{"id":8584,"date":"2018-02-09T18:13:43","date_gmt":"2018-02-09T18:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/?p=8584"},"modified":"2018-04-16T16:38:10","modified_gmt":"2018-04-16T15:38:10","slug":"dozen-q-sam-qureshi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/dozen-q-sam-qureshi\/","title":{"rendered":"DozenQ \u2013 Sam Qureshi"},"content":{"rendered":"
This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series DozenQ 5<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>

01. How did you get started?<\/h3>\n

In the late 1970\u2019s when I was a 12-year-old school kid in Birmingham I met a newly forming reggae band called UB40 \u2013 Actually I was in a Pub (when I shouldn\u2019t have been at that age) \u2013 and was getting attacked by members of The National Front and they (UB40) came to my rescue. Afterwards, they took me over to a shabby old cellar where they rehearsed and Brian Travers let me play on his Saxophone. Then I had the bug!<\/p>\n

02. Describe your sound and techniques and type of equipment that you use?<\/h3>\n

I have a hybrid tone based on the \u2018Masters of the Saxophone.\u2019 It\u2019s a very original sax sound and I was once complimented by the Inventor of the famous Lawton Mouthpiece \u2013 Jeff Lawton – he quoted \u2018impeccable control and unique tone.\u2019 He actually made to measure mouthpieces for graduates of The Count Basie Band such as the great Sonny Rollins and offered me one for free. However, I\u2019m happy with using my plastic \u2018Meyer\u2019 and metal \u2018Berg Larsen\u2019 mouthpieces in conjunction with my original Yamaha 62 Alto Saxophone. By utilising standard jazz fingering techniques I have created my own system of playing the Instrument and developed a methodology that other musicians have asked me to pass onto them. I\u2019m self-taught and very limited sight reading which has liberated me from convention and educational jazz improvisation theory to illustrate this fact a few years back Scott Morin guru of ECM Records and Universal Jazz stated about me \u2018interesting concept both as a performer and composer!\u2019<\/p>\n[affilinet_performance_ad size=468×60]\n

03. Who are your major influences and inspirations and who do you despise?<\/h3>\n

I would probably need 100 pages to list all my major influences in Jazz but will keep it sweet. I would say all the major artists on The Blue Note Recordings produced by Rudy Van Gelder from 1958 through to 1964 \u2013 The Alfred Lion Years \u2013 John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Jackie Mclean, Kenny Dorham, Wes Montgomery, Lee Morgan, Stanley Turrentine etc. Also the great Saxophonist and Inventor of Be Bop Charlie Parker and in recent years my greatest influence on the composition of Latin forms is Antonio Carlos Jobim.<\/p>\n

Because Jazz is such a wide genre spanning decades it is actually difficult for me to despise any of its manifold artists or legends. Its music for relevant generations. For me personally I\u2019m no big fan of certain Big Band Sounds or Traditional Jazz and modern day Smooth Jazz seems to lack an organic feel replaced with a overproduction although there are exceptions to the rule. As the great pianist Oscar Peterson once said there are only 2 types of music historically in the world \u2018good or bad\u2019!<\/p>\n

04. What drives you to make music?<\/h3>\n

As the Human Body needs food and water to survive so the Soul needs music. Jazz Music is a Spiritual progression. I see myself as a Healer of Souls. One of the reasons people come to gigs is to forget their problems and relax they need fresh hope. If my music can make them feel good and transform their negativity to positivity than I\u2019m a successful musician. I feel I serve Humanity. Coupled with this I\u2019m convinced the world needs new music to parallel the climate of politics and change of each era. Esoteric in nature and perhaps one the \u2018\u2019many mansions in my father\u2019s house\u2019\u2019 I HAVE to continually put new music on this planet.<\/p>\n

05. What can someone who has never seen you live before expect from your live show?<\/h3>\n

A very organic interaction of musicians and audience. Although there is a formula for each individual song we have an individuality of performance. Every time we play a song it will be unique and different to each audience such is the beauty of Jazz improvised format. The solos I make on Saxophone will be different EVERY time same with the other instrumentalists of piano, guitar or drums with a very cutting edge feel and a climax of intensity. The rhythmic approaches between the drums and Congas drive furiously and hypnotically a root foundation of Latin Music sure to induce the dancefloor! The template of the Studio recordings are harnessed onto a higher level when we take to the stage \u2013 we never know prior to each gig exactly what will happen live \u2013 for example \u2018\u2019The Magpie and Squirrel\u2019\u2019 (from the Samba of Love album) song lasted for 30 minutes at a recent gig because the audience didn\u2019t want to stop dancing. So it also makes every live show interesting and a new experience for us. Every gig is an adventure and learning process for the band.<\/p>\n