Interview with Marco Parodi: I miss a lot playing for an audience: Video

Jazz interview with jazz guitarist Marco Parodi. An interview by email in writing. 

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

Marco Parodi: – I grew up in Turin, Italy, where I still live ( InsoliTO: TO is for TOrino). My father was a jazz addicted and this was the music I was listening as a baby. I learned to operate the turntable before I started reading.

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

MP: – I’m a huge fan of the sound of guitarists from the fifties an I try to reproduce it. Just add a little reverb and delay to achieve more space.

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

MP: – I always  start my daily practice with 10-15 minutes of scales and arpeggios (Hanon’s exercises transposed on guitar) and then I practice the material I’m interested in, maybe  learning a tune o develop some particular skill. When I was much younger I practiced a lot of technique, but now I’m more focused about music.

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

MP: – I think it’s impossible in real world.

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

MP: – I don’t have any particular method such as yoga and so on; just try to be very well trained on what I’m going to play. A light dinner and a little wine help too.

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JBN: – Ism is culled from a variety of lives dates with various performers over the course of a few years. Did your sound evolve during that time? And how did you select the musicians who play on the album?

MP: – I started with the bass player just for fun and practice; then he knew a player that would be glad to join us, so the trombone was added. We are playing together since two years, more or less.

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

MP: – Hard question. They are linked each other and the percentage changes from time to time. I’d say fifty – fifty.

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

MP: – Once Barney Kessel told me: ”in between what people likes, what I like?” I try to do the same. There is no problem for me giving what people ask for if I like it too (btw usually audience pays for it).

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

MP: – I remember my very first recording date: we lost a lot of time because I forgot many time to open the volume of my guitar.

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

MP: – If you are talking of young audience, I think that it’s important the language; the same old tune can be treated in very modern and update ways: it depends from the musician make the thing captivating. About young musician, you should learn to walk before run. Old standards are bases of our music and repertoire.

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

MP: – I’m a believer.

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

MP: – A little less business would be appreciated.

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

MP: – It’s a hard period. In my country there isn’t live music since November 2020; clubs are closed and so theaters and all the venues are stopped. This generates a depression very deep into myself, because I miss a lot playing for an audience.

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

MP: – Message is a big word. I just try to make people feeling well and comfortable while listening my music.

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

MP: – Paris  1936. I would have liked to be there to see Django Reinhardt playing.

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

MP: – No question, I visited your site and I would like to thank you for you job, it’s important for us musicians.

JBN: – Thank you!!!

Interview by Simon Sargsyan