Interview With Musician and Professor Steve Myerson

Interview With Musician and Professor
Steve Myerson

TNYO: Hello Steve Myerson, it is our great pleasure to have the opportunity to feature your music and speak with you in this interview.

I think the first question I would like to ask you is in regards to your two albums on your website http://www.stevemyerson.com/code/ . “Ready Or Not” and “In Your Absence”

Both Albums are in my opinion are pure genius, your skill and talent are absolutely breathtaking. Can you tell us about these artworks, how far apart were they recorded, and what were the key motivations in creating these albums? Are they both recorded by your trio? Who are the other musicians in the trio?

Steve Myerson: The opportunity and pleasure is mine! Thank you for supporting and believing in creative arts. The world needs this type of positive interaction (“optimistic” if you will) now more than ever! Thank you for your kind words of encouragement of my recorded works. I must rebut, that the genius is Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Abdullah Ibrahim, and the list goes on for miles (and MILES)! But thank you for the kind complement.

Both albums were recorded 13 years apart and are both piano jazz trio (piano bass and drums). The first album, In Your Absence features Steve Laspina on bass and Anthony Pinciotti on drums, and the second album Ready or Not features Bill Moring on Bass and George Coleman Jr. on drums.

In Your Absence was my first jazz piano trio recording. It was recorded in 2008 and released in 2009. Pianist Andy Laverne (Stan Getz, Woody Herman) was my teacher at the time and also helped produce the album.

It was important for me to have a pro set of eyes and ears to guide me through my first solo project. Andy helped me secure the band, shape the tunes, and guided me in the studio. There is an important apprenticeship that occurs in jazz, not as often now, that I wanted to preserve. Having a seasoned veteran like Andy meant to me that I had a filter of sorts, or a gatekeeper of the music. Andy to me was insurance that I was honoring the music that I love, and that every note played was respecting the history and depth that is Black American Music, “jazz” piano. Steve Laspina played bass and Anthony Pinciotti played drums.

Both are NY musicians (world musicians really). I first heard Anthony with Andy Laverne, and loved his playing so much. Andy suggested I hire Anthony to play on my record. I was hesitant at first, since we weren’t a working band and I thought it a bit odd to hire a musician that I’d never played with and didn’t know personally to make music on a recording.

But Anthony was willing to rehearse and give the music his all, and was super professional about understanding my vision for the project and supporting through his mastery of drumming. I had been rehearsing the music with another trio made of close friends. Part of me wanted to record THAT trio specifically, but Andy and I liked the idea of hiring older professional musicians that would add to not only the name value of my first project, but more importantly would push me in a different musical direction.

Steve Laspina has played bass literally with everyone, and brought such a deep feeling of swing and sound to the trio. It is a sound that I seek in bassists that work with my trio, and my friendship and musician relationship has flourished with Steve Laspina all these many years and to this day. In fact, it is such an Honor to be working with Steve Laspina now as we are both on faculty at the esteemed William Paterson University jazz program, where I attended over twenty years ago!

The music was mostly inspired at the time by Andy Laverne, as he was my then teacher, and also South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (aka “Dollar Brand”), both of whom I listened to and emulated styles. I wrote a suite of songs dedicated to Mr. Ibrahim and are included on the album. The suite was featured by Philadelphia radio station WXPN, on the show “Blues and Beyond with host Jonny Meister”. The album was honored with a nomination for a 2009 Hollywood Music in Media award for best jazz album. Saxophonist Eric Marienthal (Chick Corea) won that year, but what an honor to be considered amongst such levels of musicians!

The circumstances of my life were very different back then compared to now. I was just married to my wife Kelly, was touring with Gianni Russo (“Carlo” in the Godfather), and still waiting tables in New York. I was doing everything I could to network and find work and opportunities as a jazz artist. But NYC is not only highly competitive, but there are a TON of very high level players to keep us all in check at the piano! So I went a different route, and stayed in New Jersey, where I’ve lived most of my life. I built a career over many years while also building a family life and a network of friends right in the Garden State.

I did not record another solo album until the pandemic. My second album is titled “Ready or Not”, and was recorded live at Birdland, during the covid19 shut down. It was recorded in February of 2021. Jazz clubs suffered greatly during the pandemic and were shutting down permanently left and right. Birdland, a legendary NYC jazz venue (although the present location is not the original location), was not immune and was just one week away from going out of business.

My manager, Eli Windau (Green Door Artists Management), suggested that since the club is already closed to the public, and may close permanently, we go in and record! I said, “forgive me but,….thats crazy!”. We were in a pandemic, but also I had almost no time to prepare, no real band put together, and no tunes written. But she urged me because this could very well be the last music played at the legendary venue. Eli believes in me as an artist, as she does all her artists, and really wanted to support me during such a tough time. So I agreed….and in ONE day wrote all of the music on the record, AND put together a band.

I reached out to the first bassist and drummer on my mind at the time, and that was Bill Moring (Madeline Peyroux) and George Coleman Jr (of the legendary Coleman family of musicians). I had played with Bill for many years on various gigs, and George was a new friend but we clicked like we known each other for centuries. So about a week later, we went into Birdland, and made Ready or Not! It was not possible to rehearse due to covid restrictions, and we could not have an audience.

So we went in and did every song with a quick play through, and one or two takes. We had so much fun putting the songs together and because we are all professionals, we knew how to put our musical experiences and our hearts into the music to improvise together and to make the album sound like a unit that had been playing together.

I was so thrilled just to be playing with real people and not online as many of us did during the pandemic. But to take it a step further and actually document such a moment in history…I owe my deepest gratitude to Birdland, Eli, Bill, George, Taylor Ryan (engineer), Chris Drukker (photography), and Factory Underground (sound). About the songs…they are original compositions all inspired by other musicians.

Swag is dedicated to one of my heroes and friend pianist Benny Green, Ooey Gooey is dedicated to the St. Louis music scene, Ready or Not is dedicated to my Tuesday night trio at Halcyon restaurant in Montclair, NJ, Little Eyes is dedicated to pianist Hampton Hawes, The Touch is dedicated to pianist Hank Jones, Jim’s Riddle is dedicated to pianist Jim Ridl, Spring Lake is dedicated to my musician friends in middle NJ, and Your Tomorrows is dedicated to the late Grover Washington Jr, whom I had the pleasure of working with on a few gigs.

TNYO: As a teacher, studio musician, and touring artist I would assume each comes with a mindset or frame of mind, can you speak with us about the process of working in these separate worlds?

Steve Myerson: As a forever student of the music, I LEARN so much by teaching the music and passing on knowledge to the next generation. I have been teaching ever since I started playing professionally at 15. I had a few piano students of my own while I was in high school, and teaching is just something I assumed at the time was part of being a musician, AND it beat my former job of hand washing trucks every saturday in Camden (although I really dug that job!) I carry that same mentality today, as a professor of jazz piano at William Paterson University, and as a professor of music technology at Passaic County Community College.

I learn so much from my very talented students, and love sharing my experiences and inspiring them to pursue a career in music. I love working in the studio…recording, composing, creating, producing is all part of my wheelhouse. I had to figure out so much technology over the years in order to survive financially, and so learning that way keeps me on my toes, but also gives me an edge when I am teaching. All while teaching and working in the studio, I maintain a very busy performing career. I recently toured with the famous R&B sound of Philadelphia group the Stylistics, on and off for 20 year time period. Because touring is just something I’ve always done, just like teaching and studio work, I never really though of any of it as separated. It is ALL part of my musical life, and I believe each feeds the other so to speak.

I grow every day as a human because of the experiences I gain in teaching, writing, and touring. The most important skill I’ve gained is the ability to prepare and think ahead. Planning is crucial to success. I spend many hours and days a week just planning…which includes practicing for gigs/shows/jobs, writing, lesson planning, and most importantly FAMILY time.

I should say that I often hear musicians/artists talk about how difficult it is to have a family and be an artist. I totally have a different experience there as my wife is super supportive. She and I are both very driven and independent. We love our space and respect one another’s space, we work as a team, and we love spending time together and with our 8 year old son. I am WAY more efficient with my time and what little spare time I have goes into my family. Somehow I find that im around MORE than many dads because I don’t work a 9-5. I work a 7/365 lol!

TNYO: Piano is your main instrument - do you play other instruments?

Steve Myerson: I play a little bit of Hammond B3 organ, a ton of synth programming, but basically keyboarding/piano is my only instrument. I do toy around with drums and once took a few months of guitar lessons.

TNYO: Where did you study and learn your craft Steve?

Steve Myerson: I have a long list of teachers…mostly because I would seek out legends of jazz piano, befriend them, and study with them out of my passion for the music. Here is the list of teachers I’ve had for private piano lessons, and for schooling:

Corrie Syvarth (my first piano teacher) when I was 9 years old. Studied for two years, then quit and started teaching myself jazz by ear.

Ted Yusko is Denis Diblasio’s brother in law. Denis was a customer at my dad’s pharmacy, and my dad mentioned I was looking for a jazz teacher…and my dad knew Denis would know someone! He recommended Ted. Ted taught me chords, scales, improvisation, and opened my ears to the music, and also got me my first gig opportunities in Philadelphia.

The Clef Club of Philadelphia, Lovett Hines. I had the opportunity to meet my friends when I would take the train into Philly on school nights to go hear jazz and sit in at the old famous club Ortleibs in Philly. There I met Bilal Oliver, Rick Tate, Wes and Chris Lowery, Daahoud, Mickey Roker, Same Dockery, Sid Simmons, Mike Boone, Byron Landham, Jason Shatil, Orrin Evans, there is where I got the opportunity to meet and later join drummer Edgar Bateman’s band, also I joined the renowned one and only jazz bagpiper Rufus Harley’s band, and there I met and joined the Music Report band led by Richard Adderly (of the famous jazz family), and also joined the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble. Those and MANY more Philadelphia based musicians were my earliest and most formative and important teachers!

Jim Ridl and wonderful pianist from Colorado that I met at the old Serengeti jazz club in Pennsauken NJ. He was playing at the time with guitarist Pat Martino and also with Denis Diblasio. I wanted to sound like Jim! He has always been a huge influence on my playing.

Brian Trainor was a great local NJ and Sante Fe NM based jazz pianist. He taught me that it is ok to be different as a musician and how to find my own voice as a creative music writer.

University of the Arts is where I attended college for a bachelor in music degree. I had WONDERFUL teachers there including Ron Kerber, Rick Kerber, Kevin MacConnell, Don Glanden, Camille Paglia, Bill Zaccagni, Mark Dicciani, Jimmy Bruno, Dave Hartl, Andrew Rudin, Gerald Veasley, Don Chittum, and several other wonderful professors.

Trudy Pitts was a concert pianist, jazz pianist, and organist who was loved by all! She taught at the University of the Arts. I was so glad to study with her for all four of my College years.

Bill Charlap I met in 1996 at the Telluride Jazz Festival. He was performing with Phil Woods, and I was with the Yamaha jazz all star band. I HAD to meet Bill, and got the opportunity backstage. I asked if I could study with him immediately upon hearing his magical touch at the piano. He took me on as one of his only students at the time (maybe his only at least for the first year of lessons). Bill taught me about Charlie Parker, he taught me how to listen, and inspired me to really learn the history of recorded jazz, and our friendship continues to this day! Bill is one of the best and most recorded pianists of our time, a blue note artist, and currently the director of jazz studies William Paterson Jazz department.

Andy Laverne has performed with a who’s who of jazz, and is a wonderful player. He absorbed piano stylings of Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, and Bud Powell and taught me so much about those artists.
Dr. Min Kim is on faculty and chair of NJ City University classical department and also teaches at Juilliard. I went back to take classical lessons around age 26. I had never studied classical at this level, and Dr. Kim really taught me how to play the instrument!

William Paterson University I attended for graduate school in 2001-2003 where I had the opportunity to study with Harold Mabern and James Williams. I had wonderful professors during grad school including Dr. Jeff Kresky, Carol Frierson-Campbell, Karen Demsey, and several other wonderful and caring instructors there.

Geoffrey Keezer is one of and my main piano influences, my mentor and current teacher, and a big hero of mine! I could write an entire interview just praising his contributions and artistry. Best you find out for yourself and check out his music!

Honorable mentions Benny Green and I became friends over the years, and he has been a mentor to me. I never formally studied with Benny, but he has given so much knowledge to me through our many and continued conversations. He is a true guru and supporter for next gen musicians. He is a world treasure for jazz. Mulgrew Miller I had been a fan of since I was 12 years old and first heard his music.

I became friends with Grew through an introduction by James Williams and also my good friend pianist Wayne McConnell. Back in the old AIM messaging days, Mulgrew and I would chat for many years until finally we met in person. He generously drove to NJ and spend an entire day with me at Willam Paterson after I had already graduated and a few years before he took on the Jazz Director position. I’m ever grateful for the mentoring he gave to me and to THOUSANDS of young jazz musicians over the years.

TNYO: Where are you currently teaching music?

Steve Myerson: I don’t have time to teach privately anymore. I teach at William Paterson University, Passaic County Community College, and will soon be offering lessons and workshops through my friend Alexis Cole’s JazzVoice.com website.

TNYO: Would you also share with our audience the Manhattan and NYC Jazz scene experience and some of your favorite performances there?

Steve Myerson: NYC is still a wonderful place and proving ground for up and coming jazz hopefuls, and a super spot for hearing live jazz. It is still a world center of the music (though not the only), and I’m glad to live so close (about 35 min by car).

I try and go into the city monthly, although it is an expense I can’t always carry, to hear important jazz artists and catch new artists. I’ve heard so much incredible music over the years it would be difficult to narrow down and describe only a few but I’ll try…I once played a club in Harlem that was one of my favorite musical experiences…in the band was Jazz Messenger Frank Lacy, vibraphonist Chris Connor (not the singer), Percussionist Barry Rubin, and Bassist Tom DiCarlo. What a show! I’ve heard Bill Charlap, Christian McBride, Geoff Keezer, Jazz Messenger tribute featuring past members, JALC, Brad Mehldau, just to name a few.

TNYO: Touring globally must be an amazing adventure, please tell us about some highlights of your tours, the locations, the cities, the mood, ambience, and magic and perhaps he downsides and hardships of being on tour?

Steve Myerson: I’ve had the experience of touring all over the world and throughout the USA. Some of my favorite places have been Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, Brazil, England, Ireland, and Taiwan. For me, a highlight was when in Japan, I’ve made several life long friends and had the chance to visit Kyoto, and also I loved seeing the Koga region where Ninjutsu was developed.

I love martial arts and to step in the same ground was really cool! Of all places, Japan is my favorite to visit! I love the food, the culture, the music, and the people. Another tour highlight is experiencing Taiwan where I had an opportunity to teach at a university there, and taste the amazing and famous cuisine that is Taiwanese food. It is some of the BEST food in the world! Traveling is no doubt difficult. You don’t sleep (12am arrive at hotel after show, 2am damn lobby call to catch the next flight to the next city…ouch!), you don’t always eat well due to schedules, you deal with bumpy roads, wear and tear on your body, difficulty personalities and stressful situations, money issues sometimes, and all the stuff that we as humans have to endure to survive, but I am glad I’ve had opportunities to travel and make music and friends around the globe! I have tons of pics and video from my travels. In another life, I’d have been a food travel man!

TNYO: Where are you from Steve and where are you currently living?

Steve Myerson: I was born in Vineland, NJ (home of Welch’s grapes), grew up in Washington Township south jersey, and Philadelphia. I’ve also lived in Allentown PA, Bloomfield NJ, Nutley NJ, Cedar Knolls NJ, and Rockaway NJ. I currently reside in Pequannock NJ.

TNYO: Have you been playing music since childhood?

Steve Myerson: Yes I started playing piano age 9, and professional age 15.

TNYO: Who are some of your favorite musicians and do you have a piece of music or a performance that you like to listen to?

Steve Myerson: This list is in no way complete…but here are just a few examples of music I listen to Geoffrey Keezer Zero One, Abdullah Ibrahim Piano Solo 1995, Stan Getz/Kenny Barron People Time, Henry Butler Pianola Live, Bill Charlap/Houston Person You Taught My Heart To Sing, Charlie Parker Quintet Live at Massey Hall, Hank Jones Tiptoe Tapdance, Jelly Roll Morton Piano Rolls, Frank Catalano Live at Birdland

https://www.stevemyerson.com

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