Written interview with percussionist Michael Waldrop
Jazz Blues European Union: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Michael Waldrop: – I started playing professionally in my hometown of Ithaca NY at age 17.
Prior to this I began drumming along with recordings when I was very young, perhaps 4 or 5 years old. I began formal study of drums/percussion in the school band program at age 10, eventually receiving private instruction in classical percussion from professors at Ithaca College (most notably Gordon Stout). I attended the renowned jazz school at the University of North Texas, performing in their jazz ensembles and recording two albums with the Grammy nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. I received my Master’s at the University of Memphis and was very active in the music scene during my time there. I studied composition and keyboard harmony from my mentor there Gene Rush. I found my musical voice in Memphis and I still perform some of the compositions I wrote while living there. I began full time college teaching in 1999 and continue this now in my full time position as a Professor of Percussion at Eastern Washington University. Throughout my time in education I have maintained an active schedule as a recording artist and performer.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
The two places I’ve lived that have the most effect on my musicial development have been my hometown Ithaca and Memphis. Ithaca because it’s where I began my journey; it’s a very creative small city in upstate NY where the arts are highly valued. There are two universities there: Cornell (where my parents taught) and Ithaca College (which had an excellent music conservatory). Memphis as a city is an education in itself regarding an indigenous approach to American music; a city with a deep musical history. The connection to the blues is palpable when someone lives there. Again, it’s where I found my musical voice, so it will always be a home for me.
What performers have been your inspiration?
I’ve been influenced by many artists, far too many to name but I’ll name perhaps the most important to me by categories.
Drummers/Percussionists: Elvin Jones, Steve Gadd, Jack DeJohnette on drums
Joe Locke, Dave Samuels on vibraphone
Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Eliane Elias on piano
This is just a very short list, I have many more influences than this.
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
Streaming music has really had a negative impact on sales of physical CDs. While streaming music has made it widely accessible, it discourages purchase of music, particularly physical media. I still buy physical media for the artists I listen to; it gives me a visceral connection with their work. Not just the music itself, but also the background information relevant to the work involved with the production. It lends a backstory and understanding to the music.
It’s an important link because real music is never created in a vacuum; it is always connected to the lives, emotions and perceptions of the people creating the music. AI music which is starting to emerge represents the opposite of real music…it is music genuinely created in a vacuum with no connection to sentient life. While I find AI music scientifically interesting it represents a real threat to the concept of music as ART rather than a science. Music is often taught as a science but it is not listened to and enjoyed as a science. Music primarily should be experienced on a metaphysical level, perhaps even spiritual level. AI is the opposite of that. So I find streamed music and the emergence of AI to be the biggest challenges about being an artist in today’s music industry.
What do you base your success on?
Practicing a lot !!!
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
Collaboration is essential. One person can never have a truly objective view of themselves. The latest album “Native Son” is comprised mostly of my compositions but Vasil Hadžimanov, Martin Gjakonovski, Brad Dutz and Jose Rossy all contributed their own interpretations of the music I wrote and in the process improved the music. They heard things in the music that I didn’t. For example in the title track “Native Son”, I had planned to perform the song much faster than we did on the recording. Vasil suggested that it worked better at the slower tempo and when we tried it I realized he was correct. It did work better at that tempo, I never would have realized that on my own. “El Vino” was co-written with Memphis composer Jack Cooper so, compositionally, that was collaborative. Co-producer Tim Reppert contributed greatly to “Native Son”, he sometimes disagreed with me on which takes were the best takes on the album and I ended up realizing that many times he was able to hear more objectively than I, which were the best takes. None of my music would have ever been recorded successfully without the vital contributions of everyone involved. The big band albums on Origin (Time Within Itself and Origin Suite) featured the contributions of more than 30 musicians, each of whom contributed their own interpretation of my music. They were all terrific musicians with their own perceptions of the music and they lent their perceptions to the music, thereby creating a “sum greater than the parts” in my music.
What was your latest musical release?
“Native Son” is the latest, prior to that was a classical percussion/world music project entitled “Time Frames”. Time Frames was chosen by allmusic.com as one of the Top 50 classical instrumental albums of 2021. The first two albums on Origin are the aforementioned “Time Within Itself” and “Origin Suite”; both critically acclaimed and both featured at the Jazz Education Network international conference in 2016 and 2019 respectively. I recorded my first CD “Triangularity” in 2002 and rereleased it in 2019. The re-release received critical acclaim and extensive radio play in the US in 2019.
Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Michael Waldrop – Native Son and what inspired its creation?
“Native Son” started as a casual collaboration during the pandemic with Serbian pianist Vasil Hadžimanov. I had composed Belgrade during my first visit to Belgrade in 2000. My wife is Serbian and we visit their often. I first heard Vasil play in a club in 2012 and was deeply impressed. I reached out to Vasil later about doing a remote collaboration on that tune; I wanted to hear a pianist from Belgrade interpret the tune. The remote collaboration sounded fantastic; I used this recording as a demo to appy for a creative works grant from my employer Eastern Washington University to fund the CD. The grant proposal was accepted and I spent most of 2024 working on the project. Vasil introduced me to the great Macedonian/German bassist Martin Gjakonovski and we recorded the album in three days in Belgrade in August of 2024.
How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
Native Son represents a return to the trio format introduced in my first album “Triangularity”. It differs in the use of auxiliary percussion and in that it was recorded in Europe. I’ve always liked the fresh approach Europeans bring to jazz. They in many ways have a more objective view of jazz. I love ECM recordings. America is the birthplace of jazz but Americans can have a myopic view of the art form; lately it manifests as an obsession with tradition. This is of course important, cause the American jazz tradition runs very deep. However it’s kind of like my ideas regarding the collaborative process in composition and recording of my albums; sometimes it takes someone OUTSIDE of the music to hear characteristics that are hidden to the originators of the music.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
I don’t have a singular approach to composition, it happens many different ways. The “Native Son” title track began with a drum groove. Other compositions begin with a motive or phrase that I like (usually found while improvising on piano or vibraphone). I’ll then use compositional techniques to expand on the original idea. I use a lot of techniques in my compositions: inverting motives for different sections. Rhythmic and or tonal augmentation/diminution of the original motive to sustain interest. Occasionally I will take a programmatic idea (story based) and turn it into a composition. “Bitter End” from Native Son is one such piece; that is based on a strange dream I had.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
I never have written anything interesting while trying to write something commercial. I write music that appeals to me. I always hope other people like it but I cannot control whether people like it. Of course I hope they do. Everything on my albums is a very sincere musical expression. If it’s commercial in any way that is just a happy accident.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
I have a website and social media pages. I’m still learning how to leverage these mediums to promote the music. Right now it seems to be essential to getting the music out there. I ultimately hope that leads to sales of physical CDs.
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
I spent a few years touring Europe as a pit musician for the Broadway production of 42nd Street in the mid 90’s. It was a wonderful experience, a great group of musicians (primarily jazz musicians from NYC) and I got the chance to tour Europe (Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland) because of this. I developed a real appreciation for the culturally rich environment Europe has to offer.
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
I think I addressed this earlier.
Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
The best way for me to interact with listeners is through my website: www.michaelwaldrop.com or www.michaelwaldrop.net . It is the same website, I just have two URLS. Michaelwaldrop.com URL became available 5 years ago and I purchased the rights to it..but decided to keep the original .net version as well. I have facebook, youtube and Instagram pages as well but my website is the best way to find out about my activities.
https://www.youtube.com/@michaelwaldrop1
https://www.facebook.com/michael.waldrop.161/
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWaldropMusic/
https://www.instagram.com/michaelwaldropmusic/
How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
www.michaelwaldrop.com and www.michaelwaldrop.net
Thanks for the great questions. I look forward to performing my music live in Europe for the first time over the next few years. My wife and I may relocate to Europe in the coming years and I would be eager to perform the music and experience all opportunities available in Europe․
By Olivia Peevas
