Jazz Musician Questionnaire

Here are some of the first responses to the questionnaire that I sent out.
There are lots of interesting bits of info here.
Thanks to all that contributed!


PATRICK BOYLE - Nfld/Toronto Trumpet player

1. Melody:

"Dark was the Night, Cold was the Ground" Blind Willie Johnson
"Infant Eyes" Wayne Shorter
"The Harvest" Joe Zawinul

2. Harmonic language:

Kevin Breit
Joe Zawinul
Pat Metheny
Jerry Douglas

3. Rhythmic feel:

Zakir Hussain
Leonard Bernstein
Frank Sinatra
Mike Murley

4. Classical piece:

Mahler: Symphony No. 5.
Debussy: La Mer
Bach: Magnificat

5. Jazz album:

Miles Davis: Live in Tokyo 1964. I enjoy this record more year after year. Sam Rivers and Tony Williams are telepathic!
Dave Douglas: Live at the Jazz Standard
Weather Report: 8:30

6. Book on music:

"Touched by Sound"- John Wyre.

7. Name a great recording by someone that has influenced you:

"Climbing" - Barry Elmes

8. Name someone whose music has influenced you, but that people who know your music would probably be surprised by:

Lawrence Welk. I'm not kidding. I still watch him every chance I get. Great melodies, perfectly matched vibratos, bizarre sets, entertaining in every way. I feel kinda the same way about Liberace.

9. Name a player on your instrument whom you think is very underrated:

Ron Miles.

BILL MAHER - Montreal Trumpeter and Co-Leader of the Altsys Jazz Orchestra

1. Melody:

Something that has wide leaps but is still singable, as in Kenny Wheeler's music.

2. Harmonic language:

Unpredictability, in chord stucture, is and interesting quality. Wayne Shorter is a good compositional example.

3. Rhythmic feel:

I like the flow of the music of Robin Eubanks, Dave Binney, and Dave Holland to name a few. Nice grooves, rarely in 4, but the odd meter doesn't attract attention to itself.

4. Classical piece:

Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring for beautiful melody writing
Respighi's Pine's Of Rome for great brass writing

5. Jazz album:

Dave Holland - Prime Directive
Miles Davis/Gil Evans - Miles Ahead

6. Book on music:

Ron Miller's "Modal Jazz Composition And Harmony"

7. Name a great recording by someone that has influenced you:

"Milestones" - Miles Davis

8. Name someone whose music has influenced you, but that people who know your
music would probably be surprised by:

Randy Brecker

9. Name a player on your instrument whom you think is very underrated:

Tim Hagans

Trent Reschny - Toronto Tenor Saxophonist

1. Melody:

"Night Dreamer" - Wayne shorter

2. Harmonic language:

Herbie Hancock

3. Rhythmic feel:

Michael Brecker

4. Classical piece:

"Romeo and Juliet" - Prokofiev

5. Jazz album:

"Sonny Stitt Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio" - Oscar Peterson

6. Book on music:

"Straight Life" by Art Pepper

7. Name a great recording by someone that has influenced you:

"Soul Station" - Hank Mobley

8. Name someone whose music has influenced you, but that people who know your music would probably be surprised by:

Michael Brecker

9. Name a player on your instrument whom you think is very underrated:

Luis Deniz

BRIAN O'KANE - Toronto Trumpet Player

1. Melody:

"If I Should Lose You"

"So In Love"

2. Harmonic language:

Greg Osby
Woody Shaw


3. Rhythmic feel:

Stravinsky- Petrouchka
Count Basie Orchestra

4. Classical piece:

Mahler- Symphony #5
Bartok- Concerto for Orchestra

5. Jazz album:

"Kind Of Blue" - Miles Davis
"The Body and The Soul" - Freddie Hubbard

6. Book on music:

7. Name a great recording by someone that has influenced you:

See #5

8. Name someone whose music has influenced you, but that people who know your music would probably be surprised by:

John Coltrane

9. Name a player on your instrument whom you think is very underrated:

Kevin Dean

DONNY KENNEDY - Montreal Alto Saxphonist

1. Melody:

"Rounder's Mood" -Booker Little

2. Harmonic language:

Coltrane Matrix

3. Rhythmic feel:

Swing-eighths

4. Classical piece:

Dvorak's Cello Concerto

5. Jazz album:

"Cannonball Adderley with Nancy Wilson" - Cannonball Adderley

6. Book on music:

"This is Your Brain on Music" - Daniel Levitin

7. Name a great recording by someone that has influenced you:

"Mel's Minor" - Dick Oatts

8. Name someone whose music has influenced you, but that people who know your music would probably be surprised by:

Rufus Wainwright

9. Name a player on your instrument whom you think is very underrated:

Janis Steprans