Jeff Antoniuk: Here Today
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Jeff has joined up with some of the finest players and most sought-after educators in the mid-Atlantic to form Jazz Update to show what acoustic jazz is all about in the 21’st century.
Their CD, Here Today, has been on the jazz charts for over 10 weeks in the US, and #2 in Canada since its debut.
Jazzreview.com notes, “Jeff Antoniuk, is a young Canadian-born saxophonist whose gruff, somewhat raw tone pleasantly recalls Booker Ervin’s…. “Here Today” presents us with first-rate original tunes played in a very inspired fashion by (gasp!) a tightly-focused, actively gigging quartet.”
Furthermore, “Antoniuk’s original compositions are first-rate, and reflect a deep understanding of the music of the mid- to late-20th Century without slavish imitation…. consistently a cut above what I expect to hear from young University-educated jazz musicians.
My mind always goes back to a club in Dallas Texas, I went to school there for my jazz degree, and my wife is from Houston.
When we were dating, we went to a jazz club in Dallas called Sambuca. And we had lobster ravioli with squid ink sauce. It looked very dramatic on the plate. I just remember thinking that food was off the chart. The atmosphere was amazing, everything.
In touch with saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk, we followed up on his article about the language of jazz.
He spoke with us about his new album, musical conversations and the collaborative process.
So tell me about the album you just released.
The album is called “Here Today”. It’s the first CD with the Jazz Update, we are four guys – well, there are five on a couple of songs. We have known each other and played with each other for years. About three years ago, we really start playing some gigs together under the name Jazz Update.
How important is that you know each other when you are improvising?
It’s somewhere between not important at all and very important. Because, you and I right now are improvising. In the sense that we know our topic is, but we don’t really know where it’s going to go from here. And, the thing is, we’re doing fine.
So far…
It could be a really cool conversation. And, we don’t know each other.
On the other hand, if you and I had been best friends for twenty years, it could also be very cool—or very dull.
Knowing the people is helpful, certainly. And most people would agree, that best bands are bands that have played together for a while – if not twenty years. There is a lot to be said, though, for just meeting someone on the street and just striking up a conversation. It can be the best you ever had.
I certainly wasn’t doing this by luck—just walking up to random people and saying ‘hey can you be in my band’. When I decided to put this group together these guys were the top on my list.
‘Here’s the top bass player. If he’ll do it, he’s the guy I want. This is my top choice for drums.’
And, fortunate for me they all said yes. So I ended with my dream band.
So to continue with the idea of walking up to someone and having a conversation, what elements are important? What has to be there for strangers to have a conversation, or improvise?
That’s a great question. There are two obvious things.
First of all I couldn’t improvise or have a conversation in German. I can’t do it. Because of who I am, I can’t speak German. It’s the same with musicians. They need to know the language of music. Just like I need to know the language of English.
The second thing is the subject. You’re talking to me about music and jazz, and I feel real comfortable with that. If you started talking to me about dairy farming, I’m going to start drawing a blank after one or two questions, because I don’t know anything about it. So, the subject is very important.
With, musicians you want people who have studied their instruments, studied music and then more specifically - the subject.
When you talk to somebody on the road, you may not know exactly what your going to talk about but, you might find out you are both interested in vintage automobiles. And that is exciting. And then you find out you have shared information; A shared history even though you’ve never met each other.
That’s what makes a great conversation, if you find somebody you resonate with.
So to push the conversation metaphor one more step, making music, the spontaneity and the improvisation, what is it about jazz that makes it a fresh conversation. Is it being confident? Being present?
I think the answer might be all of that. Certainly there is a confidence.
If I’m having a good conversation with somebody, I wouldn’t want them to just go along with everything that I said. I want to know what that person has to say. If we are talking about politics, I really want to know your views. I may not agree with them, but if we are going to have an interesting conversation—don’t just go along with me.
I think all of the human emotions, whether it’s vulnerability, whether it’s self-assuredness, whether it’s ego, or someone with a complete lack of ego. I think all of that can work. And, the trick of course with two people, you can sort out the conversation pretty easily. With my group there is four or five of us on the CD, there are a lot more variables.
I assembled this group, knowing that we had shared sensibilities on some things. But also, there are a couple guys that play it a little more safe, and a couple guys that will go off at the drop of a pin. I liked the tension inherent in that. I had these things in mind when I put it together.
It’s like you are having a party at your house, and who would be a cool group of people that would meet each other and have a good time.
And you’re right, jazz happens in the moment, because so much of it is improvised—just like people walking into a party and meeting people for the first time.
Finding that balance...that’s the poets, the best filmmakers, and the best conversationalists.
You talked about confidence and vulnerability, to improvise you need a bit a both, is that a hard balance to maintain?
Just this morning, I was practicing and practicing, and trying to get something that I’m going to play with extreme confidence.
On the other hand, in the moment that I want to play that lick, if I hear something from one of the other musicians, that makes it not quite the right moment anymore, I need to be willing to cut back and save that for another time.
There are people with poor social skills that will just bulldoze you and just tell you what they want to say. They will just talk at you. And, then there’s the other extreme where someone will just go along with everything you say.
Finding that balance, finding someone that really has something to say, yet is willing to listen when they need to—that’s the poets, the best filmmakers, and the best conversationalists.
Do you think that vulnerability takes a true confidence? Confident enough to say ‘I don’t need to be talking right now.
Yes. When many people get nervous they babble. To just chill out takes a real confidence that they don’t have in that moment.
Who should we talk to next?
I know a guy that would be fabulous. I went to school with him at North Texas. And when he left he went to Nashville.
His name is Jeff Coffin. And he hooked up with some of the biggest musicians in the world. Are you familiar with Bela Fleck and the Fleck Tones? He’s the sax player with them. They just won two Grammy’s. Jeff plays with Dave Mathews, Van Morrison, and the Allman Brothers.
He is the best guy, a very interesting soulful guy. I hired him to work at a jazz camp I run. And he was fantastic.