Some questions in regards to the podcasts

[Skywalker83]

Hi Janek,

I started listening to your podcasts the other day and just wanted to ask some questions in regards to some of the topics and ideas that you talk about and also just about you.

1. In your first podacst you talk about bass players wanting to sound and play like the great players such as Victor, Marcus, Stanley, Jaco etc.

Do you feel that you would rather see players take influence from what you play, rather that wanting to play what you play and sound like you sound?


2. I noticed that alot of your tracks on your albums (what i've listened to so far) are recorded live.

Is this because you feel that with your style of impovisation that it's better for people to listen to what you improvise being infront of an audience in one take,rather than doing take after take in a studio?

3. I always feel that listening to improvised music can be much more inspiring that alot of rehearsed multiple take recordings.

What key elements from your playing and methods do you feel that listeners and players should use for inspiration?


Thanks for your time, and i'm sure i'll be back at some point as i continue through the podcasts.

Kris Le May

[janekbass]

1. In your first podacst you talk about bass players wanting to sound and play like the great players such as Victor, Marcus, Stanley, Jaco etc.

Do you feel that you would rather see players take influence from what you play, rather that wanting to play what you play and sound like you sound?

I think I would rather see players take influence from what inspires them, and use that as a stepping stone to get where they're going with their own sound. It really has nothing to do with me at all. If people dig my playing and can use it as an influence to get where they're going, then great! but they should follow what inspires them, learn about it, and move past it to become their own player.


2. I noticed that alot of your tracks on your albums (what i've listened to so far) are recorded live.

Is this because you feel that with your style of impovisation that it's better for people to listen to what you improvise being infront of an audience in one take,rather than doing take after take in a studio?

I've never really thought about it like that, I just like having an audience to feed off of no matter what performance situation I'm in. I think I've managed to perform at a high level in the studio without having people there too, it's just a different mindset. And I dig having people around to gauge where the performance is going.

3. I always feel that listening to improvised music can be much more inspiring that alot of rehearsed multiple take recordings.

What key elements from your playing and methods do you feel that listeners and players should use for inspiration?

I think if I told people to use aspects of my playing for inspiration I would be getting way ahead of myself. I think if people are going to find my music inspiring that's something they have to find out for themselves, I can't tell them what is and what isn't going inspire them. I think that the recording process shouldn't matter, I think it's the heart and soul that you put into the performance and the writing. Melody is the most important thing for me no matter what the situation is, and I think a strong melody is strong whether you're in the studio or playing live.


Easy,

Janek