Interview with Antonio Adolfo: I would like to focus more on Brazilian (and) Jazz: Video, New CD cover

Jazz interview with jazz pianist, arranger and composer Antonio Adolfo. An interview by email in writing. 

JazzBluesNews.com: – Before we jump into anything historical, can you tell us about what we can expect musically this evening?

Antonio Adolfo: – Jazz and Good music talk.

JBN: – Are there sub-genres within the jazz field that you tend to stay away from or focus on?

AA: – I would like to focus more on Brazilian (and) Jazz.

JBN: – When your first desire to become involved in the music was & what do you learn about yourself from music?

AA: – I think that started when I was born, or maybe before. I have learned lots of things from music. To play an instrument is something very special as well as to compose arrange and improvise. I love to teach as well. Music has been my great master and have brought inspiration and support to face difficult moments.

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

AA: – Normally I don’t like to talk and/or eating before my performances. However, after, YES.

JBN: – What do you love most about your new album 2021: < Jobim Forever>, how it was formed and what you are working on today.

AA: – During recent years I have been paying tribute to great musicians and composers (Milton Nascimento, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Ernesto Nazareth….). I thought that NOW would be the time to pay a tribute to our Brazilian GREAT MASTER “Antonio Carlos Jobim”. His music was (is) responsible to project a great image of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, peace, beauty, harmony to the world. I am still working in the release of this  new album, that I consider one of the most important of my career.

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JBN: – Did your sound evolve during that time? And how did you select the musicians who play on the album?

AA: – The musicians who play on my album are typically the same ones that  also play on my recent ones. I think they can been considered among the best ones in Brazil.

JBN: – What happened when you first heard Bird? Did it make an immediate impact on you? 

AA: – Of course – he was a genius and one of the most important musicians from his time and influenced a bunch of great musicians, not only reed instrumentalists.

JBN: – With such an illustrious career, what has given you the most satisfaction musically?

AA: – That is something difficult to answer like that … But I can tell you that satisfaction is something that can come at any moment. To play (alone or in a group of great musicians) brings me much satisfaction as well. And, of course, to compose, arrange, improvise … these are just some examples of satisfaction brought by music.

JBN: – From the musical and feeling point of view is there any difference between a old and great jazzmans and young?

AA: – The old ones din’t have much technology, neither great music methods as of these days (Jazz improvisation etc), but some of them were very creative and even geniuses. On these days, maybe more technique and technology. Among the young ones you can find many great musicians as well, and they have much respect for what the “old ones” did.

JBN: – What advice would you give to aspiring musicians thinking of pursuing a career?

AA: – Practice, listen to any type of music … and BE YOUR SELF!!

Interview by Simon Sargsyan