After the rousing response to his much-loved LP 'Standards' earlier this year, renowned jazz musician Tim Mayer returns once again to deliver his stunning new studio album 'Island Time'.
Capturing more of that smooth and breezy aesthetic he is known for, 'Island Time' makes for an incredibly warm and dreamy listen. With its rich and immersive tones set against his wondrous saxophone playing throughout, he is certainly looking to sweep us off our feet with this one.
So with the new record available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I guess it was the guitar, since my best friend at the time played. I was 8, and guitar was cool!
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
The very first music I loved was jazz. I learned to work my parents’ turntable when I was 4 years old, and the records I looked for and played were Bill Evans “Moonbeams,” Ahmad Jamal’s “Live At The Pershing” and Wes Montgomery’s “A Day In The Life.”
What was the first album you remember owning?
My first albums were Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, Peter and the Wolf, and music of the circus. This is why I went for those albums listed above! Later, my folks got me my own stereo, and along with that, they got me Dexter Gordon’s “Sophisticated Giant” (on which George Cables, the pianist on my first CD under my name, is the pianist), John Klemmer’s “Waterfalls,” and a Grateful Dead album.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I don’t have a particular song that I wish I wrote. There are a great many that I admire and study, but I’ve been working a great deal on my own compositional abilities over the last several years.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
That depends on what I’m writing. I believe that a song or composition has to start with a particular feeling or image. If it’s just a series of notes that sound cool, that’s all it will ever sound like. If it’s based on some kind of concept, it will take whatever turns and twists, and develop into however it can best express that concept.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
George Coleman, Jackie McLean, and Herbie Hancock.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Geez, I don’t know!
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Definitely not the money! Hahaha… The freedom to be myself and determine my life’s direction.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Always having to struggle for recognition, and being undervalued. A lot of that has to do with how the world’s wealth has flowed upward leaving the rest of us with a lot less than when I started out as a musician.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Definitely, “always do the best you can, and be true to yourself. Follow your instincts, trust your inner voice.” One of my first saxophone teachers told me this way before I was ready to understand it, but following it has always paid off, big time!
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Tim Mayer's new album 'Island Time' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.