By: Azad Karimi
My music culture is classical and jazz, as well as music production. Music logic to me has a lot to do with mathematical principles, intellectual freedom, and metaphysics.
Interview
American Jazzist Benjamin Miller
By Azad Karimi
A Kurdish proverb says that the fingers of one hand are not the same.
I use this as a basis for saying that I have interviewed many people from all over the world. Some of them are from the same country and have the same job. But I knew that these are general criteria, but the main criterion and basis is personal experience and expertise.
Therefore, two people from the same country who have the same job can not think alike, and therefore the product and outcome of their work are different.
Many of the friends I interviewed were from music, culture, and art. I interviewed other people who had other jobs. Some of them sent me their answers and others never sent their answers.
Of course, the high volume of work initially occupied me a lot, but later I was able to go into details and some things became clear to me.
Again, I feel happy to have worked on this project. I was supposed to publish all the interviews until the beginning of the Kurdish year, Nowruz, which is on March 21 every year.
To be honest, I was totally sick since August last year, so many times I could not write at all. But fortunately, there are a few of these interviews to publish. with honor.
It was a good experience to meet so many people I did not know before. I was happy to test my abilities and face this great challenge.
For all its complexity, I have never regretted this project. thank God.
I think a lot of people are enjoying this project and they are happy that someone in one corner of the world started it to create a culture of friendship, acquaintance, respect, human brotherhood regardless of religion, race, nationality, and national, local, and regional cultures.
This project is for meeting and friendship. It does not belong to any particular ideology and is independent. It belongs only to human, human dignity, and human essence. With the aim of loving and respecting the world.
Thanks to all the friends as well as the people who participated in this interview, as well as to my dear friend Mr. Benjamin Miller. I wish him success and happiness. God bless him and America.
Thank you!
Vestland-Norway
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1- Please present yourself: (Name, education, Civil status, and...)
. Benjamin Miller, Masters degree in Jazz piano performance from Manhattan School of Music and Bachelor's degree in jazz piano performance from McGill University, US Citizen..
2-What is your artistic specialization?
.Jazz piano, music production, film scoring, composition, arranging.
3- When and how did you become interested in this field of art?
.Started piano at age 5, at age 13 influenced to start to study jazz by jazz musicians I heard (Bill Evans, Art Tatum, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Fats Waller, John Coltrane) and was exposed to through family, friends, and Ken Burns Jazz series.
4- Who was your motivator?
.My teachers and family.
5- What was your parent’s reaction?
.They were highly encouraging.
6- When started you such as a professional artist/ musician?
.When I was 15, I started to gig professionally.
7- Are you thankful and happy because of your activities as a musician?
. Yes, I am very thankful and happy to be a part of creative art that incorporates improvisation and communication on the bandstand.
8- What is music culture? What is the music logic?
.My music culture is classical and jazz, as well as music production. Music logic to me has a lot to do with mathematical principles, intellectual freedom, and metaphysics.
9- Why do some songs become immortal?
.Some songs become immortal because they capture a part of the human spirit that is important for others to be in touch with and recognize.
10- How you see the Music, Performing, art, and culture from your perspective? I mean your prediction for the future of music!
.I believe it will continue to evolve, with people presenting variations on the past as well as brand new material that includes influences from many different parts of the culture.
11- Can you become one part of the cultural movement for motivation in youth or new generation in your country and so then?
.I hope I can become a voice in my generation that is unique and motivates others to find their own voice.
12- How can you help our world become a better place to live?
.By sharing my perspective through my musical voice, I hope people can be inspired to find intellectual freedom.
13- Have you more words to say or suggest for our readers?
.Please expand your taste beyond what is presented to you in the mainstream of whatever artistic or cultural context you are a part of by learning to appreciate dissonance, complexity, and contrast (simple/complex & consonant/dissonant) and embrace tradition as well.
