You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians - Adam's Musical Origin Story

Episode Date: September 17, 2021

Now, it's Adam's turn to take you on a trip through his early days as a young musician.* Learn how to master the major scales - check out Adam's Major Scale Course* Have a question for us? Leave us a SpeakPipe at https://link.youllhearit.com/speakpipe* Support the pod by spreading the word with the link openstudiojazz.link/yhi* Learn more about Open Studio Pro: openstudiojazz.com/proInterested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. And be sure to check out our All Access Pass - every course from Open Studio on every instrument.Let us know what you think by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, or head over to our YouTube channel.Follow us on Twitter | Instagram

Hey, Peter. Hey, we've heard your backstory, your origin story. Yes. It's time for mine. Is this going to include an album of blues classics from High Ridge by any chance? No, but it does include John Denver. I'm Adam Manus. And I'm Peter Mark.

And you're listening to the You'll Hear podcast. Music advice and inspiration coming at you. Coming at you. Peter, is John Denver something you might be interested in? You might be interested in. I mean, I'm not disinterested, but I'm super interested in here. hearing how this is a part of your jazz origin story. Now, you do realize this is Adam's jazz origin story. This is not Adam's origin story. I do realize that. But, you know, I do come from

Jeffco, right, out in the country. And so part of my origin story, just as a musician in general, something that was a big part of me. My dad was in folk bands in the 70s. So we'll get right into it. Okay. But some of my earliest memories of making music was when my dad would get out his guitars on the weekend usually because you know he worked a full-time job during the weekend on saturdays or sundays he would usually get out his guitars he had a beautiful 12-string guitar he would get out he had a fender stratacaster he would sometimes get out when i was a kid he actually was the fender it was the same fender stratacaster from wayne's world that white white on white fender stratacaster he would get out he would i bet it's i bet he sounded way better than

the wayne's world guy he sounded pretty good actually he would play like surf rock tunes he would play a lot of folk music. And so some of the earliest things I did were at bonfires and family get-togethers is to sing old folk tunes. Well, they were old to me, folk tunes that my dad used to play. And one of those first ones was this one. Coast heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shannon Goa River. Life is old there.

Older than the trees, younger than the mountains, growing like a breeze. Country roads. Take me home. That's just a good song, man. That's a good song right there. So you've got to imagine a little five-year-old, four-year-old, five-year-old Adam singing this with full enthusiasm. Oh, yeah. You know, and earnestness.

And, you know, now that I think about it, actually, like, it's my jazz origins, but, you know, I make a lot of different kinds of music in my career. and this is certainly in my DNA, this kind of thing. Well, I think, too, that, you know, this is really about, it's certainly where we ended up was jazz, among other places, as you say. But this is just like love of music and family. And like, you know, say that with your dad.

Like, for me with my parents, like music was just something. It was like food or, you know, for some families, although we like that too, but it was just like something that you associate with joy and with life. And what a great gift. I mean, I know that you're giving it to your kids. They're super music. and appreciation and players and stuff

and my kids are as well. Like this is the best gift we can give them. Totally. Yeah. And it's memories forever. Yeah. To sing with your dad is incredible. You gotta get your dad. Has your dad done a little John Denver or a little folk guitar for the grandkids? Because you can jump generation sometimes.

He definitely has. He definitely, yeah, the grandkids. I've been trying. So some, here's a funny story. So my sister, I have a little sister Julie. She lives in Brooklyn now. But she never played, she was kind of played a little clarinet in middle school, whatever, but she never played music. It wasn't until she was in her 20s.

She moved to Austin, Texas. She started playing upright bass. Well, because you're in the music capital of the country. I think they require you to play the upright base when you moved to us. She learned out of play. And I was like, Julia, and you come back, we got to form a manis family band, dad on guitar, me on the keys, you on the bass. But we never.

We never did. So I started piano a little later than you. I had some keyboard instruments around the house. And I started picking songs off the radio when I was really little five years old, learning Beach Boys songs off of tapes that I would have, soundtrack tapes and things like that. And it wasn't until I was 10 that I started lessons. And one of the first things I started was this. This is a piano roll version too, isn't it? Piano roll version. Maple Leafrague, Scott Joplin. Scott Joplin was improvising a little bit off of his sheet music.

Swampy, man. It is. Groovy. Amazing. Maple Leafrag, Scott Joplin. I mean, like we said with yours, it really is like that's the ultimate gateway drugging to the jazz piano totally totally true so a complete 180 you know a big part of getting into improv improvisation getting into the sounds of jazz was my dad's record collection

huge jazz record fan there was a lot of like Charlie Bird and Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson and things like that of course but this is a record not jazz at all but something that he used to play in the car all the time. And this was the first time

I remember thinking like, what's happening? What is going on here? Dad was hip. Dad was kind of hip. There's a road solo in this. That is so killing. And I remember thinking like,

how does that work? Yeah. Is this Steve Gaff? Steely Dan, Steve Gadd. Black Cow from Asia, of course. That bass drum. See if we can catch the road solo. There it is.

I think this is Joe Sample. I think so. Yeah, yeah. So really the first time, you know, a lot of Steely Dan in the car, and I think it really influenced like, just like there's no other, like when you hear that compared to what's on top 40 radio in the mid 80s, like what in the hell is going on here? Like what are those chords? What is happening? That's actually Victor Feldman. Is it Victor Feldman?

I think so. Oh my God. That's so cool. But I know there's another, there's something else from Asia that Joe, I think Joe Sample's on there too. I think that's right. Yeah, that's right. Some Dan head is going to let us. Oh, yeah, for sure.

So it wasn't too long after bump in some Steely Dan and starting to understand what it is that, you know, I was- Bumping the Dan. Bumping the Dan. But you were listening, that record had been out for a minute by the time. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, they were listening to Steely Dan's greatest hits.

Okay, right. As a lot of, right. But he also had this on vinyl, Asia. He had a lot of great vinyl, a lot of Ohio players, like Witt Wilson Pickett, like a lot of soul music. But at this, around, Around the same time is when I was a band nerd, of course, I played saxophone in the concert band in middle school. I played drums in the marching band in high school, and there wasn't really a lot of piano for me to play in band until I got to high school and I got into the jazz band.

And then the first year I was played piano in the jazz band. I made All District, which is like the, I think you'd have all suburban in St. Louis County, but Jeff Coe had All District. I made that. I never played jazz before. I didn't have any lessons with anybody or even really listening. to it up into that point, but I could figure out music, right? Did you go to one of those those, what were they, festivals, where they judge you? East Central College. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Out in Union,

Missouri. Oh, we're going to be there. You're going to be there. Shout out to East Central. But yeah, I was out there and I really at that point realized like, oh, I think I love this. Like, I think I really like this. So I'll never forget

one of the adjudicators out there recommended to my parents. They were like get him some Oscar Peterson albums and get him some Bill Evans albums. Can I just say real quick before you play this? Big shout out to music. Yeah, for sure. Because I'm just thinking about I had a similar thing. Like think about like, you know, other bands and like music crosses over a lot of bridges.

We both grew up in St. Louis, which is known as at one time, at one time this was kind of the undisputed, undisputed most segregated city in America. For sure. And especially when you get into the county and stuff and the city. but like music even back in the 70s and 80s when we were coming up like cut through a lot of that you know in a way that the only other thing like especially with high schools and stuff the only other thing was athletics but that was always like you're competing against these other schools you go in that we're going to kick your butt in football and everything but music

is like that was the time when we got to meet other musicians other students from other areas and and you know things weren't as open and connected as they are now and it's because of music you Really, truly not a lot of lines drawn in the sand for music, in this town at least, and a really way to experience that. So for me, it was for sure. It was the foot in the door to so much of the world. And so the first records I got were actually Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans' verve jazz masters. Yes.

Do you remember these compilations from the 90s? With that horrible logo. I mean, I got it queued up right here. But it introduced me to this. Lay back much? I know, man. So, you know, at this point, like, I'm... Again, this was all happening a little bit further down the line

than I think it might have been for you, but I was probably 14 or 15 when I first got these records. And again, I heard this and I was like, I want to feel like that for the rest of my life. And then this next one I heard and I thought, well, how does this work? Like, I'll never... This is Bill Evans, Israel.

And again, this is from... explorations, but I just had it on a compilation of Verve Jazz. I was just company. And I remember having the CD going in my dad's car and asking him like, what is happening? What is the drummer doing? Why are they doing that? Because everything else is like, he was like, I don't know, put black cow back on. It was funny because he didn't really, he didn't know. And really, I was like, what is the bass player doing? Are they reading this? Is it is a piano improvising? I had so many questions. And he, and there was no internet for him to be like, how his jazz work. There was no open studio.

You know? So he was like, I think, he's like, I think they're all improvising. And I was like, no. And he's like, yeah, I think they're all. He's like, I think he was actually pretty spot on. He's like, I think there's a structure. Yeah. And there's a, there's a tune. And then all each player is improvising their own thing to it, right? And I was like, that's amazing. Yeah. I was just mind blown. And like, lo and behold, Lester Manis there, shout out to, shout out to dads, too. That's right. You know, mom and dads for, for helping them along the way. So that was really when I first got into, like that was, well, shout out to moms for doing everything else,

except what we're talking about here. We're like, yeah, our dads, our moms are listening right now, seething. They're like, oh, we literally, this was one percent of your upbringing. I drove him to those piano lessons every damn day. Right. I drove up to Union, Missouri. That's right.

The dads were, like, our dads were passed out drinking beer while the moms did everything. And he's like, I think they're just making it up as they go along. Every two and a half years, they would, like, drive us somewhere, like, play a track. That's our memories of my. totally but I'll never forget so so that was kind of like the music that was like you should listen to this like a lot of shoulds when you're that age but I'll never forget the first thing I I heard and then I went out and got on my own of me can I just just want to ask you one thing about their Bill Evans because hearing that again you know I wonder for you and for the ones I pick him for a lot of people if the like the way that track starts I mean there's so many we could list a hundred Bill Evans tracks that of his albums and what things are that he played on where he did amazing. I mean, like, he was very consistent, like, playing at a high level. Absolutely.

Explore. I mean, but this record, the way that track starts, like, and the sound of it and all the instrument, it is so compelling. It really, yeah. You know, I mean, it's, it's like, it's arresting. I mean, it's just like, whoa. And, like, to your point of, like, I want to figure out how to do that, what's going on, how are they doing that?

I think these certain tracks, there are certain ones that pull you in even more and become part of that sort of legendary origin story. Well, and I think it's, thank God that. I got, you know, the two albums that I got, the first track on the one compilation is Night Train. The first track on the other is Israel because, like, they both have such heavy vibes. Yeah.

Where the vibe is very approachable, actually. Like, even though for a 14-year-old, this seems heavy, it has that teenage angst about it a little bit. Like, you're like, he seems sad. That was like Soundgarden, 1959. It is a little sound, like, but it has that sort of, like, vibe. And when you're, when I was at the time in the process, of like I'm just reading, you know, my jazz band's charts and trying to figure this out.

When you're trying to figure out the music just by listening to it and you're like, okay, that I don't know what is happening. And that is very exciting. Yeah. You know what I mean? Because also, I don't know about you at the time. I'm way cockier than I should be. Oh, yeah.

I feel like I'm the greatest gift to music that's ever been because I'm 14 and 15. That's right. I'm like, damn right. Right. Also, I have chops fairly young. You know what I mean? Like the chops, like I spent time trying to play with some. And pop music stuff you can kind of play.

You can crush it. stuff on the radio and you're like, I'm like hitting Brian everything I do, like figuring it out and the girls are like, what? That's right. It's great. But then this comes and I'm like, I have no idea what's happening here. So I'll never forget, one of the first times I go to jazz, Jazz the Bistro, and shout out to all local clubs for fostering talent and fostering a love of the music, right?

It was kind of a random thing, Jackie Terrason, your boy. Friend for many years. Friend for many years. Fun fact, Jackie Terrison. followed me in, wait, am I messing this up? Yes, in the Betty Carter trio. Did he really? Yeah. Well, so he was having a moment when I was 15 or so.

He was, I think he had just won this month competition, which I know, or it was a couple of years prior. I don't know. Sorry, no. Same year, I got second. That's okay. You would have got my vote, buddy. No, but he was, he was driving up. This was one of the first trios I ever saw.

So, I mean, a live trio was, you know, his trio with Leon Parker in Uganda, Okegwa. and I remember them playing this track. That was a really good trio. It was a great dream. I saw them live on that time too. I bought this record from the show. I still own this CD, the one that I bought from the show,

from Jackie himself. Oh, so cool. And just as a, again, as a teenager, I didn't know that music could be like this. This is I Love Paris from his self-titled. So for me, man, I was also super into hip-hop. I was super into, I mean, this was like prime, again, Sound Garden, Nirvana Time.

So just that drum intro, I was like, oh, like, this is something that. that is like, you know, that feels great. That feels very crisp and modern too. Leon Parker, amazing. So great. And where's Leon now? He made a reappearance.

He was off the scene for a minute. Yeah. Always been one of my, he had the small set, remember? No high hat. Oh, was that one of it? No hi hat. At least at this time,

there was no high hat. But it was like snare bass drum and like one time or something. Why? Because I remember. Like one symbol. I went to this show with a drummer friend and he was like, no high hat. And I was like, I don't care.

Sounds great. Yeah. He's like the Marie Condon. of drummers ahead of this time. So was this like 94? 94. 94. 93 or four. Yeah.

So but I just, you know, again, one of my first live shows to hear live improvised music and just being blown away again by like, what is going on? And then soon after that, I discovered the love of my life. Herbie Hancock's secrets, of course,

is the swamp rat? Now, is the love of your life, Herbie? Nope. Or the swamp rat? Sweet secrets. Oh, secrets. The owl.

I thought it was the actual rat. It's good. No, no. I discovered Herbie. I actually discovered Maiden Voyage first. Wow. So you didn't come through Rocket like me, because that would have been way before your time. I didn't come, I didn't actually,

I've never checked out Future Shock. Future Shock came and went fast. Yeah. It was huge. It was like a, like what are those burning stars? They flash out very quickly. Yeah, no, I didn't know Rocket. I didn't have, first of all, we didn't have cable growing up.

But we didn't, I didn't have MTV. I didn't know. I was a little too young. for it to be on the radio? Yeah, that would have been way before your time. So for me, it was discovering Herbie was probably through Miles and then his own stuff. Yeah. And then falling in love with him acoustically.

And then when I heard secrets, because remember, I think I've told the story before, I went to go get, someone was like, go get the headhunters. Yeah. I went to borders to go grab the headhunter CD. They didn't have it, but they had secrets. So this is the one I got. That's so great. Right?

Like, if I would have got headhunters, totally different personality. But I just fell in. Yeah. But it was also at the time where. I could afford maybe two CDs a month. Right. Because they were $16. I know.

And like I didn't make a lot of money. Right. And so I was buying them on my allowance, I think. So like there was no way that I was getting, you know, going back the next week to get something. But what a great thing too. The like this I think has such a, man, I really, I encourage young folks. Dude, our kids will never know that joy. I know.

I'm just gradually appreciating something. I know. Well, I just would say for all musicians. But you know what? It is possible. Like you can. And I wonder. is it a thing, you know, my younger son

is like, he's big into LPs, like a lot of, you know, kids now because it's cool or whatever. But that does kind of push you into that, like, enjoying. I mean, the thing is he can go get, you know, 20. He does. He goes into Venice vinyl, it's like 20 classical

LPs for a dollar each. And so, you know, classical vinyl fan. Today is your day. Sometimes they'll pay you to take them out of there. Because everybody used to listen to classical music on vinyl and now nobody does. That's right. That's right. That's awesome.

But I mean, I do think there is a way to consume music the way that we did to like dig deep and to like appreciate. You know, we've got to get back to that because that's, you know, one of the most essential elements to having these kind of connections. Agreed. I have so much actually. There's a lot of like, I remember, you know, a friend

gave me like a mixtape of Stevie Wonder stuff. And there's a lot of like B-side tracks on there. I might now have skipped over. Yeah. Spotify playlist or something. Right. And that I love. love so much. You know what I mean? I mean, there's no bad Stevie, but you know what I'm saying. Yeah. Yeah. It's like you just, you can afford something. You buy it. It's yours now. You own it.

You can't hear anything else. That's right. You know, so you have to, you have to work with what you got. That's right. That's right. That's right. Well, that's really kind of, you know, after discovering Herbie, I felt like I found someone who was, who is sympathetico with my values as a musician. Interesting how both our origin stories ended with, not ended, but like, once it got to Herbie, that's like, the floodgates open. It's true. Because, I mean, he's had such a career where he's done all this different stuff.

Yeah. So you can actually evolve with him. Yeah. You know what I mean? And then you get to something like the Joni letters and you're just like, well, that's mastery at its finest,

you know? Yeah. Yeah. So it is interesting. Yeah. Yeah. Well, this is great, man. I mean,

I feel like I learned something about you. I knew about your connection and love for most of these tracks, but really cool. They just hear the kind of chronology and the memories and stuff. So thanks, man. Super fun.

Yeah. Let us know your origin story. Hit us up. You can leave us a review if you want. What do you got? Well, I was going to say they could also, if you can keep it to two minutes, which obviously neither one of us could do that, our origin story. Yeah. They could leave us a speak pipe. Hit us up on speakpipe and let us know what your first touch with jazz was and what that was like for you. Yeah. And the speak pipe is you're going to go to. Isn't it? You'll hear.com? No. Well, that might take you there, but you can also do Open Studio Jazz slash. Wait, it's WWW.

of you. Yeah. I was at the test these. I feel like we have them. And then, yes. Open Studio jazz.com slash YHI. And also, you might just mosey on over to open studio jazz. com slash podcast because we want to give a big shout out to, you know, the open studios

become a podcast network as a word. We have the you'll hear a podcast, which is what is all up in your ears right now. But we also have upright citizens from our friends, Bob DeBoo and Rubin Rogers. discussing everything, upright bass. That's true. Check that out, or if you have any bass friends, that is a lot of fun. So you can see all that at open studio jazz.com slash podcasts.

And until next episode, you'll hear it.