My earliest memory of music is probably watching Sesame Street on TV. The first music purchase was Snoop Dogg's 'Doggystyle.' Both of these have left their own impressions in various ways in life and music.
I've been fortunate enough to surf the waves with genius jazz artists and phenomenal pop/indie artists. They are all similar in one regard: improvisation is consistent in their process. Some do it on stage, while others do it in private at a slow, labored pace. It's always where the magic of humanity and creativity lies.
There isn't one moment. Being fortunate enough to play live to an audience that is listening and wants to be taken on a journey is a constantly fun, never-ending journey. There are a few stages that stand out, such as Glastonbury, Paris Accor Arena, Wembley Stadium, and the original Soho Piano Jazz Bar. Now, if we talk about the most embarrassing moments, there are a few.
The scene is definitely more diverse in terms of styles and genres, which is beautiful, especially coming from London, where it's embedded in the culture. However, there is a lack of mentorship or big breaks within the age gaps that play together. I think improvisational music is a type of griot music. You can only learn so much from YouTube; talking to and being around elder statespeople opens your mind up to new thoughts and also to what you might not want to do. There also seem to be fewer places to play, so it's great that you guys are keeping the locations available for people to musically express themselves.
It's all based on what resonates with me, and I try not to ignore that but to appreciate it and also understand why certain things do not resonate. Is it the sound? The pocket? The key? Then I just create and allow ideas to happen. Some of them are terrible, and a few of them are great.
For the Orun Project, we aim to explore Euro-African-Tribal-Futurism through music.
I'm writing and working on art with various artists. Hopefully, they'll see the light of day. I would also like to collaborate with an artist in a different medium. That would be quite an interesting change.
