Interview with Abdul Moimême: Most music commonly strives to stir one’s emotions: Video

Interview with a bad musician, as if guitarist, problematic person Abdul Moimême. An interview by email in writing. This strange so-called musician’s relationship with the media is very offensive, so he gets his answer here. He considers performing for the audience free of charge. Unfortunately, yes, he wants the American media with thousands of readers to advertise him for free. They need to get away from valuable music like Jazz, let them do whatever they want.

JazzBluesNews.com: – First, let’s start out with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music.  How exactly did your adventure take off? 

Abdul Moimême: – Until my adulthood my family and I traveled extensively. Aged 3 we moved to New Mexico for a year and later I lived in Dublin, Madrid, Boston, and the Azores Islands; finally settling in Lisbon. My adventure took off in various stages. To begin with, music was constantly playing in our home. My father loved Bach and my mother used to tune in to the pirate radio, Radio Caroline, anchored in the Sea of Ireland, which captured well the zeitgeist of the time.

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

AM: – Achieving my sound implied entirely rethinking the guitar as an instrument and, consequently, creating a new techniques of playing. I also designed and built the two guitars I currently play in tandem, which are set flat on horizontal supports. Initially, I only used objects to ‘prepare’ my instrument but have recently began to explore the possibilities of electronics. In recent years, my rig has become slightly more complex. Over time, the sounds change my approach and, conversely, my approach changed my sounds by degrees.

Our US/EU Jazz-Blues Association Festivals 2023 with performances by international stars: Photos

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

AM: – My routine is to play live as much as possible, with musicians that inspire me. Practice is most efficient when done with others. The social dimension is added. Essentially, as I consider myself a ‘sound artist’, my ear training exercises are based on my working prolifically mixing project for myself and others.

There could be talk or advertising about your CD

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

AM: – In my opinion, most music commonly strives to stir one’s emotions; seldomly is it conceived to stimulate the intellect and only very rarely does it satisfy both conditions simultaneously. I can’t define what that balance might be but ideally it’s definitely there!

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

AM: – I can’t say I know what people are longing for, in general, let alone in particular, but I know exactly what I want to offer them. More often than not, after concerts, members of the audience will approach me with questions and comments, usually reinforcing the notion that a connection was established, which is most satisfying. I never underestimate the audience’s capacity of understanding what’s being played.

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

AM: – What a great question! They can always attempt writing their own. There are also the ‘modern standards’ which are hardly that old. Frequently, Jazz has assimilated and expanded the Pop music of the day.

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

AM: – Giving musicians a very substantial share of streaming profits, something they are certainly not getting.

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

AM: – It’s too large a variety of musicians and styles to mention here. Though I can easily highlight the electronic music duo composed of Lionel Marchetti and Xavier Garcia.

JBN: – Have you ever given a free concert during your entire concert career?

AM: – Unfortunately, yes.

Interview by Simon Sarg