Published: February 10, 2008 12:21 PM EST
By: Isaac Joseph Davis Junior (Juniorscave.com)
Acoustic / New age / Ambient
Az Samad is an amazing guitarist who knows how to makes music that speaks to us. His guitar playing abilities are top notch and one that will have you captivated from the very first beat. Join us in a journey of discovery as we at Junior’s Cave begin a wonderful spotlight of an artist that blends Jazz, Latin, and Pop into something refreshing.
Isaac-Joseph: How are you doing today?
Az Samad: I'm doing great!
Isaac-Joseph: I love the way you play the guitar. It comes out sounding authentic and genuine. How do you approach your music?
Az Samad: For me, the best songs I've written tend to have been the ones that were inspired by people I've and my experiences with them. That's where the heart of the music comes from. The real work for me is making everything coherent as a song. I want a song to sound like it's built with the same materials - this could be a catchy melody or a cool bass riff. After the initial spark, it's like working as a craftsman. Sometimes I write pieces beyond my playing ability to challenge myself and those are the ones that in the long run keep me on my toes!
Isaac-Joseph: What aspect of making music excites you the most right now as an entertainer?
Az Samad: Performing! I love being on stage and playing in front of an audience - it can be big or small - I love doing cafe gigs and I love doing bigger venues as well. The energy and interaction of the performer and audience is what fires me up!
Isaac-Joseph: What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged you the most?
Az Samad: Sometimes it's the business side - it's challenging managing yourself and trying to have a balance calendar of shows, teaching and rest. A person with a more regular schedule with a day job I think has more stability in terms of their schedule. Then again, this is what drives me to do music - having this lifestyle.
Isaac-Joseph: You have some new releases. Expound on your new project and what can we expect from them.
Az Samad: Well, I have three projects in the pipeline. One is a new all-originals solo guitar CD. This will be a follow-up to my previous CD - Acoustic Gestures which I independently released in 2004. The new CD will have a mix of new material and some pieces I wrote but didn't get a chance to record yet. I'm also glad to say that my first record is now out of print! There are a few remaining copies on cdbaby.com, some in Guitar Collection - which is a chain of guitar shops in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and some with me but it's pretty much out of stock. I take that as a good sign and as a reminder to record a new CD!
The other two projects include one CD of all cover material and another will be a collaboration with singer-songwriter Shelley Leong who I frequently perform with.
Isaac-Joseph: What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a recording? How did the qualities of that place affect the show/recording?
Az Samad: I played in a cafeteria in a university in Malaysia and the electricity went out. Total black-out. The sound system went out so I was left playing totally acoustic. I continued anyway and got a loud applause from the audience afterwards. That was a very special show.
Isaac-Joseph: In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music?
Az Samad: I grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and have traveled to the UK, Paris, parts of Europe and the US. I stayed in Boston for two years and a half to study and recently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. All my teachers in Boston were very instrumental in shaping my approach to music today. And all the musicians! I still have friends who I met in Boston that I look forward to perform together again sometime soon. Meeting a lot of great friendly people in the Bay Area also is inspiring me to write new songs and discover new music.
Isaac-Joseph: When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it?
Az Samad: Today! I wrote a song for a lesson article I'm submitting for a magazine. It's a waltz that has a bittersweet quality to it. I intended it to be an example for a music lesson but might arrange an extended version of it for my shows.
Isaac-Joseph: As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other people...and why do you think that is?
Az Samad: It's always a balancing act for me. I have moments when I become more introspective and look inwards for ideas and sometimes I explore new artists for ideas. Right now, I'm checking out of funk music because I'm looking for new ideas rhythmically. I'm also taking some bass lessons so that is also an incentive to listen differently to music. I've always been more of a melody or harmony person - being a guitar player and all but now I'm looking more and more into the groove aspect.
Isaac-Joseph: Lately, what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from yours?)
Az Samad: I'm listening to funk - a lot of stuff with James Jamerson so that's older music. I was also listening to some Nick Drake - that stuff is very powerful and haunting. I guess it's mostly older music and it's a mixed bag. In terms of guitar music, I've been listening to the new Thomas Leeb CD, he's this amazing fingerstyle guitarist based out of LA. His stuff is probably the only thing in the same genre that I'm playing that I've listened to recently. Same thing - he has this amazing groove thing happening all the time in his music. I just love it.
Isaac-Joseph: Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?
Az Samad: Eric Roche. I studied with him and he's a major influence in the way I approach the guitar. I also think people should listen to Thomas Leeb. He's just amazing. I love his older CD 'Riddle'. That was the first CD I got of him and I think that changed my perception of how groovy instrumental solo acoustic guitar music could be. That CD and Michael Hedges's Live on The Double Planet. Just great music and feeling.
Isaac-Joseph: What is your favorite song of yours that you enjoy performing on stage?
Az Samad: The C Factor. It's a Celtic-influence piece that I wrote after studying with Irish guitarist Eric Roche. It starts off soft and has this fun fast section that segues into a rhythmic bridge section. I enjoy playing that piece every time.
Isaac-Joseph: This is what we call our Shout Out time. Elaborate on any and everyone that matters the most to you:
Az Samad: I am really thankful to my parents for supporting me doing music as a career. My mom and dad have always encouraged me to be in the arts and this has always been a driving force for me. The fact that my dad is a poet also helps. My first gig was me accompanying him on guitar. I still love performing with him every time I get a chance.
All the people I've met in Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Boston, West Virginia and California. I have so many friends who inspire me to continue to create music. A very special shout out goes out to Shelley Leong who is one of my biggest musical inspirations. I enjoy performing music with her and I owe a lot - We've done so many shows together over the years and she's given me a lot of good advice on how to approach music and the business. She's awesome.
And thank you to you! It's a pleasure to share thoughts on music and the creative process in an interview.
