Interview with Jazz Drummer and Composer Alvin Queen. 

Jazz Blues: – Please explain your creative process …

Alvin Queen: – My creative process is all about keeping the music as real as possible and alive. There are a lot of basics that are disappearing around the world since the creation of this music called jazz. Keep in mind, jazz was dance music back in the day. You have people today calling jazz “old fashion”, but it is the basis of what musicians are trying to play, it all came from jazz.

JB: – What are your main impulses to write music?

AQ: – I’m still working on all the exceptional compositions which were left by our jazz masters. Their compositions are still difficult for me to play, they are a challenge. I can’t write anything better than what has been written, so I’m dealing with it.

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JB: – What do you personally consider to be the incisive moments and pieces in your work and/or career?

AQ: – I’ve had a career of 62+ years which has made me very successful and allows me to enjoy a good life. I’ve worked with, and known, all the great jazz musicians of the past. The compositions of the jazz legends have given me something of a “spiritual gift” to share with my audiences and the music world. The legends of jazz have shown me the correct road to being creative, how to make the music happen, and the means to engage the audience with the music.

I am considered a legendary jazz drummer in some circles given my wealth of experience as a musician having performed, toured, and recorded with the giants of jazz. I’ve had the opportunity to record and perform with jazz artists including Kenny Barron, Grant Green, Horace Silver, Benny Maupin, Randy Brecker, Bob Berg, George Benson, Lonnie Smith, Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Oscar Peterson, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Nina Simone, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Hargrove, Mulgrew Miller, Milt Jackson, Horace Parlan, and Thad Jones – just to mention a few.

JB: – Before we jump into anything historical, can you tell us about what we can expect musically this evening?

AQ: – You can expect many things which have disappeared from the jazz scene as I see it today. We are playing melodies that have been around for decades (1929-1985), so people will recognize the music. These melodies are the foundation for the tempo and allows us to improvise and be creative at the highest level possible. In the process we invite the listeners along on the journey.

JB: – Are there sub-genres within the jazz field that you tend to stay away from or focus on?

AQ: – I grew up knowing I wanted to be a jazz musician, and very few musicians at that time were crossing over the various sub-genres of music. I particularly wanted to be a jazz drummer and nothing else. I’ve known musicians who played in many of the sub-genres of music, such as: Big Bands, Small Combos, Latin Bands, Dance Bands, Rhythm & Blues Bands, and Funk Bands. You specialized at what you enjoyed to play, and you stayed within your niche’.

JB: – When was your first desire to become involved in music and what did you learn about yourself from music?

AQ: – I grew up in a black musical neighborhood where we heard music all day long on the jukebox, which we had in every local bar and café. My mother played music in our home, constantly listening to such artists as Ruth Brown, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, Arthur Prysock, Frank Sinatra, and many more. I was seven years old when I began to appreciate the music I heard all around me.

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

AQ: – I always pay attention to the “vibe” of the audience as we want them to get involved in the experience from the beginning. If I make them happy, they will follow me anywhere I decide to take them. It’s like being on a spiritual trip. Once the journey was over, the audience is excited and would return night after night knowing the spontaneity would make each show different.

JB: – What do you love most about your 2024 album: ‘Alvin Queen Trio – Feeling Good’, how it was formed and what you are working on today.

AQ: – I feel my new cd is successful because of the processes we used to manage the project. First, I selected standard tunes that I grew up with during the early part of my life, and as a young musician practicing and performing these melodies with other musicians. I heard these tunes played by Cannon Ball Adderley, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, George Braith, Big John Patton, Grant Green, George Benson, and Art Blakey. They were all featuring these tunes on the bandstand with a “jazz feel” and most of the music came from Broadway and movie themes.

Secondly, I chose all the tunes for this cd, and invited two exceptional musicians to join the project who I felt would capture the true essence of the music.

Lastly, I invited a very good friend of mine Kevin Bennett Goolsby to write the liner notes for the project. Kevin’s extensive research provided the history behind these melodies which really made the project special. The liner notes are like reading a book and we are telling the story.

Buy from here – New CD 2024

JB: – Did your sound evolve during that time? And how did you select the musicians who play on the album?

AQ: – No, my sound has not evolved because I grew up learning and listening to the sounds of the masters at the jazz club Birdland. I heard the best drummers of our time: Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Mel Lewis, Philly Joe Jones, and Max Roach, they were using Calf Skin the same as the bass players. I’ve had this distinctive drum sound in my ears for many years.

As far as the musicians on this project: I’d been hearing about pianist Carlton Holmes for many years, but we never had a chance to get together and play. Carlton is known for his work with Michael Carvin, Donald Byrd, and Diane Reeves to mention a few. I really enjoyed recording this project with Carlton, he is an exceptional musician, he had a great feel for the music, and you hear it in his playing. Carlton is a great person, and I truly appreciated his contributions to the trio.

I’ve known bassist Danton Boller for over 20 years, Danton is like a son to me and such a great musician. I first met Danton in the Benny Wallace Quartet many years ago, which also included Mulgrew Miller and Steve Nelson. Danton also spent time with the Roy Hargrove Quintet, and he is currently a member of the Roy Hargrove Big Band.

JB: – How would you describe and rate the music scene you are currently living?

AQ: – This is a question which is hard for me to answer because I’m not a musician trying to survive in today’s world of music. I built my career by traveling the world for the last 50 years, so I’m enjoying the benefits which I have received.

The music scene has changed from the time of my youth and early adulthood. I heard the original music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, and they had the experience of playing in dance bands, such as Billy Eckstine, who’s band also featured Charlie Parker and Gene Ammon.

These great musicians and bands gave me the opportunity to learn what the feeling should be and how to perform with the correct tempo. The bass drum was the metronome and the heartbeat of the band giving listeners a danceable rhythm to follow.

The freedom of the drums only started in the early 60’s as seen by Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Billy Higgins, and Jack De Johnette just to name a few.

JB: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of taking certain paths and certain directions?

AQ: – The direction that I received came from the older musicians who taught me what to look out for and to follow what was happening within the music. They taught me how to use “dynamics” and “building” to make things happen, remember we didn’t have all this amplification at that time, everything was acoustic, so you would have to use your imagination, or they would tell you to shut-up and think.

JB: – Do you ever get the feeling that music majors, and particularly people who are going into jazz, are being cranked out much like business majors? That they are not really able to express themselves as jazz musicians?

AQ: – The music business has really changed within the last 50 years! Most of the talented musicians who were playing jazz music had a great “ear” and decided to attend conservatories to learn how to read and write things out.

I would like to say education is very good to have, but you must find experienced musicians to truly understand how to use what you learned in the conservatory. You become a more skilled musician by playing with the masters. One of the problems of today is that most of the masters are gone.

Remember, there’s a “bandstand” language and a “conservatory” language, so you must find a way to mesh this information and put it together, most of this information you can find on recordings. When I was growing up I had the opportunity to see most of the masters in person and that’s how I learned.

JB: – With such an illustrious career, what has given you the most satisfaction musically?

AQ: – I’ve really enjoyed meeting people and traveling the world. I love creating music and satisfying my audiences. Through my music I’ve learned to be open and share my experiences with the world. Having done so, I’m happily enjoying life.

JB: – From the musical and feeling point of view is there any difference between a old and great jazz man and young?

AQ: – Yes, there is a big difference, experienced jazz musicians would never come to a gig and ask you what you want of him, this guy knows from the beginning what to give you. The younger musicians don’t have the discipline and experience that the older musicians have, you can’t compete with older musicians, some with decades of experience, but you certainly can learn from them.

JB: – What advice would you give to aspiring musicians thinking of pursuing a career?

AQ: – Listen to different musicians and find an instrument that speaks to you, try to imitate that sound, idolize it, research their background and where this person is coming from.

It would be wise to learn every standard tune from the All-American Standard Songbook of Broadway themes, most of which are recorded with a jazz feel. You will not be able to work on the jazz scene without knowing these tunes and be sure to learn them in every key.

JB: – Do You like our questions? So far, it’s been me asking you questions, now may I have a question from yourself…

AQ: – No I don’t have any questions, but I feel that your questions were great, and I hope that you and the readers of your site: jazzbluesnews.com will enjoy the interview. It was a pleasure.

JB: – Have you ever given a free concert during your entire concert career? At the bottom line, what are your expectations from our interview?

AQ: – Yes, I have given many free concerts all over Africa as part of America’s cultural outreach and exchange programs.

I hope the information will be shared with many of our young jazz students and I hope the information that I shared will help them to achieve their goals.

Thanks once again!

ALVIN QUEEN

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Interview by  Elléa Beauchêne