ADAM FALCON
Interview 14 May 2002
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Right now I feel a lot of exciting things goin' on musically. For starters I've been working as a sideman with multi-talented saxaphonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart (D'ANGELO,MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO). His group is called the "Brother Jacques Experience". We've just completed our regular Tues. nites for the months of March and April at BAR 13 in New York.Everyone from Q-TIP to Meshell Ndegeocello have come down to hear us or sit in.
Mid May has me scheduled in Detroit with N'DAMBI who will be performing .On top of that I'm around New York performing with my group. Most important though is my new CD that I'm working on. It features some great N.Y.musicians such as Reggie Washington on bass (MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO, ROY HARGROVE,STEVE COLEMAN), Gene Lake on drums (MESHELL NDEGECELLO,DAVID SANBORN) and if schedules permit N'DAMBI doing some vocals. Along with other collaborators it promises to be "funky" with a lot of grooves mixed in.
I'm excited about this new CD and its a great follow up to the last project which did pretty good. We've gotten good radio play with stations adding us all the time. For example check out "The Upper Room with Joe Kelley" it's a live internet broadcast www.live365.com/stations/funk7 where my CD has just been added to the rotation. In June I'll be doing an interview/performance on that same program.
On the topic of GEORGE BENSON I can write volumes. George and I have been good friends quite some now. He is a mentor not only to me but to guitarist and the art of guitar. He has a love for the instrument as if he has seen it for the first time ever. In his presence he exudes this zeal to anyone within arms reach a guitar. Its been both a privilege and pleasure to compose for him and work by his side. Without George Benson there is a void our musical life.
The topic of the UK brings to mind two more great artist. Both became friends of mine as years have passed and both have introduced me to the UK. My first introduction was with JONATHAN BUTLER where we played the Royal Albert Hall for two weeks opening for ERIC CLAPTION'S 25th anniversary in the music business. It was a who's who night of celebrities that I'll never forget. WILL DOWNING brought me back a second time to play the Royal Albert Hall. He showed me it was possible to have a sold out audience in the UK and not yet have major stardom in your own back yard. Unlike any other place the UK has it's own twist. What fascinates me most are the people, the music and their style. I have been there five or six times each time getting better than the next. It's been a while since I was there and I'd love to bring my own group and music to the UK.
There are MANY influences to speak of. Growing up it was everyone from Aretha Franklin to Joni Mitchell, Monk to Motown, Chuck Berry to The Beatles, Bob Marley to James Brown, Sly, Jimi, Miles, Stevie and Marvin no last names needed here I'm sure. Right now I'm feelin' the new LAURYN HILL, her singing and guitar playing has a rawness that I love. She refers to it at one point as "Hip-Hop Folk" and I love a good hybrid. In Atlanta I did a warm up performance for N'DAMBI afterwards she introduced me to INDIA ARIE who was in the audience. Later INDIA played and sang some of her songs on my guitar and I've been a fan ever since. Her "Acoustic Soul" music has been very influential. Then there is the new one by MUSIQ that I'm also feelin' called JUSLISEN. This reminds me of the earlier influences that I spoke of before. It has the old and the new mixed together.
There is a lot of exciting music out there and a lot of new directions for music to move in. Hopefully we can learn and follow maybe even plow a new musical frontier. The music I grew up listening to had strong messages and I feel there is a rich tradition that we must uphold. If we have something to say we must say it. Music with a message...
Peace
ADAM FALCON