Interview with Dimitri Monstein: I don’t want something to sound complicated: Video

Interview with a bad musician, as if drummer and problematic person Dimitri Monstein. An interview by email in writing. 

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

Dimitri Monstein: – I was born in Zurich in 1991 and grew up a little outside of it in Maur. Is a beautiful place between two lakes on a hill. My father played the saxophone in his spare time in the Stadtmusik Zürich brass band. So I already visited the concerts in the stroller with my mother and was always enthusiastic about the conductor, trombonists and the percussionists. Above all, I was fascinated by the fact that when you stood next to a drum, you could always feel the pressure because the air was moving. Then I got a drum as a present and at the age of 5 I was allowed to take classical drum lessons. Later as a teenager I had among other things a rock band where we already played many concerts.

JBN: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?

DM: – My sound has evolved over the years and of course changed several times. I really consciously approached the subject when I was lucky enough to have drum lessons with the German world-class drummer Wolfgang Haffner. He has influenced and inspired me very much.

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

DM: – As said before, most consciously listen to music, different styles and play to it. At the moment I don’t have as much time to practice as I would like.

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

DM: – Hmm i don’t know, somehow everything you do and hear or play influences you. i also like to be open to new things that’s important to me. luckily i rarely get distracted. my problem is more that i have too many ideas or want to do great things and then have to pick one of them and go through with it so i don’t get bogged down.

There could be talk or advertising about your CD

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

DM: – Hm for me soul and heart is much more important with emotions than intellect. The intellect is important to learn and practice. But with time, in my opinion, one should tend to the gut feeling again. I don’t want something to sound complicated, but it’s great when something complicated sounds round and flowing and can touch other people.

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

DM: – Absolutely, as long as it’s music that I like and enjoy myself. I have not learned 25 years long in my life an instrument only to make me alone happy, it is much nicer when other people also have something from it. So I also get back energy and motivation.

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

DM: – You should show them all the versatile new things that are also available with a look back at tradition. But you don’t always have to start chronologically if you want to bring something closer to someone… And the normal school should visit a jazz concert or a jam session.

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

DM: – Yes, I actually can’t do without music either. Music is fun or helps in various life situations whether positive or negative. I think one of the most beautiful things on earth is when you can share something with other people. And music is one thing perfectly made to share with other humans. That’s inspiring and interesting.

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

DM: – I would change  that media formats would send and print more about music and concerts in general and presenting a wider variety in styles.

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

DM: – I found myself listening to stuff I need to practice…beside that some of Lars Danielsson. And I was recently at a concert from Genesis with Phil Collins.

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

DM: – Trying to touch the people, happy vibes dancing or melancholic vibes both nice. To bring positivity into peoples live and reminding us to enjoy as much as possible. Hopefully they can digress for sometime from the “normal” world or their problems..or even getting a solution for them while listening, like to forgive some one.

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

DM: – Hehe, I would like to go to the ancient Rome. I’m interested in (roman) history.  But not too long, I think the life was quite hard there…I would like to see the architecture in shape.

JBN: – So far, it’s been me asking you questions, now may I have a question from yourself…

SS: – You fool, our 18 questions weren’t enough for you to write your nonsense, that you should have asked me your question here, you are still being advertised for free, you are bum.

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

DM: – Thank you for your support and work for Jazz and music!

Interview by Simon Sargsyan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B0UqvLWFOo