It’s interesting how life can have meaningful coincidental moments and you don’t even realize it until later on. I was introduced to James thru my husband Chris, but when we would run into each other it would be at a drum clinic, or when scouting wedding venues. The places were coincidental with not much time to have a full conversation. I knew James is a drummer, but I never had the opportunity to see him play.
I took a Jazz history class at the University of Pittsburgh. The class was taught by Dr. Suzuki. You will hear her occasionally on Pittsburgh’s Jazz station WZUM 101.1. Chris has a love for Jazz and he taught me the fundamentals. However, Dr. Suzuki brought Jazz to life and I was able to see and hear the power and meaning behind the genre. I knew Pittsburgh had a big Jazz scene at one time, but after learning everything she taught me, it made me frustrated that I missed out on the initial heyday. The good news is that Jazz scene continues to shine in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Suzuki invited musicians to come and play live for her students. James was one of the guest musicians. I was excited to finally see him play. I was captivated by his performance and I knew I had to interview him.
1) How did you find your love for music?
My love of music was sparked by my parents. I was also constantly surrounded by some very influential musicians that were in and out of my life from the early age of three. These experiences made it easy for me to fall in love with music and had a huge impact on me.
2) If you were trapped on a desert island what five drums or music books would you bring with you?
The books I would like to be stranded with on an island would be...Keith Copeland/ Creative Coordination, Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone & John Riley/The Art Of Bop Drumming
3) What is the best piece of advice you can give to an aspiring musician?
•Find a good teacher •Practice • Go hear live music. Listen, play, and expose yourself to a lot of different styles of music. Know what the risk is when striving to become a full-time artist/musician. Have fun and love it!
4) Describe one of your most memorable gigs?
There are many but, the most recent memorable gig would be the Glenn Zaleski Japan tour in 2018 which lasted ten days. It was my first time there and I had enough downtime to do some exploring which is fun when visiting new places!
5) Do you have any projects in the works that you would like to talk about?
I’m currently just writing a bunch of music and spending a lot of time in the studio. I’m hoping to release something by February of 2021
Find James on Instagram
Natalie Belin is the author of The Many Colors of Natalie, a book of poetry. She holds an associates degree in Specialized Technology Le Cordon Bleu Pastry Arts and in her spare time is an artist and percussionist.
🎵⭐ Thank You 🕉️👍
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
Delete