Author: Mikele Haskins-Delmore
Published: December 31, 1969
Tool: [ email ]
Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum has released a smooth new
cd entitled “Unconditional”. Whalum, who has worked with greats such as
Joe Sample, Kevin Mahogany, Will Downing, George Duke, Regina Belle and
Stanley Clarke took some time out from his busy schedule to spend a
few
minutes with joe538.com to talk about the new collaboration.
joe538.com: The first thing that I heard by you was your collaboration
with Bob James, "Joined at the Hip". That piece was smoking!
Kirk Whalum: That's interesting! Very few people come from that
particular point. They've heard me from a Larry Carleton or Whitney
Houston point. That collaboration was really the beginning of my career
in a sense that Bob James discovered me in 1984 and that was a plateau
in my career; that I was collaborating with my mentor. I knew that I
was
going to be doing this collaboration with the "Man" so those songs were
products of lots of prayer and I wanted to have songs that would touch
him, that would convey my appreciation of him.
MH: How did your collaboration with Paul Brown come about?
KW: It was a record company thing. I had trepidations that had to do
with being stamped with a Paul Brown "sound". Those fears though were
unfounded. From the beginning he reassured me that he could hear where
I
was coming from and knew that my sound was not the same as a Boney
James
or a Rick Braun. We were able to come up with a "Kirk Whalum" project.
Eventually you have to listen to the artist and the sound that grabs
people's attention is the sound that's more specific to the artist.
MH: On your new release "Unconditional" do you feel as if you had more
creative license than with projects that you've done in the past?
KW: Absolutely! I wore many hats! Those are hats I love to wear;
arranger, composer, etc. And those are things that I love to do and I
started out doing before I actually had a chance to make records.
MH: Do you feel play any other instruments besides the saxophone?
KW: Yes I play the flute.
MH: Do you feel encumbered by playing the sax?
KW: No. I don't feel encumbered at all. The more you become one with
it
the more it becomes your actual voice. Rather than singing something
you
just play it. I would consider myself a frustrated singer!
MH: Oh yeah? Well you have a nice speaking voice and I know your
brother
(Kevin Whalum) is a singer. Have you ever think about singing
professionally?
KW: (laughing) I have too much respect for what I call "real" singers
to
come in here saying I'm a real singer! I can hold a melody but there's
a
big difference. My voice is my saxophone.
MH: Who inspired you musically?
KW: Hmmm....people like Ray Charles. This is such a big question!
Arnett Cobb was my mentor on the saxophone. He was such a big
saxophonist with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra.
MH: You've worked with so many big names in the music industry, Burt
Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, who would you like to work with in the
future?
KW: I have never worked with James Taylor. I'd love to work with
him...great artist I'd definitely love to work with.
MH: What's playing in your cd changer right now? Do you listen to other
genres of music besides jazz?
KW: Mostly classical and gospel.
MH: Well this is my last question. Everyone has a special routine that
they perform before going on stage. What's yours?
KW: Well, I'll share my prayer with you:
Lord You are the Great Musician. Let us (band members) be the keys of
the instrument that You play. Let us be one instrument and that you
would play a melody that would convince people not only that You exist
but that You love them. Amen!
MH: Amen!
