Interview with Alessandro Cristeli: Express the rational and irrational component of a musician: Video

Jazz interview with jazz pianist and composer Alessandro Cristeli. 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?

Alessandro Cristeli: – I started to play at 6 years old, and after attending a keyboard course, my parents decided to enroll me in the conservatory. I studied piano, organ and classic harmonie and when I was sixteen, I began to listen and study jazz and popular music.

JBN: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?

AC: – I have been coming for two very difficult years, where my practice has been very fragmented for various reasons. Generally I don’t have a specific exercise or routine practice, when I study, I try to focus on details (scales, comping ecc). Certainly I find interesting to analyze and play trascriptions of great musicians. I Think it is the most important exercise for every musician!!!!

JBN: – How do you keep stray, or random, musical influences from diverting you from what you’re doing?

AC: – I’m very curious and I think my music reflects this a lot. Therefore any musical influence or stimulus is welcome.

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

AC: – I study the song trying to develop different ideas, so as to arrive in recording studio with clear ideas. Usually I like to keep the first recordings because for me, they are the most spontaneous and communicative take.

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JBN: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

AC: – Are two equally important components for me, which express the rational and irrational component of a musician, and both must be nurtured

JBN: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?

AC: – It is not easy to establish this relationship with the public but I think it is the most ambitious and difficult challenge for any artist especially nowadays where the audience seems to be more difficult “to capture”

JBN: – Can you share any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions over the years?

AC: – We come from disastrous years where the music has been “silent”. This recording was for me an act of rebirth and I hope it can be the beginning after a long time

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

AC: – I don’t think it’s a problem of “old music”, but only a lack of capacity on part of the institutions and jazz community to transmit the importance and the beauty of this music to the new generations.  Futhermore the music, especially jazz takes time, practice and a lot of listening to be appreciated and for the young people is often not easy to understand.

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

AC: – I wish there were more concerts, more attention to music, especially for the new generations who often find themselves listening to music only on streaming platforms or internet channels.

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

AC: – My work as musician, teacher and composer takes me to listen every day many different   types of music but recently  I was lucky to see the last show of Gonzalo Rubalcaba and the singer Aymee Nuviola. Amazing sound!!!

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

AC: – No message in particular, I believe that each of us should draw from the music what he deems right

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

AC: – I would go back to 2019 and try to stop the COVID in time!!!

JBN: – At the bottom line, what are your expectations from our interview?

AC: – I hope it will be an interesting read for all  Jazz Blues News readers!

Interview by Simon Sargsyan