My Influences

By Richard Lewis
December 7, 2011
Sign in to view read count

I find it funny when reviewers assert my influences; they are never correct and I'd prefer to acknowledge my sources. So here is a list of the music that helped inspire my forthcoming album, You Are Here. The whole list makes me euphoric, but highlights for me would be Jack DeJohnette's fevered drumming on "Down San Diego Way" and Andy Sheppard's seductive soprano on "Sol." Tomasz Stanko's trumpet similarly slays me: rich, magnificent and tragic like a crumbling empire. I don't say my music sounds like this—if only—but this is what makes me want to write.

Track	Name	Time	Artist	Album
1	Sol	8:57	Andy Sheppard	Andy Sheppard
2	Celebration	7:51	Bheki Mseleku	Celebration
3	Aneba	5:59	Kenny Wheeler	One of Many
4	Sleep Safe and Warm (Lullaby from Rosemary's Baby)	3:10	Tomasz Stanko Septet	Litania
5	The Burning Babe	3:43	Kathryn Tickell	Kathryn Tickell & Ensemble Mystical
6	Lovely joan	6:34	Danny Thompson	Whatever
7	Beauty Queen / Horses	6:07	Tori Amos	Boys for Pele
8	Sleepwalkers	5:16	David Sylvian	Sleepwalkers
9	Se equivoco la paloma	2:18	Kim Kashkashian & Robert Levin	Asturiana—Songs from Spain and Argentina
10	Down San Diego Way	7:48	Arthur Blythe	Lenox Avenue Breakdown

Post a comment

FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.