This great interview with Michel Camilo was conducted by Tomas Peña last year and has some fascinating insight into the man and his music. Originally published on Jazz.com, this two-part interview makes a wonderful addition to the Latin Jazz Conversations series. Enjoy!

In this next installment, I’m picking up where I left off in Part 1 of my interview with pianist extraordinaire, Michel Camilo. Here he speaks passionately about the making of Spirit of the Moment (which has been going strong since 2008). In addition, he elaborates on his attraction to the number 3, his deep abiding respect for his band mates and the trials and tribulations of life on the road. Lastly, he makes a very telling observation about the current state of jazz and emphasizes the importance of documenting the era for posterity.

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TOMAS PEÑA: Let’s begin with Part 1 (of Spirit of the Moment) - “Body.”

MICHEL CAMILO: It’s more intense and robust. All of the tunes in the first part are originals because I wanted to give the album a personal touch and show what I am about, not just as a player but also as a composer.

TP: Part 1 features 4 original tunes: “Just Now,” “My Secret Place,” “A Place in Time” and “Representations.”

MC: There are three ballads in the album as well: “My Secret Place,” “A Place in Time” and “Liquid Crystal,” though the latter is a little more esoteric because it has a groove under it. Also, all the titles have three words. For me the album is like a book that is divided into three chapters with four parts that tell a story. It’s no coincidence that the album starts out in C Major and ends in C Minor. The album was constructed organically.

TP: Part 2 - “Mind” - pays tribute to four musical idols.

MC: It’s artists that I grew up listening to and that I admired as players, composers and creators. It’s my take on their music.

TP: That would be Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Wayne Shorter. As idols go, it doesn’t get much better!

MC: (Laughs) it’s about what they gave me as a jazz musician. My formation, how they helped me to get where I am today harmonically and melodically speaking, how they took chances with their careers, how they were able to shift and keep on going and how they were able to stay current through every period of their lives.

TP: Miles and Coltrane were harshly criticized for keeping up with the times.

MC: That’s what I’m talking about. They were attacked but that’s part of being a jazz musician. When there is no risk involved it gets very boring. It’s the most important thing in jazz. I teach master classes all over the world and I tell my students that we will change from day to day. You just have to notice the changes and allow the music to change with you. The more we travel and encounter new places and cultures, the more that ideas come to you. You have to be open to change. If you don’t change you are in a comfortable place that can be the ultimate killer for your creative juices. That’s why you see me doing so many different projects and jumping fences (Laughs).

TP: And lastly Part 3 - “Soul.”

MC: The third part goes to a different place, especially the last take on “Solar.” It’s like a buildup to an abstract place and yet, there is a lot of power. I have a friend who directs films and he always says that a good movie dies in the last third and the plot has to thicken in order to surprise the audience. That’s what I try to do, surprise the listener and take it to a place where you never think we would go. Towards the end of “Solar” I just say to the trio, let’s listen to each other and create a chart. Often times, I don’t like playing the melody so I just hint at it.

TP: Which brings to mind your clever rendition of Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va.”

MC: We do it with John Coltrane’s “Giants Steps” as well.

TP: At break neck speed.

MC: That’s true. The challenge there was to a very short rendition. At our live concerts we do a standard version of “Giant Steps.” The idea was to do the tune in two minutes and get in and get out. We have played these tunes so much that now we are able to create with total freedom. In other words not reading a part or even putting a chart in front of anyone, just hearing each other. That’s why I cal it “Explorations.”

TP: “Solar” is one of my favorite tunes of all time.

MC: We did three takes and it was really difficult to pick the version we wanted to use. All of them were interesting. At one point I was considering including all three versions, but that would have ruined the architecture of the recording. In the end we went with the first take because it was the freshest of the bunch. I usually go with the first take. In this case, it’s closer to the concept of the album.

TP: You practically live on the road. How do you maintain your energy level and stay so passionate about the music?

MC: It’s difficult but you have to apply discipline. You may want to hang out but you might not be able to because you have to do a concert the next day. You can’t do that to your audience, you can’t get wasted. You have to be in shape and that means going to bed early, eating well and listening to music. Charles and Dafnis are always hooked up to their MP3 players.

TP: What kind of music suits your fancy when you are not performing?

MC: I listen to jazz and classical music, but Charles and Dafnis are really intense. They listen to everything in jazz and are constantly commenting on things. That’s why they are such great musicians.

TP: The last time I spoke with Dafnis he was exploring Indian rhythms (from India).

MC: I think he puts more of those rhythms into practice with his band. With my band he and Charles listen to a lot of straight-ahead jazz and Latin jazz. They are always analyzing, that’s what gets their creative juices flowing. Also, I try to surprise the hell out of them. When I go to sound checks I use different scales and chords in the same material that we have been playing. It keeps them wondering what I’m going to do next.

TP: Tell me about your band mates, Charles Flores and Dafnis Prieto and explain what each of them brings to the table.

MC: Charles is very committed to his music. He’s always practicing and listening to new music. He’s also someone who is really instrumental in my new version of the trio. His first recording with me was Live at the Blue Note and you could tell early on that he was totally committed to me and my music. It was a real challenge for him because he came to the trio after bassist, Anthony Jackson, who is one of the geniuses. At the time I wanted to change the sound of the trio and go with an acoustic bass. Charles is an electric bass player but I told him that in my trio he was going to play the acoustic bass. I asked him if he could handle it because there is a lot of intensity and his answer was, “I will work for it” and he did. He developed an incredible touch, sound and pitch. This is the first time that I have used the Arco bass and the audience loves it. It expands the possibilities of the jazz trio. Also, the fact that we share Caribbean roots is something that we don’t talk about but something that we draw on as well.

I have been a supporter of Dafnis from the beginning of his career. In fact, I wrote the liner-notes for his first recording. I could see right off that he was a hungry musician; he was very committed and a force to be reckoned with in the jazz world. He has never disappointed me. On the contrary, he continues to surprise me and he keeps on growing as we grow together. I call it a journey of self-discovery. Some of our best concerts are precisely when we are very tired.

TP: Would that have something to do with the fact that your defenses are down?

MC: Exactly. I guess you could call it a second wind.

TP: You guys put your heart and soul into each and every performance. You must be wiped out after a concert. What’s your formula for unwinding and replenishing your energy?

MC: Yes, after that we need a nap and lots of food. Dafnis is always hungry! The whole thing comes down to supporting one another. When one of us is down the other gives him moral support. You know, being on the road is hard but all of those feelings and nuances go into the music. After all, the music is charged with all of our inner feelings and life experiences.

TP: Tell me about your relationship with the irrepressible concert promoter, George Wein.

MC: Early in my career he heard me perform at the Blue Note and he asked if I had ever made a recording in the U.S. I told him that I had recorded two albums for a Japanese label and he said, “Next week you are in the studio.” He paid for the recording session, took the tape to Sony Records, and said to them, “You should try this guy out.” And the rest is history.

TP: I saw you perform with Paquito D’ Rivera when you first arrived in New York. Also, I distinctly recall you sitting in for Jorge Dalto on a number of occasions when he took ill.

MC: I recorded two albums with Paquito, Why Not? and Explosion.

TP: What’s your take on the current state of jazz?

MC: People don’t realize that we are living in a golden era of jazz. Musicians of my generation are touring and playing constantly. The last time we played in Tokyo we played to a crowd of 5000 people and that’s not the only concert where we get audiences that size. We did a concert in Germany last year for German television. Things like that are happening all the time. At some point somebody had to do the research and document the era.

TP: I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with me.

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UPDATE

Michel Camilo’s first official live DVD/CD box set features an amazing big band set of his original music. The album - Caribe - (Calle 54 Records/Sony Music) was released on September 15th in Madrid, Spain. This Live concert was filmed by Spanish Oscar winner director Fernando Trueba at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater in the Dominican Republic.

For additional information on Camilo and his music visit his website.

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Make sure that you read Part One of our conversation between Tomas Peña and Latin Jazz pianist Michel Camilo. They talk about Camilo’s approach to music, the development of his trio, his fascination with the number three, and his album Spirit of the Moment. Check it out HERE.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Latin Jazz Conversations: Andy Gonzalez (Part 1)
Latin Jazz Standards: 10 Versions Of Mambo Inn
Latin Jazz Conversations: Mark Weinstein (Part 1)
Album Of The Week: Spirit Of The Moment, Michel Camilo

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