Interview with impolite, dull, unhuman, drawn creature, as if bass trombonist John Wasson. An interview by email in writing.

Dear readers, get to know more about our US/EU Jazz – Blues Festivals and the activities of our US/EU Jazz – Blues Association in the capitals of Europe, we will soon publish this program for 2024, enjoy in the July – August – Brussels, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Sofia, new address this year, also in Budapest and Liverpool.

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? When did you realize that this was a passion you could make a living out of?

John Wasson: – I grew up in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul). I started in band in 6th grade, but it wasn’t until 10th grade that I started on trombone. I enrolled in a summer music program before my senior year, and that was the year I decided to pursue music as a full time vocation.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Festivals 2023

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

JW: – My sound (on Bass Trombone) was first influenced by the symphony players I studied with in the Twin Cities. Through my college years I became more influenced by commercial players such as George Roberts and Bill Reichenbach. Later on I returned to symphony influences such as Charlie Vernon and Denson Pollard.

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

JW: – I do a strict warmup that takes me through all keys and registers. I practice scales (ncluding jazz scales) in all registers.

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

JW: – I believe they work hand in hand; the music must reflect passion and love while at the same time holding to some level of integrity, in order to avoid pure sentimentality.

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

JW: – I enjoy both giving the listeners what they desire and at the same time elevating their standards and experiences so that they can experience new levels of enjoyment.

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

JW: – At some point, those standards will join the canon the same way folk songs and classical music do; they become a part of the background tapestry upon which all newer music is written. I also think that many new, young jazz musicians are writing new music which will become standards over time as well. I think the performers who play jazz are as influential (if not more so) that the music that is played.

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

JW: – I believe that we are created in the image of God to be creative; thus, we are made in order to make new things, to bring things to life. I think man is at his highest expression when he is birthing new things into the world, as the world benefits, and the artist benefits as well.

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

JW: – Making live performance of jazz a much bigger part of society. There seem to be fewer clubs and venues in so many places

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

JW: – Jim McNeely, anything by the HR and WDR Big Bands, a lot of later classical music (Prokofiev, Bartok, Ravel, Debussy, etc.), and always, film scores.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Association 2023

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

JW: – I’m a big Science Fiction fan, so I would have to say 200-400 years in the future. Just so I can get home again!

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

JW: – Are you/were you a jazz performer?

JBN: – SS: – No, I am a musicologist by profession, now I am engaged in organizing big Jazz-Blues festivals and financing musicians in 15 capitals of Europe in the US/EU Jazz – Blues association.

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Interview by Simon Sarg