worship or imitate other human beings.

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

SG: – I like drums in modern popular music you might hear on the radio. Insects are rhythmic. My mind just hears things, and I retain what I hear and then just try to play it. There is no routine or exercise, unless that can be described as an exercise: paying attention to sound.  Improvement comes from repetition, so as long as I continue to pay attention and keep playing, my translations become sharper.

JBN: – How to prevent disparate influences from coloring what you’re doing?

SG: – I don’t. There is no such thing as disparate influences, only influences, and I allow them to color everything that I do.

JBN: – How do you prepare before your performances to help you maintain both spiritual and musical stamina?

SG: – If you see me perform, you might as well be watching me hanging out at home in my living room, because there is no difference.

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

SG: – Does it matter?

JBN: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; you’re okay with giving the people what they want?

SG: – Sure, if the people are paying.

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

No memories?

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

SG: – I truly don’t.

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

SG: – From now on, as a song becomes more popular, an algorithm makes it harder and harder to find it online.

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

SG: – Jacques Tati.

JBN: – What is the message you choose to bring through your music?

SG: – What message do you hear in my music?

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

SG: – I forgot to move my car on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, and I received a parking ticket. I would like to go back so that I could avoid this penalty. It has haunted me ever since.

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

SG: – What is Jazz?

JBN: – You do not understand this.

Interview by Simon Sargsyan