Back in 1993 Jamie Masefield debuted the first incarnation of the Jazz Mandolin Project. As befits its name, the Project has featured a rotating cast of individuals over the years, including Jon Fishman, Danton Boller, Ari Hoenig, Greg Gonzalez and Matt Shulman. The current incarnation of the group features JMP regulars Peter Apfelbaum, Scott Ritchie and Mark Guiliana. Starting with a performance this coming Friday, September 24, at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall, the quartet will return for a series of shows. Folliowing the NYC gig, JMP will then appear in Jamie’s hometown of Burlington, VT on Thursday September 30 at Club Metronome followed by gigs on Friday October 1st at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse and then the Weeks Gallery Stage at Jamestown Community College in Jamestown, NY on October 2nd. in the following conversation Masefield talks about his return to the road after some time off, his plans to follow-up his “How Much Land Does a Man Need” project and the inspiration he took from a recent Fishman quote.
2010 has been quiet in terms of Jazz Mandolin Project performances. Where else have you placed your focus?
Ah yes, well I guess the quick answer to that would be “nest building.” I was on the road pretty much full time with JMP for about 13 years straight. Around 5 years ago I got the urge to settle down and try to buy a classic old fixer upper VT farmhouse, eat food out of my own garden and discover my significant other (all of which I’ve accomplished).
What led you to decide to return to the road for a series of shows?
There’s always the itch and desire to play. My agent and I decided that we would put together a string of dates once school was back in session and play NYC again which we are very excited about. I kept hearing more of the guys that I play with mentioning that they were either performing at or just drinking at The Rockwood Music Hall. I found this interesting since it’s really not a jazz joint. I liked that it was an intimate spot where a ton of different stuff was being performed. So of course I thought JMP should play there. We’ve been pulling some great old tunes out of the archive that haven’t been played in a while. I think people will be pleased.
Can you talk a bit about the current JMP quartet that will be touring over the coming weeks? There are plenty of familiar faces in this version of Jazz Mandolin Project, can you talk about what drew you to each of them and what they bring to bear?
This is a very exciting lineup for me. Bassist Scott Ritchie has been playing with me regularly since 2003. Not only is he a swingin bassist but he also has mad classical chops. I’ve had the great opportunity to have Peter Apfelbaum with me since 2007. Peter’s musicianship is amazing. He plays so many instruments it’s ridiculous! He’s played with so many cats over the years (Don Cherry, Trey, Dafnis Prieto, Charlie Hunter, Trilok Gurtu, John Zorn, heck, he gave Joshua Redman lessons as a kid!) Having him in the group makes it more like a mini orchestra. He plays keyboards, every woodwind instrument, and a host of percussion instruments he’s collected from around the world. Mark Guiliana completes the lineup. He first played with me 2004 but I haven’t had a chance to play with him for a number of years. Mark is a young rising star in the NYC jazz scene. He’s been touring internationally with a host of great musicians including bassist Avishai Cohen and Meshell Ndegeocello. I knew he was going to be an important player in the first 5 minutes we jammed in his basement in NJ. This will be a special treat to have him rejoin us for this fall run.
Looking back a bit to some of your more recent triumphs, the “How Much Land Does A Man Need” project has been quite successful from a critical standpoint. Do you have any other similar projects in the works?
I’m asked that question a lot. Creating “How Much Land does a Man Need” was a real soul searching process. It was a leap off the cliff into the unknown and I think that this is part of what makes it so unique and special. If I duplicated it with choosing a new piece of great literature to form a multi media performance around, I’m afraid that I would be duplicating myself and that there would be no way that it would be as fresh as the first project.
Earlier this year you performed with clarinet player Brad Terry. How did that come about and can you talk about the experience? In terms of material, what did you drawn from?
Playing with 72 year old Brad Terry for the first time was a rare moment. It’s uncommon to meet someone that you hook up with so instantaneously. Our performances are conversations, friendly chats that move along in a pleasing manner. It’s a very interactive experience where it’s kind of hard to say who’s soloing and who’s supporting. We basically throw ideas back and forth in the moment. I think what works so well with him is that it’s evident to the audience that we’re having a ball. Oh, and did I mention that he’s a virtuoso whistler? Now Andrew Bird is a great whistler but Brad is on a different planet. Really! Our repertoire is all jazz standards that we really stretch but we also are getting into free pieces which always raises the stakes. He’s played with Dizzy Gillespie, but for any guitar aficionados out there, he played alot with the late and masterful Lenny Breau.
Will there be more to come?
Yes. He’s currently on tour in Poland for a month but we’re looking forward to playing a few gigs in December in NH and ME. Keep an eye on the JMP website and facebook page.
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