Jazz as a Religion by Randy Brecker

World-famous jazz trumpeter and composer Randy Brecker (Randy Brecker), has been shaping the sound of contemporary jazz, R&B, and rock and roll for more than six decades, and with his music, performances, and words, he blends everything into a unique story that connects genres, generations, and even continents.

With seven Grammy Awards and collaborations with big names in world music, he is one of those artists whose name alone means the history of jazz, while his energy, virtuosity, creation, and true love for music continue to inspire generations.

Randy Brecker's trumpet and horn sound can be heard on hundreds of albums by famous musicians, from Frank Sinatra i Jack Pastorius, over Franka Zape, James Taylor, Steely Dan, do Bruce Springsteen, Funkadelic, while as a founder of the legendary group The Brecker Brothers, together with his late brother Michael, left a deep mark in the history of the world music scene. He has visited Montenegro several times and performed there, through the Made In New York Jazz Festival. So this summer he was in our country again, at the jubilee, 10th edition of the Festival, which brings together the biggest names in the jazz scene every year.

In an interview with "Vijesti", he shared his impressions from this year's visit, stating that "a lot has happened since the founding of the Festival until today, and a lot has changed." In addition to the fantastically organized concerts, what particularly surprised him was the presence of a large number of people, primarily in Cetinje, and then in Podgorica, where performances were organized in an open space and in a special ambiance.

"It's hard to say what left the strongest impression on me, because our days were quite full, and our free time was limited. However, the general impression is that this is a beautiful country with warm and kind people. And I'm not just saying that, but the people are really very warm and hospitable, cheerful... We generally don't get this kind of treatment when we visit or perform somewhere, not even at press conferences or when we meet with high-ranking officials... Everything here was at the highest level, and the production at the concerts is fantastic! ", he said and added:

"In addition, the food was always and everywhere first-class! But, when you add it all up, I think the biggest impression I had was the people who, as I said, are very warm, friendly, receptive and enjoy what we do, that is, they enjoy music and art," Breker said.

I think people in Europe are much more educated and know much more about art from all over the world, including what we do in the United States, than US citizens themselves. I believe that's why we enjoy coming and performing in Europe, and certainly in Montenegro.

The eighty-year-old trumpet virtuoso from Philadelphia, with seven Grammy Awards in his collection of numerous awards, also reveals to "Vijesti" how much the awards themselves mean to him (not much, but enough to continue working and creating), talks about his connection with music, emphasizing that he considers it a spiritual experience.

How would you describe the connection between you and your instrument? In the world of music, and jazz perhaps most of all, is that relationship something special that needs to be felt?

It's a spiritual, intimate connection. My instrument is like my family, it's part of it. I love my horn, I love my trumpet, and I love my piano, and, all in all, I love music as much as my family. It's a truly spiritual connection, and it kind of replaces a more organized religion in my life. That's why I think music is present in all religions - because it brings people together and it's not something you can touch, but yet it can very easily reach your emotions. That's why I feel so blessed to be a musician. I wouldn't want to be anything else and I couldn't be anything else, because I don't think I know anything else or could learn anything else and feel anything like this.

The numerous awards and the admiration of the audience speak volumes about how good you are at your job, even though music is more than just a profession for you. How important is that to you as inspiration and motivation in your work?

Honestly, I don't think it means much to the musician as an individual, but it certainly provides a small boost. It's nice to know that people like what we do, because what we do and create mostly happens in an intimate atmosphere, in solitude, in a small practice room, for example. Sometimes none of that is easy, and writing music in particular can be hard on the brain... So, what we do is sometimes hard on our psyche, because we're lonely. That's why it's nice to get some kind of public recognition for our work, because sometimes we don't even know if the work is good, and we never know if people will like what we do, so we just do it and hope for the best.

People all over the world, including here in Montenegro, really like your work. What are your impressions of our audience after your performance at the Made In New York Jazz Festival?

A big part of my life is traveling and I always enjoy coming to Eastern and Southeastern Europe. I think the people there are very intelligent, well-informed and love what we do. But that's not the case everywhere, especially in America, where people really don't appreciate their culture or even know about something, including this Made In New York Jazz Festival, for example. They don't know much about jazz. You know, we don't have the best education system in America. I think people in Europe are much more educated and know much more about art from all over the world, including what we do in the United States, compared to US citizens themselves. I think that's why we enjoy coming and performing in Europe so much, and certainly in Montenegro.

What is jazz culture like and how alive is it in the US, whether in local bars and pubs, at festivals, and in general?

Well, it certainly is alive. Jazz exists and is practiced in local bars and smaller venues. I don't usually go to those events. I prefer to perform at concerts. It's hard for me to go back to pubs, I find them mostly for younger people. I think I've been in this business long enough to say that. I started my career touring with people like Horasa Silvera and his quintet (Horace Silver Quintet) or quintet Arta Blakey (Art Blakey Quintet) when we were still playing in a lot of clubs all over America. There was, so to speak, a certain path that we all took, playing the same clubs over and over again, which was a unique way to gain experience and play with other American musicians who knew what they were doing. That way you expanded your jazz repertoire and your range of improvisation, because in jazz you have to constantly practice and practice improvisation to expand your range. You can't play the same thing all the time. In that sense, when I was young, I spent a lot of time in jazz clubs, but not anymore. Of course, they still exist and are a gathering place for some new, young musicians and jazz lovers.

Given all the characteristics and specificities of jazz, how different is the practice of jazz around the world, and what influence does geography or territory perhaps have on musicians, and then on audiences? How is that experience shared through joint performances or improvisation?

Music is similar everywhere, as is the way it is played, including jazz, because jazz is in a way folk music, as is a large part of Balkan music, including music in Montenegro. Jazz involves a lot of improvisation and it is a meeting place. In this territory of improvisation, we present our experiences as musicians, and the locals-citizens who listen to us respond with their own experiences, which are built upon, and so we somehow always meet somewhere in the middle. It is always nice and fun to play with musicians from other countries, because they bring their experiences to us, and we offer ours to them, and that is how exchange and connection occur. Music, as is well known, is a space for unification, friendship and love. That is why I would only like countries and states to be able to communicate in other fields as easily as musicians do.

Memories from Vienna

Knowing that you have performed in different bands, all over the world, are there any that you particularly remember?

You know, the most important award I received, and in the context of the fact that I think it really helped me the most in my career, was in Vienna, in 1966, at an international jazz competition in which musicians from all over the world participated. We stayed there for about 10 days, there were many events, decisive performances, semi-finals, finals, and then the winners. I met great musicians... That's how my career actually began, I would say. There were so many great musicians from all over the world at that competition, mostly from Eastern Europe. Some of my best friends were there, who were from Czechoslovakia... Jan Hamer on keyboards, Miroslav Vitouš on bass, Dzordz Mraz on bass... We played together for the rest of our lives. The jury was very famous jazz musicians, Julian Cannonball Edderley, Joe Zawinul from Vienna who was born in Eastern Europe, Mel Lewis, people who were bandleaders... Winning an award in a competition like that, from a jury like that and in such competition, it really helped my career and all of our careers when we moved to New York. So I think just from a realistic perspective it was by far the most important concert competition I've ever participated in, and for some reason they've never done it again, so I was very lucky to be there for that one international jazz competition.

Winning a Grammy is nice, but it doesn't have any special effect.

You are a seven-time Grammy Award winner, as well as numerous other awards. But what do you think about these world-famous, perhaps mainstream or commercial awards, and how do they influence you as a creator?

Yes, it's always nice to win a Grammy, but the reality is that at our level, in the world of jazz music, the jazz Grammys are largely overshadowed by the pop, rock and hip-hop Grammys, but it's certainly nice to get that award. However, it certainly doesn't have any special effect in the sense that it's going to get you more work or prove anything. It's nice to put that recognition on the wall or on a shelf.