JAZZ LIFE
Why are you a jazz musician? Isn't it a difficult life?
The first part of the question is simple: because I love music. I love to play jazz music. I play on my own at home. I play in pubs and clubs and concert halls with different bands. There really is nothing else like standing up in front of a crowd of people and playing my saxophone. It's not an easy life, no, but there can be a lot of variety. I play gigs, I teach, I write music for my own band, I write articles for music magazines and I have my own blog.
What's a normal day like?
There's no such thing. Every day is different. On a typical day, I get up at 7 a.m. I usually teach in the mornings. I have 12–15 local students who come to my house for lessons. Some of them are beginners, some of them are very advanced. When I don't have students, I do my own practice and get ready for the next concert. Then, in the afternoon, I work on my own music. It takes a long time to write a whole piece of music. I probably only finish a few bars a day.
What's your own band like?
There are four others: guitar, bass, drums, vocals and then me on the sax. We have a regular Saturday night spot in a club in the nearest town. And we try and play three or four other nights a week in other places. We mainly play well-known jazz pieces, but I've written five of six numbers especially for the band and we play those, too.
Do you have a manager?
Not yet – no. I do all that side of the business when we have a free evening. That means answering emails, sending out advertisements to clubs, looking after the band's website, making sure people pay us. It all takes time. And at the moment I'm writing an article every month for Jazz Post. I'm also trying to find a good cheap studio because I want the band to record its own CD.
You seem to be very busy. Is that all you do?
Well, I'm also trying to start an online teaching course. I'm working with a company called Jazz Online Education – JOE, for short. We're writing and filming a course of lessons. Students can then go online and practice different pieces of music. I can explain how to play some of the difficult bits and they can play along with me. They can also record themselves and email the recording to me. I can then tell them what they are doing well and what they need to improve.
What's the best thing about being a jazz musician?
Playing gigs, concerts – actually, just playing anywhere. Playing in the street and putting a hat down, hoping that people put some money in. I don't do that any more. But it's good fun. People seem to like jazz music when they're out shopping. Jazz buskers always seem to make more money than anyone else on the street!
Do you have any hobbies outside music?
I love walking. I live out in the country and I try and go for a long walk at least one day a week. We almost always have a gig on a Saturday night, but Sundays are generally free. I try and go for a long walk across the hills. There's some beautiful countryside nearby and I love to walk through it. My neighbour has a dog too and sometimes I take the dog with me. Walking through beautiful countryside with a dog – that's almost as good as playing jazz!
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