Tony Cimorosi
Publié : 15 nov. 2005, 14:12
Hello Tony, what were the critical aspects of your musical development (other musicians, specific books, getting to know a standard, a personal revelation, a certain practice method, etc.)?
Hello Bruno, well, I won't go back to when I was 6 years old when I started to play around on the piano. I grew up in Wilmington, Delaware outside of Philadelphia. When I was about 18 a jazz saxophonist named Joe Harris recommended me to study with this older gentleman named Bosie. Little did I know that Bosie (Robert Lowery) taught such great musicians from my area like Clifford Brown and Ernie Watts etc...? I studied with Bosie for only a short time but, I got lots out of it. He introduced a method to playing for over chord changes and learning more about harmony and improvisation. A couple of years later I moved to Boston Massachusetts and started playing with musicians from Berklee School of Music. I got a gig with a group and we started writing and playing our own music that at that time resembled groups like Yes, King Crimson, gentle Giant and ELP. The music was very changeling and the musicians were well schooled and primed for achieving great things. You know the story. Bands like that didn’t make too much money and eventually dispersed. They inspired me to start studying acoustic bass with Berklee faculty bassist, john Neves. While studying at Berklee and doing local gigs I saw Stanley Clarke playing with Chick Corea and Return to Forever. Well, I was floored by the band and Stanley’s playing so I contacted him and drove from Boston to NYC to take bass lessons with the maestro. After being on the road for a while, I decided to ventured back to Boston and that’s when I began my studies with Charles Banacus. Charlie changed my musical life. He's the Boston guru of jazz improvisation education. His studies were rigorous and demanded hours of writing and playing. The techniques that were covered included; chord scale improvisation, repertoire, pentatonic improvisation using his book and ear training via transcriptions. Here's my first lesson.
Learn all major scales in 15 keys (yes) 15 keys from the lowest note on the bass to the highest. On one string using one finger and doing the same with arpeggios. All written and played... transcribe Herbie's solo from (there's no greater love) off of the four or more record. That all took about 70 hours of work. When I went in the following week for my second lesson, Charlie was inquiring as to why I couldn't play the solo on bass at tempo. My musical Epiphany
When I lived in Boston I was fortunate to have great musicians around me as room mates and band mates. Drummer Casey Scheurell was one of those. One day I was practicing Joy Spring on the upright and he came into the room with the Jaco record and put on Donna Lee. Man, after that me, like a million other fender bass players pulled those nasty frets out of the bass finding that we had to fix it back again in order to keep our gigs. After a while when you'd get comfortable without the frets. That was the time when lots of us were trying to sound likes jaco and not who we really were. I call that period, “the identity crisis of my bass self”. I got over it and moved on... then Marcus miller came on the scene and WOW!
Playing with drummers like Casey, Vinnie Caluttia, Steve Smith (journey)These musicians taught me valuable lessons on playing time. Learning the inside scoop about music and trusting your counterpart (the drummer) was paramount when it came to drums and bass. There were also some great bass players like Neil Stubenhause, Tim Landers, Rich Appleman and John Neves on the scene to inspire me. Recordings like Emerald Tears (Dave Holland) and Mountains in the clouds (mirslov Vitous) were always on my turntable. Guitarist Ross Adams was very influential on many levels musically and spiritually.
Ø If I want to go out and buy a CD or a method of yours tomorrow, what do you recommend I listen to?
My new Cd, it's been one hell of a journey to finish but I think I’m there. The studio lost 4 songs in pro-tools so I had to re-record some new tracks. I'm very proud of this piece and I think it represents my eclectic musical nature. I think my solo on Dear Prudence from the Eklipse cd is a good representation of my 6 string bass playing. The solo on Blue Samba from my debut cd titled Tony Cimorosi NY International gives the listener a chance to hear my writing and soloing skills with Brazilian fusion. I just finished recording a Cd with a 20 piece big band playing my NS electric upright bass and man, that's a good one too. You See, I can't make a choice.
Ø Are there still musicians that you listen to who give you strength and energy? Could you talk about that?
the musicians that I play with inspire me as a composer and player. These musicians include Andrew Scott Potter, Alex Foster, Jay Azzolina, Rob Aries, Frank Colon, Steve Johns, Badal Roy, Vince Cherico and the list goes on and on.
Ø Could you describe a typical week in your life (your interactions with other musicians, your courses, rehearsals, > practice)?
I exercise in the morning, joggle 3 balls, practice Chi Kung and eat my oatmeal. LOL
Musically, I practice Bach. The cello suites both pizz and arco, then i'll play along with CDs like Kurt Elling or a Wayne Shorter records like “Speak no evil”. There’s always a lesson waiting when you play with Wayne. I think playing with singers is a great challenge and listening to their phrasing helps me to sing better on my instrument. With Wayne Shorter, it's composition, ear-training, improvisation and responding.
Ø What is your preferred ensemble – the trio or the quartet? Do you think a certain ensemble works best or does it depend on your > mood?
I think the trio is the most personable for me. The piano (keyboards), bass and drums.... and let's not forget the cost of paying more players do your gigs (he he).... When I start to tour with this new cd (Horizon) I'll most likely use a trio and when possible, add a horn.
Ø Along the same line, do you have a favorite tempo? What keys do you like to play in?
I like most tempo's ... and I can pretty much play comfortably in the up-tempo be-bop, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and Fusion styles. I love playing ballads and in 6/8 off the cuff, I’d say 126 is fun and 138 playing 1/16 note range is exciting.
Ø Do you consider the bass as a rhythm instrument or do you also find appeal in freeform soloing and chord-playing?
It's both, and today because of technology, and musicians like Stanley Clarke, Dave Holland, Jaco, John Patitucci and Mirslov, we can get see what it's like to be up front of the band as soloist and rhythm section players. The bass is wide open and still available to cover ground in uncharted seas of notes and rhythms. Composers like jaco and Scott lafaro helped propelled the bass up a notch and earlier guys like Mingus, Chambers and Pettiford moved the bass into the upper register. We have to keep writing for the instrument and trying new things.
Ø Where do you think Coltrane’s experiment with two basses in one band could lead music?
I think trane was always experimenting with new and unusual concepts with musk, composition, and spiritual connections. With the two bass concepts, I think it's more of an orchestration concept of the lower register.
Ø What advice would you give to young musicians reading this?
Follow what you love to do and stay with it as long as you live. Eat well, exercise, meditate, don’t forget to help other musicians and play as much as possible.
Ø Do you think there are any solutions to the crisis in the recording industry, the struggle of those who try to make a living as musicians, and the digitalization of music?
Not really, I think this time is a good time for independent musicians. We now have the internet to distribute our product and the technology to record at affordable levels.
Ø Without getting into a deeply philosophical debate, do you think musicians have something to say about the world’s troubles: global warming, conflicts, economic struggles?
Something to say. Well, anyone and everyone musician or not has a point of view about this subject. If you read history you can see that things really haven’t changed with us except that we now have technology and the capability of total destruction. Musicians speak about the times their in and these times are precarious times for the world and art.
Bruno, thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak to your reader’s. I have seen from your web site and your books that you’re one of those talented and gifted artists making the message clear to others with your music and writing. Your way of imparting knowledge and wisdom to others is admirable. I look forward to the day we meet and play. BIG HUG! TOnyc
http://www.tonycimorosi.com
Hello Bruno, well, I won't go back to when I was 6 years old when I started to play around on the piano. I grew up in Wilmington, Delaware outside of Philadelphia. When I was about 18 a jazz saxophonist named Joe Harris recommended me to study with this older gentleman named Bosie. Little did I know that Bosie (Robert Lowery) taught such great musicians from my area like Clifford Brown and Ernie Watts etc...? I studied with Bosie for only a short time but, I got lots out of it. He introduced a method to playing for over chord changes and learning more about harmony and improvisation. A couple of years later I moved to Boston Massachusetts and started playing with musicians from Berklee School of Music. I got a gig with a group and we started writing and playing our own music that at that time resembled groups like Yes, King Crimson, gentle Giant and ELP. The music was very changeling and the musicians were well schooled and primed for achieving great things. You know the story. Bands like that didn’t make too much money and eventually dispersed. They inspired me to start studying acoustic bass with Berklee faculty bassist, john Neves. While studying at Berklee and doing local gigs I saw Stanley Clarke playing with Chick Corea and Return to Forever. Well, I was floored by the band and Stanley’s playing so I contacted him and drove from Boston to NYC to take bass lessons with the maestro. After being on the road for a while, I decided to ventured back to Boston and that’s when I began my studies with Charles Banacus. Charlie changed my musical life. He's the Boston guru of jazz improvisation education. His studies were rigorous and demanded hours of writing and playing. The techniques that were covered included; chord scale improvisation, repertoire, pentatonic improvisation using his book and ear training via transcriptions. Here's my first lesson.
Learn all major scales in 15 keys (yes) 15 keys from the lowest note on the bass to the highest. On one string using one finger and doing the same with arpeggios. All written and played... transcribe Herbie's solo from (there's no greater love) off of the four or more record. That all took about 70 hours of work. When I went in the following week for my second lesson, Charlie was inquiring as to why I couldn't play the solo on bass at tempo. My musical Epiphany
When I lived in Boston I was fortunate to have great musicians around me as room mates and band mates. Drummer Casey Scheurell was one of those. One day I was practicing Joy Spring on the upright and he came into the room with the Jaco record and put on Donna Lee. Man, after that me, like a million other fender bass players pulled those nasty frets out of the bass finding that we had to fix it back again in order to keep our gigs. After a while when you'd get comfortable without the frets. That was the time when lots of us were trying to sound likes jaco and not who we really were. I call that period, “the identity crisis of my bass self”. I got over it and moved on... then Marcus miller came on the scene and WOW!
Playing with drummers like Casey, Vinnie Caluttia, Steve Smith (journey)These musicians taught me valuable lessons on playing time. Learning the inside scoop about music and trusting your counterpart (the drummer) was paramount when it came to drums and bass. There were also some great bass players like Neil Stubenhause, Tim Landers, Rich Appleman and John Neves on the scene to inspire me. Recordings like Emerald Tears (Dave Holland) and Mountains in the clouds (mirslov Vitous) were always on my turntable. Guitarist Ross Adams was very influential on many levels musically and spiritually.
Ø If I want to go out and buy a CD or a method of yours tomorrow, what do you recommend I listen to?
My new Cd, it's been one hell of a journey to finish but I think I’m there. The studio lost 4 songs in pro-tools so I had to re-record some new tracks. I'm very proud of this piece and I think it represents my eclectic musical nature. I think my solo on Dear Prudence from the Eklipse cd is a good representation of my 6 string bass playing. The solo on Blue Samba from my debut cd titled Tony Cimorosi NY International gives the listener a chance to hear my writing and soloing skills with Brazilian fusion. I just finished recording a Cd with a 20 piece big band playing my NS electric upright bass and man, that's a good one too. You See, I can't make a choice.
Ø Are there still musicians that you listen to who give you strength and energy? Could you talk about that?
the musicians that I play with inspire me as a composer and player. These musicians include Andrew Scott Potter, Alex Foster, Jay Azzolina, Rob Aries, Frank Colon, Steve Johns, Badal Roy, Vince Cherico and the list goes on and on.
Ø Could you describe a typical week in your life (your interactions with other musicians, your courses, rehearsals, > practice)?
I exercise in the morning, joggle 3 balls, practice Chi Kung and eat my oatmeal. LOL
Musically, I practice Bach. The cello suites both pizz and arco, then i'll play along with CDs like Kurt Elling or a Wayne Shorter records like “Speak no evil”. There’s always a lesson waiting when you play with Wayne. I think playing with singers is a great challenge and listening to their phrasing helps me to sing better on my instrument. With Wayne Shorter, it's composition, ear-training, improvisation and responding.
Ø What is your preferred ensemble – the trio or the quartet? Do you think a certain ensemble works best or does it depend on your > mood?
I think the trio is the most personable for me. The piano (keyboards), bass and drums.... and let's not forget the cost of paying more players do your gigs (he he).... When I start to tour with this new cd (Horizon) I'll most likely use a trio and when possible, add a horn.
Ø Along the same line, do you have a favorite tempo? What keys do you like to play in?
I like most tempo's ... and I can pretty much play comfortably in the up-tempo be-bop, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and Fusion styles. I love playing ballads and in 6/8 off the cuff, I’d say 126 is fun and 138 playing 1/16 note range is exciting.
Ø Do you consider the bass as a rhythm instrument or do you also find appeal in freeform soloing and chord-playing?
It's both, and today because of technology, and musicians like Stanley Clarke, Dave Holland, Jaco, John Patitucci and Mirslov, we can get see what it's like to be up front of the band as soloist and rhythm section players. The bass is wide open and still available to cover ground in uncharted seas of notes and rhythms. Composers like jaco and Scott lafaro helped propelled the bass up a notch and earlier guys like Mingus, Chambers and Pettiford moved the bass into the upper register. We have to keep writing for the instrument and trying new things.
Ø Where do you think Coltrane’s experiment with two basses in one band could lead music?
I think trane was always experimenting with new and unusual concepts with musk, composition, and spiritual connections. With the two bass concepts, I think it's more of an orchestration concept of the lower register.
Ø What advice would you give to young musicians reading this?
Follow what you love to do and stay with it as long as you live. Eat well, exercise, meditate, don’t forget to help other musicians and play as much as possible.
Ø Do you think there are any solutions to the crisis in the recording industry, the struggle of those who try to make a living as musicians, and the digitalization of music?
Not really, I think this time is a good time for independent musicians. We now have the internet to distribute our product and the technology to record at affordable levels.
Ø Without getting into a deeply philosophical debate, do you think musicians have something to say about the world’s troubles: global warming, conflicts, economic struggles?
Something to say. Well, anyone and everyone musician or not has a point of view about this subject. If you read history you can see that things really haven’t changed with us except that we now have technology and the capability of total destruction. Musicians speak about the times their in and these times are precarious times for the world and art.
Bruno, thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak to your reader’s. I have seen from your web site and your books that you’re one of those talented and gifted artists making the message clear to others with your music and writing. Your way of imparting knowledge and wisdom to others is admirable. I look forward to the day we meet and play. BIG HUG! TOnyc
http://www.tonycimorosi.com