LAMA - 10 year Anniversary - Jonathan Herrera, Gros N'Golle Pokossi, Abe Laboriel

[Phil W]

The Los Angeles Music Academy (where I've spent some happy summers and have a lot of friends) is celebrating their 10th Anniversary. They have an article on their website where their Alumni tell the story of their experiences at the academy. These include bassists Jonathan Herrera (ho has some especially cool stuff to say) and Gros N'Golle Pokossi (Trilok Gurtu's bassplayer).

 

Link to article

 

They also organised a Jazz Clinic featuring Mike landau, Abe Laboriel SR and Abe Laboriel Jr.

 

Report

 

"One student asked Laboriel Sr. . . . : Tell us about the demands of a musical life on the family unit. Abe Sr. spoke briefly about his experiences in marriage and raising Abe Jr., ultimately emphasizing a point no irony here his pastor had made to him. "The greatest form of love is listening," . . .

[Phil W]

"Something I really took from Jerry Watts, Chair of the Bass Department, was this notion of when you play something, don't think about it, but do it deliberately with strength and confidence. Like if you're going to play a bass line, play it energetically, play it with intention, and I guess that applies in all kinds of ways, of course. It's true in words on a page, and it's true on stage at a concert. People are incredibly intuitive about this stuff. They can feel it even if they may not be able to describe why. They can sense your enjoyment level of what they're hearing you play, and it affects how they hear your performance."

 

- Jonathan Herrera

[Bottomgottem]

Originally posted by Phil W:

"Something I really took from Jerry Watts, Chair of the Bass Department, was this notion of when you play something, don't think about it, but do it deliberately with strength and confidence. Like if you're going to play a bass line, play it energetically, play it with intention, and I guess that applies in all kinds of ways, of course. It's true in words on a page, and it's true on stage at a concert. People are incredibly intuitive about this stuff. They can feel it even if they may not be able to describe why. They can sense your enjoyment level of what they're hearing you play, and it affects how they hear your performance."

 

- Jonathan Herrera

That is a fine statement. I should apply those words to my performance more often.