Take Five With Guitares Cinematiques

Meet Guitares Cinématiques:

Studied physics, classical guitar, and foreign languages in college. I was always a huge fan of the group Oregon.

Instrument(s):

Classical guitar.

Teachers and/or influences?

My early guitar teachers were Gene Watson and Mario Abril. I attended the FSU School of Music and studied with Bruce Holzman. Later, I studied privately with Ralph Towner in Seattle and with Steve Cardenas in San Francisco, CA. Oh, and I had a master class with classical guitarist David Russell. I'm heavily influenced by listening to recordings of Egberto Gismonti, Baden Powell, Joao Gilberto, and the bands Weather Report and Yes.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when... Segovia visited our house. It was exciting!

Your sound and approach to music:

Following the path of my guitar heroes Ralph Towner and Pat Metheny I want to use the classical guitar in a non-classical setting to play music of various styles (straight-ahead jazz, progressive jazz, progressive rock, world music).

I enjoy playing with non-standard rhythms such as 7/8, 10/8, 11/8 or combinations of these played simultaneously. (I try to avoid 4/4!) Half of my music is instrumental. However, I'm highly influenced by listening to old radio dramas of the '40s and '50s. Consequently, I like to conjure up a modern film feeling (by recording my own voiceovers and custom sfx's) to create layered musical "scenes" that draw you into a visual moment.

A lot of my music currently is based upon themes in astrophysics so these themes heavily influence the context of my musical "scenes" and especially the voiceovers and song lyrics.

Your dream band:

Gee, that's a tough one! Maybe...Norah Jones! Charlie Haden! and Brian Blade!

Well, if Chet Baker were alive, he'd be on my list!

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?

Um, I can't pick just one! How about 3 (not in any order):

(1) Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny, Beyond the Missouri Sky;

(2) Egberto Gismonti, Dança Das Cabeças;

(3) Rokia Traore, Bowmboi.

The first Jazz album I bought was:

It was either by Django Reinhardt or an Oregon album.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Creating new styles of visual music with a classical guitar.

CDs you are listening to now:

Rokia Traore, Bowmboi.

Desert Island picks:

Chet Baker - anything.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

Play a wide variety of jazz. Always keep straight-ahead stuff but increase exposure of non-western jazz artists. They bring a fresh approach.

What is in the near future?

Well, either record another CD or maybe to really make the movie (that resides inside my head) that the CD, Penguins on Mars is based upon.

By Day:

I oversee foreign language audio localization production for an educational toy company.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

That's a trick question, right? Um, a filmmaker?