Interview for “All About Jazz”

This is the complete interview appeared tonight on “All About Jazz”, American Jazz Magazine

Take Five With Alessandro Bottura

Teachers and/or influences?
Bass Teachers (in chronological order): Enrico Lazzarini, Glauco Zuppiroli, Jeff Berlin, Massimo Moriconi, Pierpaolo Ranieri, Luca Pirozzi, Mario Guarini, Alessandro Patti.

Influences: Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin, Marcus Miller, Weather Report, Yellowjackets, Spyro Gyra, The Rippingtons, Medeski Martin & Wood, Mezzoforte, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Prince, Jimi Hendrix

I knew I wanted to be a musician when…
I first listened to Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.”

I was nearly 10 years old, and I remember that I was flashed by that awesome guitar intro! Every time I listen to that track, I feel the same I did then!

Then, at the age of 16, I definitely chose the electric bass after listening to (guess who?!) Jaco’s first solo CD, Jaco Pastorius (Epic, 1976).

Your sound and approach to music:
I try to catch something from all the great musicians. If I listen something I like-a solo, a riff, it doesn’t matter what the instrument is-I try to understand it, play it on the bass, get it in my hands and in my head, and then insert it totally changed in a different context. On the other hand, I love when I’m training and I like something I’ve improvised, I repeat it and then it starts to take the form of a track. I simply think about music as the most pure form in which I can express the real me.

Your teaching approach:
I think that a good teacher always knows what to teach. If you’re going to a lesson, and your teacher asks you “Well, what do you want to learn today?,” well, I don’t think you’re spending your money well!

I’m convinced that we’re always both teachers and students, because in life you never know, maybe one of your students may make you think about something you’ve always bypassed. Definitely, we never stop learning!

Your dream band:
The best formation for me is a classic quartet: guitar, keyboards, bass, drums.

Choosing some names is difficult but I think that they’d be:
Mike Stern (guitar);
John Medeski (keyboards);
Dennis Chambers (drums);
And if I’ve got to choose my favorite bass player, no way: Stanley Clarke!

Road story: Your best or worst experience:
Well, between the worst experiences I just can’t choose.

Regarding the best, I like to think that the best will be the one that’s coming!

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
I’ve got only one, is there some choice?

The first Jazz album I bought was:
Jaco Pastorius, Jaco Pastorius (Epic, 1976)

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?
Trying to bring fusion music back.

Did you know…
I’m losing all my hair?

CDs you are listening to now:
Medeski, Martin & Wood, Radiolarians (Indirecto);
Yellowjackets, Lifecycle (Heads Up);
The Rippingtons, 20th Anniversary (Peak Records);
Prince, Ultimate (Universal)
Mezzoforte, Anniversary Edition (BHM).

How would you describe the state of jazz today?
Unlike what I constantly hear, I don’t think that the situation is so bad. I mean, the continued development of technology applied to music gives new flow to everyone’s creativity so that we can find a new musical reality that starts from the idea of a mainstream group, i.e. a trio. Then, by developing our own sound through the use of effects and technology in general, we start to create a brand new thing, making a step forward in jazz experimentation.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?
Ongoing, creative experimentation, but with a constant glance at the past masters’ lessons.

What is in the near future?
Surely, the second album, upcoming in the beginning 2010.

Then, perhaps, some other projects of a more experimental nature (but we’ll see..).

If I weren’t a jazz musician, I would be a:
A rock musician! No, I don’t know, maybe a soccer player? More probably, an unemployed!

See the origianl version @ All About Jazz

Interview for “Imbuteria Social Network”

Translation of the interview of 24th March 2009 made by Balconaggio for “Imbuteria Social Network”:

‘mbuti: “How many hours per-day do you dedicate to music in all its forms, what activity prevales and what’s your favorite one?”

AB: “Right now I’m working part-time, so my training time’s average is of  only 4-5 hours per-day, mainly focused on instrumental practice,  tryin’ to takin’ care of both the purely technical part and the more musical one, that is rhythm, harmony and melody.  Tipically to this second part belongs the activity that i prefer, that’s the study, the internalization and the reprocessing  of the great musicians, not only of the great bass-players: for example, studyin’ a Miles Davis’ solo or a Jimi Hendrix’s riff on the bass and putting them foward again varied and elaborated according to my musical taste in different contexts from the original ones, a brand new range of possibilities is opening out to my mind, lettin’ me discover things that you’ll never found written on a book! All of this, naturally, without forgetting that my instrument is the bass,  and a particulare cure (and of humble reverence) must be reserved to the great masters (such as Stanley Clarke, James Jamerson, Marcus Miller, John Paul Jones, Jeff Berlin and obviously Jaco Pastorius, just to name my favourites..), studyin’ whom you can realized that all of them has made the previous exercise!”

‘mbuti: “You’re really a good musician, in my opinion with the bass you’re at the highest levels, also your original compositions are valuable, can you describe us your creative process and your feeling toward interpretation?”

AB: “Thanks a lot for the wonderful compliments! For what concearns the creation of a piece, I ain’t got a precise pattern, or better,  I ain’t got a fixed point from where to start; it can be the main theme or the bass line or even the harmony to born  first, the only fundamental point that I pre-arrange is that the complete tune, regardless of how much complicated it can be in theory,  must flow with naturalness, with no rough edges nor screeches, fitting in all the parts so that they’ll sound just like one thing. This can seem like a banality, but it isn’t expected at all, least of all simple! Regarding the interpretation, well…as the always wise Massimo Moriconi says, playin’ is like makin’ love, is havin’ fun while makin’ others havin’fun (ok, ok, those who had the luck to talk with Massimo will certainly know that his version is DEFINITELY more direct and less “politically correct”!!!), is getting emotions across, the knowledge that one word said at the right moment in the right way sometimes worths like one hundred..”

For seeing the original italian version of the interview, click here

RadioIndy.com Review

“Jaco Pastorius would be proud to hear the bass chops of jazz artist Alessandro Bottura. His latest record, “Morning Grooves” is a smooth fusion of rock, jazz, and pop instrumentals all rolled into one amazing sound. Bottura’s bass playing speaks for itself and is immediately evident right from the opening track, “Out of Sight.” His jazz fueled bass runs fly up and down the neck and are nicely driven by some outstanding guitar/drum work. Bottura changes gears a bit and slow things down on “Sweet Tears,” which also highlights his staccato playing skills. Any fan of Jaco Pastorius or of virtuoso bass playing will love this album, plus the band behind Bottura is just as exceptional as he.”

Shaun H. and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team

My RadioIndy Page

Not bad, huh?!

CD Baby Review

Check out the CDBaby presentation for the CD:

“Funk, Rock, Pop and Jazz all mixed up in this first album by Italian bass player Alessandro Bottura; a 9-track instrumental journey in a Fusion experience that learns from masters such as Weather Report, Yellowjackets, Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra and MM&W.”

“Morning Grooves” CD presentation

The Final Layout Made by Federica Castellani Tarabini

Born from the abundance of ideas (some good, some other less, I must admit), from the need of listen as realized what I’ve got in my head and from the almost total absence of external collaborators, the project “Morning Grooves” contains everything that influenced me in my musical career, from Hard Rock to Funk, passing through Pop and Jazz: so, it mustn’t be surprising finding here recalls and quotations more or less explicit to well-known artists and not. The title itself comes from the situation in which these song are written, that is during my daily morning training sessions, from which I take some permissions to develop any possible ideas. The project has finally taken the definitive form of LP at the beginning of 2009, thanks to the support and the collaboration given by Mark A. Forrest.

Check the direct links to my LastFm Page to hear the tracks and to CDBaby for buyin’ it!

My Musical History

I was born on 3rd June 1984 and I started to get interested in music since I was a child,  studying piano for 5 years,  then guitar and drums until 2000, when I finally landed to the electric bass as self-taught.

With the rock band NoLogo, we’ve performed in many live shows throughout Modena, winning also the regional contest Suonatecele 2 that was announced by La Tenda. It was great fun in that period, always giggin’ upside down,  no matter how far or what time, only thinkin’ about playin’ loud and makin’ mess!

From 2002, I started the Accademia di Musica in Modena, following both the theory class taken by Giuseppe La Monica and the instrument course with Enrico Lazzarini (2002-2006) and Glauco Zuppiroli (2006-2007).

From 2004 to 2006, I was playing with the band Landslide Ladies, getting gigs all across Italy: Milano, Torino, Roma, Venezia, Padova, Vicenza, Bologna, Bari, etc. . Just a taste of the real life on-the-road, but an exceptional experience that teached me a lot on how to live (professionally) in a band.

In 2007, I’d finally earned my Degree in Music at the D.A.M.S. of Bologna;  in the same year, I’ve also attended the “One Week Intensive” program at the Jeff Berlin’s Players School Of Music in Clearwater, Tampa, FL. auditing to Master Classes by Larry Coryell, Gumbi Ortiz and Richard Dreixler. Men, what an experience being taught by Mr. Jeff Berlin himself!

I’m currently studying at PercentoMusica in Roma, being taught on music and life by some of the best italian musicians, such like Massimo Moriconi, Pierpaolo Ranieri, Mario Guarini and Luca Pirozzi (electric bass), Fabio Zeppetella and Michael Rosen (Jazz Improvisation), Massimo Fedeli (playing ensembles and improvisation), Aldo Fedele, Franco Ventura and Davide Aru (playing ensembles), Andrea Avena and Stefano Scatozza (music theory), Fabrizio Aiello (rythmical awareness).

I also continue the studies at the Accademia Di Musica in Modena, following the improvement classes held by M Giuseppe La Monica.

At the end of 2008,  I’ve known Mr. Mark A. Forrest, artist manager and chief of the Maftrust Inter Vivos of Las Vegas, NV, who made possible the pubblication of my first solo CD, “Morning Grooves”, published in 2009 and already available on CDBaby.com

Welcome Aboard!

Hi everyone and welcome to Alessandro Bottura’s Official Blog.

For any comments,  suggestions, compliments, death threats or even just to say hello!