“We write to taste life twice, in the moment
and in retrospect.”
Monday, September 22, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Interiors of Man Interviews Bassist, Ben Williams
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| Courtesy of the Artist or their Representative |
The bass instrument can be hidden under a band
ensemble or intone its voice through a solo performance, poetic reading, musical
interlude, or through other capacities to be heard. I think of it as the masculine life force of
jazz, whereas Bassist, Ben Williams expounds on it with a feminine analogy.
The first time I sampled Williams’ debut
album, State of Art, I heard a level of jazz from a young
musician, whom I instantly wanted to interview as former Culture Editor of a
Fashion and Performing Arts magazine without any awareness of the album’s
ranking and reviews, having reached #1 on the iTunes and National Billboard
charts, and receiving a 4.5 Star Review from DownBeat Magazine.
Listening to the album in its entirety,
has more than fulfilled what I’d imagined would be a worthy investment. I’d ascribe this to a formal education from
the Duke Ellington High School of the Arts, followed by a Bachelor’s in Music
Education from Michigan State University and a Master’s degree from Julliard, coupled
with seasoned experience as a bass player-bandleader and a cadre of talented
musicians making up his band, Sound Effect, which all have enabled Williams to
co-produce a masterful debut on Concord Records after receiving the 2009
Thelonious Monk International Bass Competition Award.
The debut’s arrangements, based on
originals by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Goapele, to Blackburn and
Suessdorf’s, “Moonlight in Vermont,” are indicative of Williams’ talent as a
polished arranger, while his originals attest to his overall craftsmanship.
Since winning the 2009 Monk Competition
and debuting State of Art in 2011, Ben Williams has added Grammy
Winner to his list of venerated accomplishments, earning a Grammy Award with
the Pat Metheny Unity Band for Best Jazz Instrumental Album of 2012, and again
receiving recognition from DownBeat Magazine as its 2013 Critics Poll Rising
Star Award for Bass.
Having accomplished a great deal at a
young age, the path to Williams’ career as a bassist can be foretold at a far
younger age, as revealed at the start of my interview with Ben and near the end
where his mother/manager personally recounts how Ben’s relationship with
Congressman John Conyers influenced his future as a musician in the bonus, "How
Ben’s Career Began."
Interiors of Man: Given that becoming a bassist was
tied to your destiny – coming across the instrument as a six-year-old in the
office of Congressman Conyers – relive for us if possible, your introduction to
the bass and something about that experience, which you haven’t shared.
Ben Williams: Actually, I wasn’t aware at the time what the instrument was.
I was pretty young, so I only have a vague memory of this enormous wooden
“thing” sitting in the corner of his office. The acoustic bass is not a highly
visible part of American culture these days, due mostly to the fact that it’s
not used in the most popular genres. I wasn’t familiar with the instrument, but
was very intrigued by it. I can’t say what type of connection occurred but I
think it is more than just a coincidence that my mother’s boss happened to be a
lover of jazz and of the bass. Destiny, or however you want to think of it, I
do feel that everyone is given a path and there are things put in your life to
tie everything together.
"I feel the bass is strong in the same sense that a mother is strong ... she is constantly working to make sure everything is taken care of and makes whatever sacrifices necessary to ensure the security of her family."
IOM: I see the bass instrument as the masculine life force of
jazz and you have articulated its personality verbally and musically.
What personality traits do you share with the bass that produces chemistry
between you and the instrument?
BW: Well first of all, I don’t look at the bass
as masculine. To me, it has a feminine force. I even name all of my
instruments, and they all have female names. I feel the bass is strong in
the same sense that a mother is strong. Maybe she isn’t the loudest, nor
seeks the most attention, but she is constantly working to make sure
everything is taken care of and makes whatever sacrifices necessary to ensure
the security of her family. She puts everyone before herself. Though I am a
male, I do feel I have certain personality traits that are conducive to being a
great bass player. I think the most important is humility. The bass carries a
great deal of responsibility as the rhythmic and harmonic foundation. Our job
can go unnoticed and we are often underappreciated, but we still maintain a
love for what it is we do. I think the bass is very fitting for the type of
person I am.
IOM: What do you think were the key elements that played a
role in your winning the 2009 Thelonious Monk International Bass Competition,
and what have been the greatest benefits of winning the award?
BW: It’s hard for me to say what made the judges
decide to award me first prize, because music is so subjective, there is really
no grading scale (once you get to a certain level) of what’s better than the
rest. I can say though, that I performed to the best of my ability that
particular evening and I chose the appropriate material to best demonstrate my
strengths as a player. I think that is important in any competition; that you
give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. Part of the competition was
performing with Dee Dee Bridgewater, which I really enjoyed and I embraced the
spirit she brought to the stage.
A lot of great things have happened as a result of winning
the Monk Competition; I received a recording contract with Concord Records,
under which I released my debut album “State of Art,” and preparing to release
my second album “Coming of Age.” It has brought more attention to me as a
bandleader, through which I have really been able to develop my skills as a
composer. If I hadn’t won the competition, I’m not sure how much I would have
delved into that path. I am very grateful for that opportunity.
"The essence of what is 'good' about music is innate; as spirit-filled individuals, we all have the ability to receive something from music."
IOM: With State of Art, you said that you wanted
to make an album that regular people could enjoy and make a deep artistic
statement as well. Do you find that achieving such a goal offers
listeners artistic growth and the opportunity to expand their views and musical
tastes?
BW: I've always felt that the greatest artists are able to grab
the attention of the audience while challenging them at the same time. I think
that's the beautiful mystique of great composition; the balance of what's
familiar with the unexpected. My musical heroes have done that continuously
throughout their careers. Miles, Wayne Shorter, Stevie Wonder, the Beatles (to
name a few) all have the uncanny ability to seduce us with the beauty of their
music while pushing our tastes and expectations into a new direction. I always
make it a point to stay in touch with my inner "music fan" in order
to maintain an objective point of view of my music (as objective as one can be
about their own work). The essence of what is "good" about music
is innate; as spirit-filled individuals, we all have the ability to receive
something from music.
IOM: Your music is
identified as jazz, yet you claim it as Soul Music. Do you define
yourself as a Soul Artist, and if so, what does being a Soul Artist mean to you?
BW: I like to think
of my music as “Soul” music because that’s where it comes from. My music,
though eclectic in influence, basically represents the Black American
experience. “Soul” is a very important aspect of music in Black American
culture. It’s hard to define what “it” is, but it is a feeling that must be a
part of the music in order for us to connect with it. This is not genre
specific; whether it’s jazz, funk, R&B, reggae, gospel, blues, country,
folk, etc., it must connect to the spirit (or the “soul”). My music is no
different. I use music as a tool of expression to convey my innermost feelings
and emotions. In my opinion, that is when music is most powerful. Referring to
myself as a “soul” artist represents more of an idea than a genre, per se.
IOM: What changes can
we expect between State of Art and
your future album, Coming of Age?
BW: My second release is not so much a change
from the first album, but rather a continuation. My focus and intention remain
the same, but this album reflects my growth as a man, musician, and composer. I
have definitely grown in many aspects in the years following my first release,
and while that is natural, it is also the theme of this next album. It is my
reaction to both the changes in the world around me and my personal changes as
a man. As I’ve grown older, I began to look at things in life differently, and
naturally as an artist, my music reflects these newfound life discoveries. One
major difference in this album is that all the compositions except one are
original. I’ve become more comfortable as a composer and am starting to find
somewhat of a voice. Also, I’m playing more electric bass than I did on the
first album. Though “Coming of Age” may be more introspective, my intention
always remains to connect with the listener.
IOM: Final question, what if any advice has
Congressman Conyers given to you about jazz over the years, given his love for
the genre, and how has he reacted to your accomplishments as a professional
musician?
BW: Congressman Conyers has been very supportive
of my career as a musician as well as the artform itself and the many issues we
face. I have had the opportunity to perform at his annual Congressional Black
Caucus Jazz Concert on two different occasions; the first time as a 12 year-old
(as a member of the Fred Foss Youth Jazz Band) and years later as a 26
year-old, seasoned professional leading my own band, Sound Effect. Truly a full
circle experience. He has been very supportive along the way as well. I have a
lot of admiration and respect for Congressman Conyers, not only because of his
love of the music, but the fact that he uses his political platform to advocate
for artists. It is a great feeling for us artists to know that we have
someone in Congress that shares our passion and is willing to speak up for us
in a place where otherwise we might not have a voice.
_____________________________________________
“How Ben’s Career Began”
By
Bennie Barnes
As told
to Yvonne Grays Nathane
First
I must tell you that not only am I Ben's Manager, I am his Mother. I call myself his "Mommanger." The story about his relationship with
Conyers is that I had worked for the Congressman for a number of years and even
before Ben was born. When Ben was
toddling around and before he started school I used to take him to work with me
on occasions. He saw this thing [upright
bass] sitting in the corner in the Congressman's office and he appeared to have
been intrigued and curious about it. He
played with it as a little kid would play with a toy, banging on it, etc. Like any parent, I didn't know what career
path my child would take. For many
reasons I believed that he was destined to play the bass. Other things transpired that followed his
discovery of the bass in Conyers' office although he didn't know what this
thing was at the time.
When
he started Middle School and attempted to sign up for music in the strings
class since he was interested in playing the guitar, he found out that was the
wrong class for guitar and it was too late to join the guitar class. He had to pick up a string instrument of the
class he accidentally signed up for. The
other part to the situation was that there were no other instruments left in
that class but a bass and the only one at that.
Again, sitting in the corner was this thing [the upright bass]. As a single mom I had to tote this big thing
around for him because he could not and it was a prerequisite that the parent
of that age kid had to sign an agreement with the music program that you would
take on this added responsibility of caring for the bass along with the kid and
bring it to and from school twice a week.
Also, I had to bring my vehicle in to show them that I could properly
handle this thing in my possession.
Eventually I was known as the Bass Player's Mom among the local jazz
musicians in DC who helped mentor Ben.
"Milt Hinton literally passed the bass torch over to Ben."
When
it was time to decide on college, Ben decided on Michigan State University -
again, a Conyers connection. Conyers,
as you know sponsors the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Jazz Concert. When Ben was 12 years old, I had asked
Conyers if this little kid band could do the opening act at his concert. He thought I was out of my mind. I promised him it would be a big hit and the
people would love it. Well I was able to
pull together the Chairman of NEA, a representative
from the Monk Institute, and others to help support this effort. So happened that evening, the late
legendary Bassist, Milt Hinton was being Honored by Conyers at the
Concert. Fortunately for Ben, Milt was
there to see him perform with his little band orchestra, The Fillmore Arts
Center Jazz Band. Ben was given a couple
solos and the crowd went ballistic. The
MC called Ben back to the stage to perform with a senior group of artists. I
couldn't allow Ben
to return to the stage because he had injured his little tender fingers from
the first set and they were bleeding. Milt
Hinton and his wife invited us to sit at their table for the remainder of the
evening where they shared valuable information about the joy and
responsibilities of bass players, as well as the huge compliments he gave
to Ben for a great performance of the evening.
Milt Hinton literally passed the bass torch over to Ben. It was truly an honor. The next morning we got a phone call from
Milt Hinton and he sent Ben his first set of bass strings by UPS within two
days. They kept in touch with us until
their failing illnesses.
To me this is what Conyers had done for Ben by providing a
forum and opportunity to showcase his potential talent as an upcoming future
musician. Ever since that night at age 12, Ben has been
called upon as a bass player. It was
also the beginning for me to learn how to manage and oversee my child's
education and career simultaneously with hands on the deck.
_______________________________________
To contact Ben’s Manager and receive music information visit,
Friday, July 25, 2014
Preview to an Interview
While in the midst of wrapping up an interview with Concord Jazz Artist, Ben Williams, here’s a look at a live jam session with his band,
Sound Effect, performing "Mr. Dynamite."
Ben Williams- bass, John Davis- drums, Alex Wintz- guitar, Marcus Strickland- sax, Christian Sands- piano
Ben Williams- bass, John Davis- drums, Alex Wintz- guitar, Marcus Strickland- sax, Christian Sands- piano
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Behind the Words of Maya Angelou
I have read her books. I have read her poems, but what has moved me the
most about Dr. Maya Angelou was her character beyond words, displayed by her intolerance to the derision
of others.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Links to Excellence – Music for Moving Images
ABC’s new drama series, Black
Box, leaves jazz lovers wanting more from composers, Olivier and Clare
Manchon. Their jazzy compositions
interpreted from the composers’ concept of “moving images,” mesh perfectly with
sensuous horns and human desires, resulting in a stimulating jazz score
reminiscent of the best in cool jazz.
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| Photo Credit: Susan Pittard Courtesy of the Artists |
Sharing more on creating the music for Black Box, while explaining that the score will become “more broad … strings
(all real) and of course non jazz stress cues,” led to an extended Links to
Excellence series, as composers, Clare and Olivier articulated, “we’re very
much into keeping organic elements wherever possible, to create richer more
powerful textures to attach to the characters.”
Following is more of what they had to say about collaborating with the
show’s creator, their recording sessions for Black Box and the musical variations to come:
“Olivier and I went from the indie-rock world to the documentary world
and sort of happily/surprisingly fell into the TV world. We have so enjoyed working with the creator of
"Black Box," Amy Holden Jones. She has such a clear vision and is a
great leader. She motivates everyone around her to greatness. Amy has
also found a nice balance to the score she wants to hear as well. It's
really an alternative jazz score, but with room for not being blocked into one
way of doing things and letting each scene dictate what needs to be painted
musically. We use a wide range of instruments, keep all our strings real and
use a Little Phatty Moog and a 1937 Rickenbacker lap steel, which has a
world of tones and textures coming out of it. We have weekly recording
sessions with jazz drummers, bass players and tenor sax players - many of the
best in the NYC jazz scene. It's a thrill. We're just so honored to have
the opportunity to make a score that's palatable, but also different from what
folks are used to hearing on network TV. ABC has been really supportive of pushing this
new boundary. "Black Box" gets better and better with each
episode-epic!”
Friday, April 18, 2014
Interiors of Man Interviews Actor, Carl Lumbly
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| Courtesy of the Artist and Marin Theatre Company |
Beginning his career as a freelance journalist, writing for the Associated
Press with an English degree from Macalester College, Carl Lumbly’s rise as an
outstanding actor began in the 70s and 80s with popular movies and TV series,
as Cagney & Lacey; and the 90s film role, To Sleep with Anger, working
with veteran actor, Danny Glover and the film’s director, MacArthur “Genius”
Grant Recipient, Charles Burnett.
Successively landing dramatic roles with memorable scenes in The
Wedding, co-starring Halle Berry; The Ditchdigger’s Daughters and an Outstanding Lead Actor, NAACP Image
Award Nomination in Buffalo Soldiers, Lumbly’s
acting credits extend beyond these and, action series, Alias, to the theatre with
Lead Performance in Eden, earning him
the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award.
Credited with other theatrical works, Lumbly takes star billing in
August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play, Fences, currently running at Marin Theatre Company
in Mill Valley, California from April 10 to May 11, 2014.
Speaking with Lumbly between performances, this distinguished actor
whose presence conveys capability before a word is uttered graciously honored
me an interview about his starring role in Fences, his acting techniques, and a few personal realities about his life and career.
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| Margo Hall as Rose and Carl Lumbly as Troy Maxson in August Wilson's Fences directed by Derrick Sanders. |
Interiors
of Man: Most actors who have honed their
craft have done so through great theatrical productions. What is your starring
role in August Wilson’s, Fences giving
to you on and off stage?
Carl Lumbly: August Wilson is one of the greatest
playwrights the world has ever seen. And as an African-American writer,
he set a very high bar for directors and actors who would seek to do his plays. Troy Maxson is a role of incredible depth and complexity. It is
also a very large role. So, to master the text and develop the character
has been, and continues to be a daily devotion. Onstage, playing Troy
calls upon all of my skill and commitment. The language is gorgeous and
muscular. August has created a black man many of us have known, but who
is rarely recognized. These men held jobs many of us would not take,
raised families, stayed in marriages and sacrificed for their children. They were plagued by doubts and fears, hemmed in by biases and
indignities, but still managed to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Troy has had a very strict code of behavior. He is in the process
of betraying that code when the play starts, and that betrayal of personal code
sets in motion the destruction of the world he has fought so hard to create.
It costs him his wife, his son, his best friend and his position in his
community. Playing him is a privilege. He represents men of a
generation that made hard choices, had fewer options and freedoms.
Portraying that struggle honestly is exhausting but gratifying.
Troy's journey makes an important point about how the relaxation of
personal standards can upend the strongest of individuals. Minus the
betrayal, Troy has much in common with my father. Black men of that generation had to fight on
so many fronts Offstage. As a father
myself, this play gives me a perspective on the importance of being able to
express love to our children. Love is a key ingredient in the development
of children, and the preservation of a people.
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| Eddie Ray Jackson as Cory and Carl Lumbly as Troy (foreground) with Margo Hall as Rose (background) in August Wilson's Fences |
IOM: In Fences,
Wilson expressed the responsibility of “owing” through the lecture your
character, Troy, gives to his son. As
artists we feel obligated to our artistic debts – the creative urge to produce
what’s inside of us. What are your artistic debts or urgings?
CL: When I first began doing this work, I simply wanted to try and
portray black men who resembled black men I knew and respected. I felt I
owed them. I wanted to do justice to them. I wanted them to see
images of themselves that they could relate to, and be proud of. I wanted
to be associated with positive and meaningful stories and characters. And
whenever I get the opportunity, I am compelled to do as thorough a job as I
can. I feel as though I must work as hard as they do. I honor them
with my intention and effort. And in this business, I know there are more
talented individuals than myself who have not been given the opportunities I've
worked for and received. So, any time I get a job, a part of me is motivated
by the awareness that I am fortunate and blessed to be able to do this work.
 |
| Eddie Ray Jackson, Margo Hall and Carl Lumbly playing respective roles in Fences. |
IOM: You bring intensity to your role[s] that few actors can
capture. The characterization never slips into an imitation of the
portrayal. How do you capture and secure
the realism of your characters?
CL: My intensity as an artist comes from my
desire to answer questions about the character, as well as answering questions
about myself. I always find and compile a long list of similarities ...
things I have in common with a character. I do a lot of research about
the time in which the character lives. What are the broad political
issues at work? What makes up the character's world view? What
does the character see and feel on any given day? And, of course, the text
of any play or script is replete with clues and avenues of exploration with
which you can become an expert on every aspect of the character. Then, I
try to marry the words of the text to this construction of experiences,
memories and actions that make up the character's world, and I add to that the
places where I am in positive or negative alignment with the writer's creation. This process of 'quilting' starts when I get the script, and doesn't end
until I have finished portraying the character. I am driven to give
myself as many chances for truth and honesty in a character as I can get.
And then, the work becomes making things appear seamless.
IOM: Many may not know
that you’re a writer as well as an actor, having worked for the Associated
Press. In what ways have writing, your
appreciation for literature, and your English major served you as an actor?
CL: I've loved reading my entire life. As an English major,
journalism minor in college, I am obsessed with stories. Every character
is a story and has a volume of stories inside them. I write back stories
for all the characters I play. I make lists of character 'facts'...
favorite colors, books, travel destinations, illnesses, weaknesses, fears and
on and on. It helps me in simplifying and particularizing what I'm doing
as an actor. The more choices you make, the more options you have.
I also find that writing gives me greater points of attachment to the
imagined life of the character. If you can write a letter as your character,
you can sometimes 'discover' things about a character that help cement a verity
or sense of truth. It's easier for me to play something that feels true. So I create as much history for a character as I can.
 |
| Carl Lumbly as Troy (foreground) and Margo Hall as Rose and Steven Anthony Jones as Jim Bono (background) in Fences |
IOM: Is there a special character or story you’d like to
play or produce in the near future, or future writings you’re considering?
CL: James Baldwin is one of my heroes. I am trying to write a
one-man show about him. His was a truly American voice. Yet, he was
an unapologetic citizen of the world. He was a brilliant thinker and
writer, and lived an amazing life at an exciting moment in this country's history.
And as someone who had to leave this country for a while, in order to be
able to sustain a creative life, he has a great deal to say about art and
creativity... passion and politics... love and humanity...
IOM: Any closing remarks you’d like to add?
CL: There is one other reality about my career and life. My life
made my career possible, not the other way around. I was blessed to have
had a creative partner for most of my career, my wife, Vonetta. An
extremely gifted and fiercely intelligent artist, she had a lot to do with the
way I pursued my craft. She was unabashedly enthusiastic about my acting,
and I always wanted to live up to the standard she felt I set. An avid
reader and brilliant critical thinker, she was invaluable to my process and my
well-being. She and my son made everything make sense in my life. I
think my work was grounded in the bedrock reality of my marriage and fatherhood.
If I had a secret to happiness, that was it! And it is that
happiness that wasn't enough for Troy. He fell prey to something that still
challenges us today. It is the idea that there really is no such thing as
'enough'.
All Production photos, courtesy of Marin Theatre Company. Production photographer, Ed Smith.
For more information on Fences and extended run dates, visit Marin
Theatre Company at, http://marintheatre.org/productions/fences/
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Links to Excellence – Einaudi Contributes to buildOn
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| Photo Credit: Cesare Cicardini Courtesy of Evolution Promotion |
Ludovico Einaudi is an Italian pianist and contemporary classical composer whose compositions have been featured on soundtracks, film scores, and numerous albums. Equally impressive is his contribution to buildOn, sharing Divenire with the non-profit service educator as seen in the following service message.
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