Flashmag November 2018 www.flashmag.net
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Straight Ahead. How was formed this group ? how was your experience with the Quintet? Why did you leave the group ?
The group originally was called Miche Braden, they were looking for a woman saxophone player, I guess they couldn’t find one, so the drummer Gayelynn McKinney proposed me the spot. I thought it was a great opportunity, but I told them from the beginning that I wasn’t planning to stay in Detroit, I had to move to New York. It took me longer but eventually I got there. And with the group we will rehearse 3 or 4 times a week which is unusual in these days, but we had time to do that, working on our music and lyrics. It was a healthy group but when I got to New York, it was harder and harder to meet the schedule with the conflicting agendas getting more and more in our way. So, we decided it was better to find somebody else to continue with the group.
During those year when you were seeking your way up, did you even had any doubts? if yes how you dealt with it ?
When I got to New York I was scared. I was nervous. I said to myself I’m here, now what? (Smiles) I knew that I had to get on the scene. Introduce myself to peoples, so that they will know I was there. This was a bit challenging, because I’m a shy person. I was going to Jam sessions introducing myself. There was a club in New York called Visiones, were I went often. I went to the Blue Note, and several other clubs. I was also making phone calls. Before moving to new York a Jazz band leader who performed during the wedding of my Brother took my number, after 6 months spent in New York he gave me a call, telling me the String Trio of New York was looking for a violinist for the time their violinist was performing on Broadway. I ended taking over the spot. It was an incredible experience
You worked with contemporary musicians of pop, Rnb and country, namely, Mary J Blige, Lauryn Hill Aretha Franklin or Dolly Parton… what has brought that intrusion to more mainstream genres to your music?
You know, growing up in Detroit I was exposed to all of this music. Growing by Motown music, you could not help but being influenced by this kind of music. I didn’t feel like I was just a Jazz player, or just a classical music player. I had many more music influences, I played for Aretha Franklin before even moving to New York, and in high school with a group who used to open for the Jackson Five. I believe it’s because of my influence background that I got hired for the job.
With 10 albums released and many more collaborations, now when you look back at your career if you have to change something, what will it be ?
Humm (smiles) that is a tuff question. This is a difficult one… what would it be? First, If I had to change something, the journey might not be the same. But I think I would have taken business courses, when I was at school. Looking back now I think I would have kicked myself a bit harder to brush off my shyness. I Remember when my friend Carla bought tickets, so we can go to Stephen Goapele Concert, in a rather small venue, I was too shy to introduce myself. That I will change it. I’ll definitely talk more to people, to musicians.
Shy peoples because they don’t talk too much, think too much. therefore, they are more creative. In 2010 the Album Reverse thread, is mainly inspired by your journey in Africa how did you live this African experience musically? What was your feeling seeing the motherland ?
Yes, it was my first time to set foot in Africa. We went to a concert in South Africa. It was powerful emotionally to travel there, and make all these collaborations with musicians there. Reverse Thread is an album inspired by all these African sonorities, I was listening to, all over the place. The thing about violin is that in almost all music culture throughout the world, there is always instruments related to it. I kind of wanted to retrace the history of the violin thru this album. But, I remember this recording from Uganda, it was so beautiful, and I started digging, doing some research in music from Mali, Cameroun and from several