1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:15,956 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:20,236 --> 00:00:22,356 Speaker 2: The magic of Bruce Hornsby isn't just that he's one 3 00:00:22,396 --> 00:00:25,636 Speaker 2: of American music's great piano stylists, or that he wrote 4 00:00:25,676 --> 00:00:27,716 Speaker 2: one of the most unlikely pop hits of the eighties, 5 00:00:27,876 --> 00:00:30,836 Speaker 2: a song about racism with two improvised solos that nobody 6 00:00:30,876 --> 00:00:33,396 Speaker 2: at his label thought should be the single. It's how 7 00:00:33,436 --> 00:00:36,316 Speaker 2: he relentlessly has kept moving long after he had any 8 00:00:36,356 --> 00:00:39,876 Speaker 2: commercial reason to. Hornsby grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia, got 9 00:00:39,876 --> 00:00:41,876 Speaker 2: discovered a playing a stake, and ale joined across the 10 00:00:41,876 --> 00:00:45,116 Speaker 2: street from the Hampton Coliseum by Mike MacDonald the Doobie Brothers, 11 00:00:45,996 --> 00:00:49,196 Speaker 2: grinded for years as a staff songwriter at twentieth Century 12 00:00:49,196 --> 00:00:52,676 Speaker 2: Fox before finally getting signed. Then The Way It Is 13 00:00:52,756 --> 00:00:55,636 Speaker 2: blows up in England, and suddenly he's lip syncing on 14 00:00:55,716 --> 00:00:58,436 Speaker 2: top of the pops and getting bare hugged backstage by 15 00:00:58,436 --> 00:01:02,236 Speaker 2: Elton John and a Tina Turner Wig. What followed was 16 00:01:02,316 --> 00:01:06,156 Speaker 2: a long, restless second act, teaching himself two handed independence 17 00:01:06,156 --> 00:01:08,836 Speaker 2: by scheduling benefit concerts just to give himself a hard 18 00:01:08,836 --> 00:01:11,596 Speaker 2: dead line, making jazz records with Jack Dee, Jeannette and 19 00:01:11,676 --> 00:01:15,796 Speaker 2: Christian McBride, bluegrass records with Ricky Skaggs and going deep 20 00:01:15,836 --> 00:01:20,436 Speaker 2: into Shastakovich fugues that now shape everything, he writes. On 21 00:01:20,476 --> 00:01:23,236 Speaker 2: today's episode, Bruce Hedlam sat down with Bruce Hornsby at 22 00:01:23,236 --> 00:01:26,036 Speaker 2: the piano to talk about all of it. But they 23 00:01:26,076 --> 00:01:30,196 Speaker 2: started somewhere unexpected, the Steak and Ale restaurant in Hampton, Virginia, 24 00:01:30,276 --> 00:01:36,396 Speaker 2: in the fall of seventy eight. This is broken record, 25 00:01:36,836 --> 00:01:46,236 Speaker 2: real musicians, real conversations. Here's Bruce Headlam with Bruce Hornsby. 26 00:01:47,636 --> 00:01:51,316 Speaker 1: We were discovered. I we with the band. We were 27 00:01:51,316 --> 00:01:54,876 Speaker 1: discovered by Mike McDonald, the Dewie Bruthers, beautiful, beautiful soul, 28 00:01:54,956 --> 00:02:00,316 Speaker 1: great person, credible talent. We were big fans. We were 29 00:02:00,356 --> 00:02:05,476 Speaker 1: playing the uh the Steak and Ale, the Jolly Oks 30 00:02:05,556 --> 00:02:10,196 Speaker 1: restaurant across from the Hampton Coliseum. The Doobie Brothers were 31 00:02:10,196 --> 00:02:14,876 Speaker 1: playing the Colisseum. We were doing our gig, so we 32 00:02:14,956 --> 00:02:17,436 Speaker 1: decided that we'd go. We knew where they were staying, 33 00:02:17,476 --> 00:02:21,476 Speaker 1: the Sheraton Coliseum. So my drummer, John Molo, and I 34 00:02:21,996 --> 00:02:23,996 Speaker 1: two big guys. He's a big, strong guy. He's just 35 00:02:23,996 --> 00:02:27,436 Speaker 1: a big bony ass, but still tall. We went to 36 00:02:27,436 --> 00:02:31,596 Speaker 1: the Sharraton Colisseum and we walked in looking for Mike, 37 00:02:31,636 --> 00:02:33,876 Speaker 1: and he's standing right there in the lobby. So we 38 00:02:33,956 --> 00:02:36,156 Speaker 1: go up to him and we're sort of towering over him. 39 00:02:36,196 --> 00:02:39,556 Speaker 1: We said, hey, Mike, we're the baddest motherfuckers in this 40 00:02:39,716 --> 00:02:42,676 Speaker 1: town and we're playing at the stake and ale over there. 41 00:02:42,876 --> 00:02:47,676 Speaker 1: Of course, those two statements don't go together, really, So 42 00:02:47,756 --> 00:02:49,716 Speaker 1: sure enough he did come. It was their night off, 43 00:02:49,716 --> 00:02:52,116 Speaker 1: and the next night they were playing at the Hampton Coliseum, 44 00:02:52,916 --> 00:02:55,996 Speaker 1: and we'd saved all our what we called the originals, 45 00:02:56,076 --> 00:02:59,956 Speaker 1: my songs that we had played. We'd actually pulled off 46 00:02:59,956 --> 00:03:05,196 Speaker 1: a pretty difficult trick as lounge entertainers. We were starting 47 00:03:05,236 --> 00:03:07,876 Speaker 1: to we'd started maybe six y eight months before this. 48 00:03:07,996 --> 00:03:12,556 Speaker 1: Two slipped songs of mine in between brick House and 49 00:03:12,636 --> 00:03:16,716 Speaker 1: Shake Your Booty, and we acquired an audience gradually who 50 00:03:16,996 --> 00:03:19,516 Speaker 1: wanted us to wanted to just hear those songs and 51 00:03:19,636 --> 00:03:24,236 Speaker 1: not the top forty dance material. So that was great, 52 00:03:24,436 --> 00:03:26,036 Speaker 1: it was good. That was hard. It's hard to do. 53 00:03:27,396 --> 00:03:31,676 Speaker 1: So he so we saved originals. He came in, he 54 00:03:31,796 --> 00:03:35,116 Speaker 1: brought a couple of his roady friends and the crew 55 00:03:36,076 --> 00:03:40,036 Speaker 1: and and we just wore it out. And he came 56 00:03:40,116 --> 00:03:43,636 Speaker 1: up and was a little blown by it. He said, Hey, 57 00:03:44,076 --> 00:03:48,516 Speaker 1: that was really something. Come over and join me at 58 00:03:48,516 --> 00:03:51,556 Speaker 1: the Share It and let's just hang out. So we did, 59 00:03:53,396 --> 00:03:56,036 Speaker 1: and then we're sort of sitting around whatever bar in 60 00:03:56,356 --> 00:03:57,676 Speaker 1: the coliseum. 61 00:03:58,116 --> 00:03:58,196 Speaker 3: Uh. 62 00:03:58,356 --> 00:04:01,156 Speaker 1: And then and while we're hanging he says, hey, coming 63 00:04:01,236 --> 00:04:03,236 Speaker 1: up to my room where we got our new record 64 00:04:03,316 --> 00:04:05,436 Speaker 1: coming out tomorrow, I'd like to play it for It's 65 00:04:05,476 --> 00:04:10,116 Speaker 1: called Minute by Minute. It's okay, Sure. So we go 66 00:04:10,276 --> 00:04:12,436 Speaker 1: up there and he's playing What a Fool Believes in 67 00:04:12,436 --> 00:04:17,076 Speaker 1: a Minute by Minute and it's fantastic. We're just kind 68 00:04:17,076 --> 00:04:23,036 Speaker 1: of blown away by the whole experience, and he started 69 00:04:23,036 --> 00:04:25,956 Speaker 1: talking about turning us on to his producer, Ted Templeman, 70 00:04:26,076 --> 00:04:29,196 Speaker 1: and I drove home just going, oh my god, is 71 00:04:29,676 --> 00:04:32,796 Speaker 1: this it? Is this the big thing? Next night he 72 00:04:32,876 --> 00:04:35,276 Speaker 1: came back after the gig, he sat in with the 73 00:04:35,276 --> 00:04:37,796 Speaker 1: place was packed. If we worred have gotten out, he 74 00:04:37,876 --> 00:04:40,876 Speaker 1: sat in with us on a song, and a couple 75 00:04:40,916 --> 00:04:42,876 Speaker 1: of nights later we sat in with them at the 76 00:04:42,956 --> 00:04:48,796 Speaker 1: Richmond Coliseum and we're going, Wow, is this the big break? 77 00:04:49,116 --> 00:04:53,156 Speaker 1: So that was say December one, nineteen seventy eight, and 78 00:04:53,196 --> 00:04:58,676 Speaker 1: I got signed in April of nineteen eighty five, so 79 00:05:00,236 --> 00:05:03,036 Speaker 1: no such luck. We went out and slept on his 80 00:05:03,196 --> 00:05:06,476 Speaker 1: floor for ten nights in February of seventy nine, Molo 81 00:05:06,556 --> 00:05:09,756 Speaker 1: and I and he was at that point he was 82 00:05:09,796 --> 00:05:12,636 Speaker 1: singing on every record under the sun in La. So 83 00:05:15,196 --> 00:05:18,276 Speaker 1: many great moments of Mike being a background singer on 84 00:05:18,916 --> 00:05:22,396 Speaker 1: great records. He would take our tape, which was pretty 85 00:05:22,436 --> 00:05:25,756 Speaker 1: bad alas it was not great. He would take our 86 00:05:27,196 --> 00:05:33,876 Speaker 1: little reel to reel and give it to producers. From that, 87 00:05:34,036 --> 00:05:37,796 Speaker 1: we got some producer interests from that tape got me 88 00:05:37,996 --> 00:05:41,236 Speaker 1: a songwriter deal, and a year and a half later, 89 00:05:41,316 --> 00:05:43,436 Speaker 1: I moved to La as a staff songwriter for twenty 90 00:05:43,476 --> 00:05:48,436 Speaker 1: seventury Fox in nineteen eighty and was grinding away again 91 00:05:48,596 --> 00:05:50,596 Speaker 1: five years after that, which was a year and a 92 00:05:50,636 --> 00:05:53,876 Speaker 1: half after Mike. After we met Mike, I got my 93 00:05:54,036 --> 00:05:57,916 Speaker 1: record deal and so that wasn't luck. It took me 94 00:05:57,956 --> 00:06:03,316 Speaker 1: a while to find my own voice, something that was 95 00:06:03,516 --> 00:06:07,356 Speaker 1: unique to me in some way. Before that, I guess 96 00:06:07,436 --> 00:06:10,516 Speaker 1: I probably sounded kind of like Abie Brothers copy or 97 00:06:10,716 --> 00:06:17,396 Speaker 1: Steely Danish copy. Uh. But finally I I assimulated a 98 00:06:17,436 --> 00:06:20,556 Speaker 1: bunch of different influences that were always influencers that I loved. 99 00:06:20,596 --> 00:06:24,116 Speaker 1: But I featured some more sort of Americano with more 100 00:06:24,236 --> 00:06:29,476 Speaker 1: folk or Appalachian instruments. We got the great David Mansfield 101 00:06:29,476 --> 00:06:33,756 Speaker 1: playing fiddle mandolin, so the range I was playing accordion. 102 00:06:34,956 --> 00:06:38,076 Speaker 1: That was the range was sort of our version of 103 00:06:38,076 --> 00:06:41,236 Speaker 1: of the band, and we were going for that kind 104 00:06:41,236 --> 00:06:47,796 Speaker 1: of feeling. Uh uh so uh then but the but 105 00:06:47,836 --> 00:06:50,636 Speaker 1: then we didn't get signed with that. I was frustrated 106 00:06:50,676 --> 00:06:53,156 Speaker 1: with the way my song sounded with this with the band, 107 00:06:53,276 --> 00:06:54,956 Speaker 1: so I went in with a drum machine and a 108 00:06:54,996 --> 00:06:58,916 Speaker 1: piano and made about four demos and that's the tape 109 00:06:58,916 --> 00:07:03,316 Speaker 1: that didn't get passed on. And the former rhythm guitar 110 00:07:03,356 --> 00:07:05,716 Speaker 1: player of the Zombies, who was the head of R, C, A, 111 00:07:05,876 --> 00:07:10,596 Speaker 1: A and R beautiful man named Paul Atkinson, he came, 112 00:07:10,796 --> 00:07:15,316 Speaker 1: he came forth and offered us. And so then there 113 00:07:15,356 --> 00:07:18,636 Speaker 1: was another company, big company Epic, that came in as well. 114 00:07:18,676 --> 00:07:23,956 Speaker 1: But we were feeling Paul signed with him and then okay, 115 00:07:23,956 --> 00:07:26,076 Speaker 1: then the record comes out and this is the luck 116 00:07:26,156 --> 00:07:32,996 Speaker 1: part everyone several most people in powerful positions thought that 117 00:07:33,036 --> 00:07:36,716 Speaker 1: the way it is was a B side, for it 118 00:07:36,756 --> 00:07:39,596 Speaker 1: makes sense. It's a song about racism with not one 119 00:07:39,636 --> 00:07:43,836 Speaker 1: but two improvised piano Soulos that's hardly the formula for 120 00:07:43,996 --> 00:07:50,596 Speaker 1: pop success. So that's what they thought. They released another song, 121 00:07:50,596 --> 00:07:53,556 Speaker 1: Every Little Kiss. It got up to seventy two with 122 00:07:53,596 --> 00:07:56,596 Speaker 1: an anchor on the Billboard one hundred, and then plummeted 123 00:07:56,636 --> 00:08:04,396 Speaker 1: away the poor uh embattled and embittered. Our BMG promo 124 00:08:04,516 --> 00:08:07,876 Speaker 1: rep in London went to his friend who was a 125 00:08:07,916 --> 00:08:11,636 Speaker 1: disc jockey had radio on BBC, said mickey, me, boy, 126 00:08:11,676 --> 00:08:13,316 Speaker 1: we got this record. We don't know what to do it. 127 00:08:13,356 --> 00:08:16,116 Speaker 1: We really like it. It's kind of country, kind of jazz. 128 00:08:16,156 --> 00:08:17,916 Speaker 1: We don't know what to do with it. Would you 129 00:08:17,956 --> 00:08:21,316 Speaker 1: give it a listen? So this guy, Nick del Koitch 130 00:08:21,396 --> 00:08:25,676 Speaker 1: is his name, put it over the weekend, played the record, 131 00:08:25,676 --> 00:08:28,316 Speaker 1: picked this one song, put it on the radio Monday, 132 00:08:28,956 --> 00:08:32,876 Speaker 1: blew up and throughout the UK and there we were. 133 00:08:32,996 --> 00:08:36,676 Speaker 1: So that's the that's the luck part could have easily 134 00:08:36,716 --> 00:08:37,956 Speaker 1: as not happened. 135 00:08:38,196 --> 00:08:41,396 Speaker 4: Has happened the good old days when one DJ in 136 00:08:41,476 --> 00:08:42,156 Speaker 4: one city. 137 00:08:42,636 --> 00:08:44,996 Speaker 1: If it happens to happen that kind of effect, yes, 138 00:08:45,596 --> 00:08:50,716 Speaker 1: it has to really make a mark. And so the 139 00:08:50,756 --> 00:08:53,556 Speaker 1: way it is did and we were over there quickly 140 00:08:53,636 --> 00:08:57,116 Speaker 1: making a video in London and lip syncing on top 141 00:08:57,156 --> 00:08:59,516 Speaker 1: of the pops and the Terry Wogan Show, which was 142 00:08:59,516 --> 00:09:02,396 Speaker 1: the Johnny Carson of the time. That's where I went 143 00:09:02,436 --> 00:09:04,636 Speaker 1: and met Elton John. He was on the Wogan Show 144 00:09:04,956 --> 00:09:09,636 Speaker 1: when I when We Fledglings were also on, and I 145 00:09:09,716 --> 00:09:13,276 Speaker 1: hear I'm getting made up before I learned how to 146 00:09:13,316 --> 00:09:16,556 Speaker 1: say no to such things. I'm in there getting makeup 147 00:09:17,756 --> 00:09:21,956 Speaker 1: put on, and I hear this undistakable voice, Wes Bruce holmespeed. 148 00:09:21,956 --> 00:09:26,036 Speaker 1: Wesbruce fucking Holmes speed. Where is he? I'm thinking, well, 149 00:09:26,516 --> 00:09:28,436 Speaker 1: I think that's Elton John because I'd heard he's on 150 00:09:28,476 --> 00:09:30,836 Speaker 1: the show. He walks in with a Tina Turner wig on, 151 00:09:31,316 --> 00:09:33,756 Speaker 1: which is how he appeared on the show, and just 152 00:09:33,796 --> 00:09:36,076 Speaker 1: threw his arms around me. He's the most beautiful person. 153 00:09:36,796 --> 00:09:40,036 Speaker 1: And he was a supporter then and all the way 154 00:09:40,036 --> 00:09:45,236 Speaker 1: through until now. So yeah, great, beautiful moments like that 155 00:09:46,236 --> 00:09:47,236 Speaker 1: continue to happen. 156 00:09:47,636 --> 00:09:51,036 Speaker 4: And he was a big early influence on you. You 157 00:09:51,076 --> 00:09:53,996 Speaker 4: didn't really start piano seriously until no, quite No. 158 00:09:54,116 --> 00:09:59,476 Speaker 1: I was a hooper. I was a jock. So right, 159 00:09:59,756 --> 00:10:13,876 Speaker 1: elp what is it, Amarna? My brother played it for 160 00:10:13,916 --> 00:10:16,996 Speaker 1: me from the Tumblewee Connection record. We're riding down the 161 00:10:16,996 --> 00:10:21,796 Speaker 1: Colonial Parkway from Willisburg Virginia to Yorktown, Virginia and he 162 00:10:21,876 --> 00:10:25,996 Speaker 1: puts on this eight track and it just blew me. U. 163 00:10:26,116 --> 00:10:29,836 Speaker 1: I just moved me so deeply. I got the record 164 00:10:29,876 --> 00:10:47,596 Speaker 1: and every song was amazing. Burned down the mission, you know, anyway, 165 00:10:48,476 --> 00:10:48,996 Speaker 1: so great? 166 00:10:49,356 --> 00:10:50,316 Speaker 5: Now what do you are? 167 00:10:50,356 --> 00:10:53,516 Speaker 4: There are there parts of his playing that showed up? 168 00:10:53,516 --> 00:10:53,716 Speaker 6: Then? 169 00:10:54,116 --> 00:10:55,196 Speaker 5: Not really? 170 00:10:55,316 --> 00:10:59,396 Speaker 1: No, not really And then and my other influence was, uh, 171 00:10:59,556 --> 00:11:03,636 Speaker 1: it was Leon Russell and uh I never wrote anything 172 00:11:03,676 --> 00:11:18,876 Speaker 1: that sounded like that's the uh you know, I didn't do. Subsequently, 173 00:11:19,036 --> 00:11:22,956 Speaker 1: I've been in influenced by Leon. I have a song 174 00:11:22,996 --> 00:11:47,276 Speaker 1: called Country Doctor that goes like this, Yeah, that's necessarily lyon, 175 00:11:47,476 --> 00:12:02,436 Speaker 1: but that's that's my stuff. That's something I developed later's 176 00:12:02,476 --> 00:12:03,676 Speaker 1: too handed independence. 177 00:12:03,716 --> 00:12:05,876 Speaker 4: Think what was it about Leon Russell? 178 00:12:05,916 --> 00:12:08,356 Speaker 1: Then that? Well, Leon Russell? What I was just playing 179 00:12:08,676 --> 00:12:14,236 Speaker 1: the letter and I loved it, and so I thought 180 00:12:14,276 --> 00:12:16,756 Speaker 1: I'd really grocked it. Really sort of ingested all the 181 00:12:16,836 --> 00:12:19,796 Speaker 1: Leon until I started working with him in the early nineties. 182 00:12:20,876 --> 00:12:24,676 Speaker 1: Then I saw at the foot of the Master, Oh yeah, no, 183 00:12:24,756 --> 00:12:27,036 Speaker 1: I don't have it. But then I was able to 184 00:12:27,116 --> 00:12:30,676 Speaker 1: learn it from just standing here watching. 185 00:12:30,316 --> 00:12:33,516 Speaker 4: That You have relative pitch, Yeah, that's right. 186 00:12:33,756 --> 00:12:37,836 Speaker 1: If I hear. I can hear basic pop harmony. If 187 00:12:37,876 --> 00:12:41,996 Speaker 1: it gets too chromatic, then I'm kind of probably out 188 00:12:42,036 --> 00:12:46,276 Speaker 1: of it, probably probably done, but yeah, definitely not so 189 00:12:46,596 --> 00:12:49,836 Speaker 1: I can sit in with the band. I went in 190 00:12:49,956 --> 00:12:52,756 Speaker 1: off the street with no rehearsal and started winging it 191 00:12:52,796 --> 00:12:55,916 Speaker 1: with the Grateful Dead at Madison Square Garden. So that 192 00:12:56,076 --> 00:13:00,476 Speaker 1: sort of relative pitch allowed me to I didn't play 193 00:13:00,476 --> 00:13:03,276 Speaker 1: too many chords on one because I didn't not the song, 194 00:13:04,036 --> 00:13:09,236 Speaker 1: but I could go okay, yeah, okay, I think of 195 00:13:09,276 --> 00:13:15,316 Speaker 1: the song. Yeah, So as I considered. 196 00:13:15,036 --> 00:13:19,196 Speaker 7: Playing on the day when I was born and he 197 00:13:19,276 --> 00:13:29,156 Speaker 7: went down, so. 198 00:13:29,156 --> 00:13:31,196 Speaker 1: I would I know that. I knew that when I'm 199 00:13:31,236 --> 00:13:33,556 Speaker 1: just it's just something that came into my head, so 200 00:13:33,556 --> 00:13:36,756 Speaker 1: that if I didn't know it, they know on the 201 00:13:36,836 --> 00:13:40,676 Speaker 1: day when I was okay, I got Daddy went down 202 00:13:40,756 --> 00:13:41,356 Speaker 1: and hid. 203 00:13:51,796 --> 00:13:54,476 Speaker 4: So yeah, when you say things like I love the 204 00:13:54,516 --> 00:13:56,516 Speaker 4: tents in the in this hand, I love these kinds 205 00:13:56,516 --> 00:13:59,916 Speaker 4: of chords, how did that develop? Were you just at 206 00:13:59,916 --> 00:14:02,476 Speaker 4: a piano all the time, Well, I. 207 00:14:02,436 --> 00:14:07,516 Speaker 1: Guess so more than more than most. I guess it's 208 00:14:07,716 --> 00:14:16,236 Speaker 1: just uh exploration and going with what moves you with 209 00:14:16,236 --> 00:14:19,116 Speaker 1: with My favorite my favorite people were people who gave 210 00:14:19,156 --> 00:14:22,836 Speaker 1: me chills or on a groove level, like Leon Russell, 211 00:14:22,996 --> 00:14:26,556 Speaker 1: just sat so deeply in this thing that I wanted 212 00:14:26,596 --> 00:14:28,516 Speaker 1: to try to replicate that. I'm a short not sure 213 00:14:28,596 --> 00:14:35,396 Speaker 1: I did or do, but that's the intent. So I 214 00:14:35,396 --> 00:14:39,796 Speaker 1: guess I'm just following, uh, following the goosebump, following the chills. 215 00:14:41,116 --> 00:14:43,876 Speaker 1: And if I play something now, I kind of know 216 00:14:43,956 --> 00:14:47,196 Speaker 1: what gives me chills, and they're the chors like this. 217 00:14:49,356 --> 00:14:54,476 Speaker 1: H I have a song on a record three or 218 00:14:54,476 --> 00:14:58,636 Speaker 1: four albums ago called My Resolve, and the chorus goes. 219 00:14:59,316 --> 00:15:06,996 Speaker 8: In my resolve, I move rock, maybe fall down. 220 00:15:07,156 --> 00:15:13,996 Speaker 9: Try I indepted to stares me down in this face 221 00:15:14,196 --> 00:15:19,356 Speaker 9: high come. I tried to stand up both the free 222 00:15:20,036 --> 00:15:23,676 Speaker 9: stand up par not by yet. 223 00:15:23,756 --> 00:15:25,196 Speaker 1: I'll move on up. 224 00:15:25,156 --> 00:15:30,076 Speaker 8: Above the hill to maybe fully five hour. 225 00:15:34,196 --> 00:15:37,876 Speaker 1: Our flower. And I just like, I just love that sound. 226 00:15:38,036 --> 00:15:41,916 Speaker 1: And so that's that's what gets me going. Homember. One 227 00:15:41,956 --> 00:15:42,596 Speaker 1: of the things that. 228 00:15:43,396 --> 00:15:46,036 Speaker 5: And were you did you know theory back then? 229 00:15:46,116 --> 00:15:47,916 Speaker 4: Did you could you say, oh, I'm about to play 230 00:15:48,756 --> 00:15:48,956 Speaker 4: you know? 231 00:15:49,556 --> 00:15:51,916 Speaker 1: I was learning it quickly, I was. I was totally 232 00:15:51,916 --> 00:15:57,796 Speaker 1: involved in it, totally immersed in knowing the harm the 233 00:15:57,796 --> 00:16:01,356 Speaker 1: theoretical aspect of harmonic movement chords. 234 00:16:02,836 --> 00:16:04,516 Speaker 2: We'll be back with more from Bruce Hornsby. 235 00:16:08,836 --> 00:16:11,836 Speaker 4: So I'm talking about earlier in your career, when you, 236 00:16:13,316 --> 00:16:16,556 Speaker 4: for example, went in. We were talking earlier about the 237 00:16:16,596 --> 00:16:18,836 Speaker 4: song you did with Bonnie Ray. You've done many songs 238 00:16:18,836 --> 00:16:20,116 Speaker 4: with her, but the most famous. 239 00:16:20,436 --> 00:16:25,236 Speaker 1: Yes, I changed that, Okay, I changed So when. 240 00:16:25,116 --> 00:16:28,356 Speaker 4: You given all these influences, you had, all these people 241 00:16:28,396 --> 00:16:30,836 Speaker 4: you had heard when you went in, you heard the song. 242 00:16:30,916 --> 00:16:32,356 Speaker 5: I don't know were you given chet music? 243 00:16:32,436 --> 00:16:35,716 Speaker 1: Were you given they gave me a cassette? Okay, I 244 00:16:35,796 --> 00:16:40,316 Speaker 1: was staying at some hotel in Hollywood. It's a big one, 245 00:16:40,436 --> 00:16:42,396 Speaker 1: right on Melrose. It's changed names. 246 00:16:43,476 --> 00:16:44,836 Speaker 4: By the way, we should say the name of the song, 247 00:16:44,876 --> 00:16:46,516 Speaker 4: which is I Can't Make You Love Me? 248 00:16:47,036 --> 00:16:52,836 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, fantastic Mike Reid and Alan Shamblin. Right, the 249 00:16:52,876 --> 00:16:59,716 Speaker 1: two guys reloaded hats off, sitting oh for them. So right, 250 00:16:59,756 --> 00:17:01,836 Speaker 1: I heard this. They gave you this cassette. Was it 251 00:17:01,876 --> 00:17:04,876 Speaker 1: a bare bones I guess barre bones enough. I guess 252 00:17:05,196 --> 00:17:07,356 Speaker 1: from my memory it has it being played on an 253 00:17:07,356 --> 00:17:11,196 Speaker 1: electric piano. But I could have that wrong, so. 254 00:17:11,356 --> 00:17:29,556 Speaker 10: Right, uh I uh, I think it was basically uh. 255 00:17:23,676 --> 00:17:24,676 Speaker 1: So I changed it to. 256 00:17:44,756 --> 00:17:47,636 Speaker 4: So that that chord that you substituted in that first 257 00:17:48,396 --> 00:17:50,876 Speaker 4: what did you turn it into from what that's. 258 00:17:50,596 --> 00:17:53,116 Speaker 1: What I turned it into is Yeah, yeah, so. 259 00:17:53,516 --> 00:17:57,116 Speaker 4: It was it was just it was just straight, yeah, 260 00:17:57,756 --> 00:17:58,396 Speaker 4: very churchy. 261 00:17:58,756 --> 00:18:04,076 Speaker 1: Yeah. And when I first played, I played the electric 262 00:18:04,116 --> 00:18:06,996 Speaker 1: piano the intro and I played him like that, so 263 00:18:07,276 --> 00:18:09,996 Speaker 1: have some place to go, and I came in four 264 00:18:10,036 --> 00:18:14,876 Speaker 1: bars later, so I was I was pretty faithful to 265 00:18:14,956 --> 00:18:17,396 Speaker 1: the original for the first four bars when I'm playing 266 00:18:17,996 --> 00:18:19,516 Speaker 1: some sort of electric keyboard. 267 00:18:19,636 --> 00:18:22,156 Speaker 4: Okay, so now tell me what tell me what sound 268 00:18:22,236 --> 00:18:32,436 Speaker 4: you wanted when you started in on the piano just then, not. 269 00:18:32,356 --> 00:18:37,556 Speaker 1: Really Bill evan Z, but sort of h lush in 270 00:18:37,636 --> 00:18:47,916 Speaker 1: a stark way rather than you know, that's very Klaus 271 00:18:47,916 --> 00:18:53,676 Speaker 1: Ogerman or Ravel issued it, and I like that, but 272 00:18:53,756 --> 00:18:57,636 Speaker 1: I like the other more that moves me more so. 273 00:18:57,676 --> 00:19:01,356 Speaker 1: I'm just I'm just always looking to to feel something 274 00:19:01,396 --> 00:19:05,156 Speaker 1: emotional and all this thing, everything that I'm doing for you, 275 00:19:05,196 --> 00:19:17,516 Speaker 1: whether it's that or the tenth, it's all something that 276 00:19:17,756 --> 00:19:22,356 Speaker 1: has something deep to me, a deep souls what I'm 277 00:19:22,356 --> 00:19:22,756 Speaker 1: going for. 278 00:19:23,196 --> 00:19:26,956 Speaker 4: That version of the song also has a wonderful surprising 279 00:19:27,516 --> 00:19:28,356 Speaker 4: chord at the end. 280 00:19:29,116 --> 00:19:30,876 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I think that was there. I think that 281 00:19:30,996 --> 00:19:33,836 Speaker 1: was there. I don't remember remember. 282 00:19:33,556 --> 00:19:37,556 Speaker 4: Precisely, but the uh, it's the uh measure of that. 283 00:19:37,756 --> 00:19:59,956 Speaker 1: Domind said, they have the sharp Yeah, yes, uh yeah, 284 00:19:43,796 --> 00:20:03,436 Speaker 1: h m hmm. Yeah, that's exact thing. 285 00:20:03,516 --> 00:20:05,996 Speaker 4: Yeah, which is wonderful because that is so that is 286 00:20:06,036 --> 00:20:08,476 Speaker 4: such a beautiful song. It deserves to fade out and 287 00:20:08,516 --> 00:20:10,156 Speaker 4: then just as it's fading, you hear this. 288 00:20:10,836 --> 00:20:13,036 Speaker 1: Oh is that right? It fades out like it fades. 289 00:20:12,796 --> 00:20:14,516 Speaker 4: A little bit, but then you hear that beautiful chord 290 00:20:14,556 --> 00:20:16,916 Speaker 4: in the end. It's got such such a it's got 291 00:20:16,956 --> 00:20:18,356 Speaker 4: such such power at the end of that. 292 00:20:18,556 --> 00:20:20,636 Speaker 1: Well, it's very nice you to say. I wouldn't give 293 00:20:21,116 --> 00:20:23,876 Speaker 1: myself too much credit for that. I think the vote. 294 00:20:24,116 --> 00:20:26,756 Speaker 1: I think the song is so great and her vocal 295 00:20:26,876 --> 00:20:29,756 Speaker 1: is so great. That's what really to me makes it. 296 00:20:29,796 --> 00:20:30,716 Speaker 1: But I don't know. 297 00:20:30,876 --> 00:20:33,876 Speaker 4: But to me, what's interesting for me is you do 298 00:20:33,996 --> 00:20:36,436 Speaker 4: have these influences, and you probably have other influences we 299 00:20:36,476 --> 00:20:39,516 Speaker 4: haven't talked about, but they all informed somehow. 300 00:20:40,036 --> 00:20:43,356 Speaker 5: Yeah, sure, how you came to to that piece? 301 00:20:43,476 --> 00:20:47,276 Speaker 4: Were there are there different influences on your song writing. 302 00:20:49,196 --> 00:20:49,676 Speaker 5: Back then? 303 00:20:51,716 --> 00:20:55,836 Speaker 1: I'm sure there there were, depends on what record you're 304 00:20:55,876 --> 00:20:58,756 Speaker 1: talking about. I've gradually moved on. Each record was a 305 00:20:58,796 --> 00:21:00,196 Speaker 1: little different from the previous. 306 00:21:00,716 --> 00:21:01,676 Speaker 5: I'd say you're early. 307 00:21:01,876 --> 00:21:03,596 Speaker 4: You know, if I think of End of the Innocence 308 00:21:04,676 --> 00:21:09,276 Speaker 4: or Valley Road, you you love your suspended chords? 309 00:21:09,556 --> 00:21:12,676 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, right, I don't think, say into the Niss 310 00:21:12,836 --> 00:21:15,596 Speaker 1: Value Road have a lot harmonically in common. One's just 311 00:21:15,596 --> 00:21:16,396 Speaker 1: a straight. 312 00:21:16,116 --> 00:21:27,956 Speaker 11: Ahead there's not a chord, that's the chord, and then 313 00:21:27,996 --> 00:21:30,116 Speaker 11: the NIS is just is a leg. 314 00:21:34,516 --> 00:21:45,356 Speaker 1: You know, there's nothing that's uh. So they're very different. 315 00:21:45,396 --> 00:21:48,276 Speaker 1: You know, one's just kind of a groove thing, sort 316 00:21:48,316 --> 00:21:51,116 Speaker 1: of a Steve Miller ish idea value. 317 00:21:51,236 --> 00:21:55,596 Speaker 4: But they both have the I guess, particularly some suspensions. 318 00:21:55,636 --> 00:21:58,196 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, they have. Right, that same chord that I 319 00:21:58,276 --> 00:22:01,796 Speaker 1: was singing my so on my resolve over that's that's 320 00:22:01,796 --> 00:22:04,276 Speaker 1: in Valet Road. That's kind of the first, the first 321 00:22:04,276 --> 00:22:06,076 Speaker 1: little harmonic trick. I guess. 322 00:22:06,436 --> 00:22:10,916 Speaker 4: You know we've talked about, uh and you don't love it. 323 00:22:11,396 --> 00:22:15,836 Speaker 4: What people say is the Bruce Hornsby sound sound style. 324 00:22:15,836 --> 00:22:16,556 Speaker 4: I can't switch to. 325 00:22:16,596 --> 00:22:19,676 Speaker 5: Everybody's saying I got to play like you now then 326 00:22:19,716 --> 00:22:21,116 Speaker 5: you completely changed your style. 327 00:22:21,316 --> 00:22:23,516 Speaker 1: They might people might not know what you're referring to. 328 00:22:23,756 --> 00:22:25,796 Speaker 1: You're referring to a story I told you about running 329 00:22:25,796 --> 00:22:28,436 Speaker 1: into Nashville piano players who would come up to me, 330 00:22:28,516 --> 00:22:31,836 Speaker 1: running into them at airports or wherever, and they'd come 331 00:22:31,916 --> 00:22:35,516 Speaker 1: up to me and say, Man, all day long, people 332 00:22:35,556 --> 00:22:38,196 Speaker 1: are asking me, hey, can you give me he played 333 00:22:38,236 --> 00:22:41,916 Speaker 1: a little more like Bruce hornsby, And I would always say, Man, 334 00:22:42,516 --> 00:22:48,396 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, Yeah, I'm not. Really, I'm not. You're probably 335 00:22:48,396 --> 00:22:50,196 Speaker 1: not a fan of it either, because you get asked 336 00:22:50,196 --> 00:22:52,396 Speaker 1: to do it, and I'm not really either. It's too 337 00:22:52,476 --> 00:22:54,956 Speaker 1: bright for me. It's just something that happened. 338 00:22:55,436 --> 00:22:58,636 Speaker 4: But as I told you before we were you should 339 00:22:58,636 --> 00:23:00,796 Speaker 4: probably tell them. Yeah, my record company says the same 340 00:23:00,836 --> 00:23:03,636 Speaker 4: thing to me. What do you mean, well, your record 341 00:23:03,636 --> 00:23:06,316 Speaker 4: company would like you to play more like the Bruce 342 00:23:06,356 --> 00:23:08,076 Speaker 4: horns Yeah. 343 00:23:08,116 --> 00:23:12,076 Speaker 1: Well, but see he is an interesting uh story, But 344 00:23:12,156 --> 00:23:18,396 Speaker 1: that that was lucky for me. Uh So. Paul Atkinson, 345 00:23:18,916 --> 00:23:22,356 Speaker 1: the ex Zombies rhythm guitar player who signed me at RCA, 346 00:23:23,276 --> 00:23:24,956 Speaker 1: he and a lot of others thought that way it 347 00:23:24,996 --> 00:23:26,636 Speaker 1: is was a b side. They said it because of 348 00:23:26,676 --> 00:23:35,516 Speaker 1: the unexpected massive success of that record. The big shots said, well, 349 00:23:35,556 --> 00:23:39,076 Speaker 1: we we don't know what to do with this. We 350 00:23:39,076 --> 00:23:43,236 Speaker 1: we didn't predict this, we predicted the opposite. Uh, so 351 00:23:43,316 --> 00:23:47,156 Speaker 1: they left me alone. They they did not, they did 352 00:23:47,196 --> 00:23:51,476 Speaker 1: not pressure me in that way, because again the song 353 00:23:51,516 --> 00:23:57,796 Speaker 1: that really blew up was a completely unexpected, uh piece 354 00:23:57,836 --> 00:24:00,716 Speaker 1: of music. So the next record, the Scenes from the 355 00:24:00,756 --> 00:24:04,396 Speaker 1: South Side, we had this. You mentioned Valley Road, and 356 00:24:04,716 --> 00:24:08,956 Speaker 1: uh that was also unlikely. It's a song about you 357 00:24:09,636 --> 00:24:12,116 Speaker 1: city girls, society girl who gets involved with the young 358 00:24:12,116 --> 00:24:14,236 Speaker 1: country boy and he puts her in the family way 359 00:24:14,276 --> 00:24:16,556 Speaker 1: and they send her away to the school for unwood mothers, 360 00:24:17,236 --> 00:24:19,836 Speaker 1: which is an old notion. I don't think that exists anymore, 361 00:24:19,876 --> 00:24:26,156 Speaker 1: but uh it may. But uh, it's again hardly it's 362 00:24:26,196 --> 00:24:31,196 Speaker 1: it's it's sort of hardly standard pop fare lyrically, and 363 00:24:31,276 --> 00:24:34,676 Speaker 1: again I'm soloing like crazy on that when I'm playing 364 00:24:34,756 --> 00:24:35,716 Speaker 1: McCoy tyner. 365 00:24:37,116 --> 00:24:48,876 Speaker 12: You know, uh, what's it called chordal harmony? 366 00:24:54,036 --> 00:24:55,156 Speaker 1: You know that sort of thing. 367 00:24:55,276 --> 00:24:58,436 Speaker 4: Can you give us just a quick definition chordal harmony 368 00:24:59,156 --> 00:24:59,796 Speaker 4: chords and force? 369 00:24:59,916 --> 00:25:09,436 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, the uh the interval of the fourth for 370 00:25:13,956 --> 00:25:14,556 Speaker 1: so there's a. 371 00:25:16,236 --> 00:25:26,556 Speaker 3: Extended wow that sounds like my song lawn Talk clup one. 372 00:25:27,516 --> 00:25:32,076 Speaker 1: So that's a different one. So right, So that it 373 00:25:32,236 --> 00:25:36,116 Speaker 1: was chordal harmony on the radio. What the hell? So 374 00:25:36,476 --> 00:25:39,196 Speaker 1: I got away with this sort of thing twice way 375 00:25:39,236 --> 00:25:42,876 Speaker 1: it is Vali Road. And then I guess it was 376 00:25:42,996 --> 00:25:45,356 Speaker 1: kind of I think of those records in a certain 377 00:25:45,396 --> 00:25:49,116 Speaker 1: way as novelty records because because they were in the 378 00:25:49,116 --> 00:25:52,916 Speaker 1: best sense novelty, because they were so different sounding, and 379 00:25:52,956 --> 00:25:58,036 Speaker 1: it was a sound that was not off putting. It 380 00:25:58,156 --> 00:26:04,076 Speaker 1: was not incredibly it wasn't like it wasn't like that. Uh, 381 00:26:04,476 --> 00:26:07,036 Speaker 1: And but that was it. That was that was all 382 00:26:07,076 --> 00:26:10,356 Speaker 1: I was going to get out of the out of 383 00:26:10,796 --> 00:26:12,916 Speaker 1: the morning zoo crowd. 384 00:26:14,476 --> 00:26:19,916 Speaker 4: Then later with I think Hothouse, Yeah, Spirit Trail. Right, 385 00:26:20,196 --> 00:26:23,956 Speaker 4: you're changing takes, You're playing takes a very different. 386 00:26:24,116 --> 00:26:25,116 Speaker 5: That's right direction. 387 00:26:25,356 --> 00:26:30,836 Speaker 1: Yes, I was. I turned forty years old in the 388 00:26:32,596 --> 00:26:39,516 Speaker 1: late fall of nineteen ninety four, and I thought to myself, Okay, 389 00:26:39,596 --> 00:26:41,916 Speaker 1: what are you going to do? You're going to rest 390 00:26:41,956 --> 00:26:46,796 Speaker 1: on your laurels like most of your pop star friends, 391 00:26:46,876 --> 00:26:50,076 Speaker 1: or they're just kind of not really deeply involved in 392 00:26:51,556 --> 00:26:58,996 Speaker 1: moving forward as a player as a creator, kind of 393 00:26:59,196 --> 00:27:01,436 Speaker 1: riding along with the same stuff that you've been doing. 394 00:27:01,476 --> 00:27:02,596 Speaker 1: Am I going to do that? Or am I going 395 00:27:02,676 --> 00:27:04,596 Speaker 1: to push to a new place? Well? I took the 396 00:27:04,636 --> 00:27:10,836 Speaker 1: second road back to Keith Charrett. He was incredible. He 397 00:27:10,876 --> 00:27:16,836 Speaker 1: had an incredible gift or skilled development that I call 398 00:27:17,716 --> 00:27:25,956 Speaker 1: two handed independence, and he could play something in the 399 00:27:26,036 --> 00:27:29,476 Speaker 1: left hand and then play something very rhythmically opposed to 400 00:27:29,516 --> 00:27:31,956 Speaker 1: that sounded like two people playing this sort of thing. 401 00:27:34,556 --> 00:27:38,876 Speaker 1: And I'd always opened that door to a piano technique 402 00:27:38,916 --> 00:27:43,276 Speaker 1: and go too hard close it up. For this time, 403 00:27:43,316 --> 00:27:46,276 Speaker 1: I decided to try to deal with it in my 404 00:27:46,396 --> 00:27:50,916 Speaker 1: own bone headed way, and so I did that, and 405 00:27:51,316 --> 00:27:54,556 Speaker 1: I would get I would. I had a song on 406 00:27:54,916 --> 00:28:19,836 Speaker 1: a spiritual record. So that's what I'm That's that's the thing, 407 00:28:19,876 --> 00:28:23,116 Speaker 1: that independence. I'm playing very rhythmically freely in the right 408 00:28:23,156 --> 00:28:28,236 Speaker 1: hand while hopefully keeping this left hand Austinado real solid. 409 00:28:28,956 --> 00:28:30,196 Speaker 1: That took a long time. 410 00:28:30,476 --> 00:28:32,636 Speaker 5: How did you go about that? Was it by writing 411 00:28:32,676 --> 00:28:33,236 Speaker 5: the songs? 412 00:28:33,436 --> 00:28:35,836 Speaker 1: Or was it? But it made me write songs like 413 00:28:35,876 --> 00:28:38,076 Speaker 1: that I wrote. I think that song is called Sneaking 414 00:28:38,116 --> 00:28:42,356 Speaker 1: Up on Boo Radley And you know the song. You 415 00:28:42,396 --> 00:28:44,276 Speaker 1: know that you're not going to believe it. 416 00:28:44,316 --> 00:28:46,316 Speaker 5: But what do I have written right there? Sneaking Up 417 00:28:46,356 --> 00:28:46,836 Speaker 5: on bud? 418 00:28:46,956 --> 00:28:48,036 Speaker 1: So what made you write it down? 419 00:28:48,436 --> 00:28:49,156 Speaker 5: I love the song? 420 00:28:49,316 --> 00:28:53,996 Speaker 4: Okay, I I heard the kind of Keith Jarrett left hand. 421 00:28:54,116 --> 00:28:56,636 Speaker 5: I didn't know. Yeah, well, I didn't know it came 422 00:28:56,636 --> 00:28:57,676 Speaker 5: out of this exercise. 423 00:28:57,676 --> 00:29:01,716 Speaker 1: Well, but you you were right on the track. It's 424 00:29:01,716 --> 00:29:04,076 Speaker 1: a song about growing up in a small town with 425 00:29:04,156 --> 00:29:08,916 Speaker 1: a metal hospital in which a lot of the patients 426 00:29:08,956 --> 00:29:12,156 Speaker 1: were allowed to just walk around town. And when we 427 00:29:12,156 --> 00:29:14,756 Speaker 1: were little nine ten year old dumbasses. Oh, we thought 428 00:29:14,796 --> 00:29:18,396 Speaker 1: they were just hilarious with their crazy walks, and so 429 00:29:18,476 --> 00:29:21,116 Speaker 1: we made fun of them. And it's very much like 430 00:29:21,636 --> 00:29:25,596 Speaker 1: to Kill a mocking Bird with Robert Duval's character and 431 00:29:25,756 --> 00:29:31,236 Speaker 1: the way the kids were alternately scared and freaked out 432 00:29:31,276 --> 00:29:34,916 Speaker 1: by him and also made fun of him. So I wrote, 433 00:29:34,956 --> 00:29:36,596 Speaker 1: I wanted to write this song because this was part 434 00:29:36,636 --> 00:29:39,076 Speaker 1: of my upbringing, part of my past in Willisboro, Virginia, 435 00:29:39,236 --> 00:29:44,116 Speaker 1: Eastern State Hospital. I would say I would get this 436 00:29:44,196 --> 00:29:53,196 Speaker 1: in watching me screw it up here. You got to 437 00:29:53,236 --> 00:30:17,156 Speaker 1: crawl before you can walk, before you can rude. Now 438 00:30:18,036 --> 00:30:22,396 Speaker 1: what I did in that fifty seconds, it took me 439 00:30:23,396 --> 00:30:27,356 Speaker 1: many many months to go from the whole note to 440 00:30:28,436 --> 00:30:34,756 Speaker 1: free playing like that, probably about seven eight months of 441 00:30:35,236 --> 00:30:41,396 Speaker 1: dealing with it, doing it intensely. My wife said to me, 442 00:30:41,476 --> 00:30:43,396 Speaker 1: I'd been doing this for about a week and a half. 443 00:30:44,156 --> 00:30:46,196 Speaker 1: She said, man, what are you doing out there meeting 444 00:30:46,196 --> 00:30:49,076 Speaker 1: in the studio. You spend enough time out there as 445 00:30:49,116 --> 00:30:52,076 Speaker 1: it is, and now you're spending three or four hours more. 446 00:30:53,316 --> 00:30:59,996 Speaker 1: I said, okay, I understand. Here's what I'm asking of you, 447 00:31:00,676 --> 00:31:04,516 Speaker 1: Kathy Hornsby, I said, okay, I did it. First of 448 00:31:04,516 --> 00:31:08,996 Speaker 1: the year came and I called the Virginia Special Olympics 449 00:31:09,676 --> 00:31:14,356 Speaker 1: and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, two great philanthropic concerns, and 450 00:31:14,436 --> 00:31:18,116 Speaker 1: I said, Hi, this is Bruce Hornsby. I'm just calling 451 00:31:18,156 --> 00:31:19,876 Speaker 1: you because I like to do a benefit for you, 452 00:31:19,956 --> 00:31:22,636 Speaker 1: and i'd like to do it in early May. Can 453 00:31:22,676 --> 00:31:25,836 Speaker 1: we can we schedule one for May fifth and one 454 00:31:25,876 --> 00:31:29,636 Speaker 1: for May seventh, and so they said, yeah, okay, fine, 455 00:31:29,716 --> 00:31:33,836 Speaker 1: we'll take we'll take the money, we'll do that. I 456 00:31:33,876 --> 00:31:36,236 Speaker 1: wanted to to schedule that to give me something to 457 00:31:36,236 --> 00:31:40,196 Speaker 1: shoot for a signpost down the road that would make 458 00:31:40,236 --> 00:31:42,236 Speaker 1: me really deal with this because I wanted it was 459 00:31:42,276 --> 00:31:44,676 Speaker 1: a solo concert. I hadn't done that much at all 460 00:31:44,876 --> 00:31:48,196 Speaker 1: because I wasn't ready. I couldn't do it. I said 461 00:31:48,236 --> 00:31:51,676 Speaker 1: to my wife, Okay, I've scheduled these two things, these 462 00:31:51,716 --> 00:31:57,076 Speaker 1: two concerts. Give me this four months and then after 463 00:31:57,076 --> 00:32:00,236 Speaker 1: the first one, just come back and we'll talk about this. 464 00:32:01,156 --> 00:32:04,996 Speaker 1: So I did the first concert for Special Olympics in Richmond. 465 00:32:05,876 --> 00:32:09,276 Speaker 1: It was a two setter. I did one set. She 466 00:32:09,356 --> 00:32:11,276 Speaker 1: came back with tears in her eyes and went, oh 467 00:32:11,316 --> 00:32:14,356 Speaker 1: my god, I'm so happy you did this. This is 468 00:32:14,596 --> 00:32:19,796 Speaker 1: so beautiful, so great. So so she's a very musical person, 469 00:32:19,916 --> 00:32:24,356 Speaker 1: and so this uh, she she she got it, she 470 00:32:24,516 --> 00:32:28,516 Speaker 1: understood and was moved by it. So that's what that 471 00:32:28,676 --> 00:32:31,716 Speaker 1: was my That's how I that's what made me deal 472 00:32:31,796 --> 00:32:36,756 Speaker 1: with it. It's always good to have some public forum 473 00:32:36,796 --> 00:32:40,956 Speaker 1: where you are charged with really having something together that 474 00:32:40,996 --> 00:32:44,076 Speaker 1: you have never dealt with. So that's so that's so 475 00:32:44,196 --> 00:32:48,276 Speaker 1: that's what I've been doing for years. Yeah, but spirit 476 00:32:48,276 --> 00:32:51,356 Speaker 1: Trail was the first one. He's so good, good, good 477 00:32:51,396 --> 00:33:20,476 Speaker 1: for you for understanding that King of the Hills, you know, 478 00:33:20,556 --> 00:33:23,116 Speaker 1: that sort of thing. So not doing it very well, 479 00:33:23,156 --> 00:33:27,276 Speaker 1: but that but that's another version of it. Spiritualist is 480 00:33:28,116 --> 00:33:31,276 Speaker 1: chocolate blot with two added independence. 481 00:33:31,836 --> 00:33:33,636 Speaker 4: When we started and I said, is it all just 482 00:33:33,916 --> 00:33:36,636 Speaker 4: good luck or good fortune? I think we're seeing some 483 00:33:36,756 --> 00:33:40,836 Speaker 4: insight into how you navigate these things. You like throwing 484 00:33:40,836 --> 00:33:44,036 Speaker 4: yourselves against these yourself hard and me against these challenges. 485 00:33:44,196 --> 00:33:46,236 Speaker 1: Well, I was just, for instance, in this case, I 486 00:33:46,316 --> 00:33:48,476 Speaker 1: just was always blown away. But when I would hear 487 00:33:48,516 --> 00:33:56,076 Speaker 1: someone do something like this in an improvisitory forum, and 488 00:33:56,156 --> 00:33:58,396 Speaker 1: so I wanted to be able to do violent version 489 00:33:58,436 --> 00:34:00,956 Speaker 1: of it. And as simple as that. Look, what all 490 00:34:00,996 --> 00:34:04,916 Speaker 1: this work that I put in With that, it leads 491 00:34:04,956 --> 00:34:08,636 Speaker 1: you to a place that guards against popularity, because this 492 00:34:08,676 --> 00:34:12,956 Speaker 1: stuff is not what the average person wants to hear 493 00:34:13,036 --> 00:34:18,276 Speaker 1: in the popular forum. People want to hear a good 494 00:34:18,396 --> 00:34:24,116 Speaker 1: song somewhell with a nice, great production. Hopefully this isn't 495 00:34:24,196 --> 00:34:28,316 Speaker 1: that at all. This is something completely obscure and obtuse 496 00:34:28,356 --> 00:34:32,636 Speaker 1: and off putting to the average listeners. So I know 497 00:34:32,716 --> 00:34:36,396 Speaker 1: that i've what all this time I put in. It 498 00:34:36,436 --> 00:34:42,636 Speaker 1: wasn't about becoming a bigger deal, but playing arenas. This 499 00:34:42,676 --> 00:34:45,676 Speaker 1: sort of thing doesn't work in arenas. It's kind of 500 00:34:45,676 --> 00:34:48,396 Speaker 1: like jazz music. By the very nature of the way 501 00:34:48,436 --> 00:34:51,716 Speaker 1: the drums play, it's hard for that to translate in 502 00:34:51,756 --> 00:35:03,836 Speaker 1: a large space. Nobody's going They're just going boom boom. 503 00:35:03,876 --> 00:35:06,796 Speaker 1: So you know, it's very free, it's very open, and 504 00:35:07,636 --> 00:35:12,236 Speaker 1: if you're sick yards away, it's hard to feel that. 505 00:35:12,836 --> 00:35:18,316 Speaker 1: So so yeah, it didn't help me in that way. 506 00:35:18,516 --> 00:35:20,756 Speaker 1: But it's not what it's ever been about. This is 507 00:35:20,796 --> 00:35:22,716 Speaker 1: about a singular pursuit. 508 00:35:22,956 --> 00:35:26,076 Speaker 4: But you've also you do play songs like that in 509 00:35:26,116 --> 00:35:26,676 Speaker 4: your concert. 510 00:35:26,756 --> 00:35:28,396 Speaker 5: You've been able to bring your crowd. 511 00:35:29,036 --> 00:35:32,236 Speaker 1: Oh, I do well. Yes, and no, I've lost a 512 00:35:32,236 --> 00:35:35,756 Speaker 1: lot of people who who want to have a nostalgic 513 00:35:35,916 --> 00:35:38,436 Speaker 1: night out. I understand it too, I get it completely. 514 00:35:38,556 --> 00:35:42,116 Speaker 1: I'm like anybody else. If I go to a concert, 515 00:35:42,676 --> 00:35:45,276 Speaker 1: I'm probably going to that concert, well if it's a 516 00:35:45,316 --> 00:35:48,036 Speaker 1: pop concert or rock concert, because I love more than 517 00:35:48,036 --> 00:35:50,356 Speaker 1: a few of their songs, so I guess I'm hoping 518 00:35:50,396 --> 00:35:52,756 Speaker 1: to hear that there's songs. I'm maybe more open than 519 00:35:52,796 --> 00:35:57,956 Speaker 1: the average person to to something else because because it's 520 00:35:57,996 --> 00:35:59,756 Speaker 1: what I do, you know, it's easy for me to 521 00:35:59,996 --> 00:36:04,236 Speaker 1: want that. But but most people do go to a 522 00:36:04,276 --> 00:36:07,796 Speaker 1: concert for that nostalgic that stroll down memory lane. And 523 00:36:08,116 --> 00:36:12,596 Speaker 1: I get it. I don't dismiss it one bit. It's 524 00:36:12,796 --> 00:36:14,876 Speaker 1: just a It just can be a bit of a 525 00:36:14,916 --> 00:36:20,276 Speaker 1: creative prison to feel like you're in a situation where 526 00:36:20,796 --> 00:36:22,916 Speaker 1: you say to your band, here's the set list for 527 00:36:22,996 --> 00:36:26,156 Speaker 1: the year, you know, because that's what a lot of 528 00:36:26,316 --> 00:36:28,676 Speaker 1: a lot of people do at the hotel. Yeah, right, 529 00:36:28,756 --> 00:36:32,396 Speaker 1: it's it's just basically you're hoping you're not phoning it in. 530 00:36:33,476 --> 00:36:35,956 Speaker 1: There are people who are just great at doing that 531 00:36:36,036 --> 00:36:39,676 Speaker 1: same set and they mean it every night, and that's beautiful. 532 00:36:40,636 --> 00:36:42,356 Speaker 1: It would be kind of hard for me, I think. 533 00:36:43,236 --> 00:36:45,156 Speaker 4: You know, the other thing you did during that period. 534 00:36:45,356 --> 00:36:50,676 Speaker 4: I think starting with Harbor Lights is you really you 535 00:36:50,716 --> 00:36:54,196 Speaker 4: brought in really challenging players to play with. 536 00:36:54,756 --> 00:36:57,996 Speaker 1: Well, you're right, and people that's the popular notion, but actually, 537 00:36:58,396 --> 00:37:00,636 Speaker 1: if you look at it, it really started with the 538 00:37:00,636 --> 00:37:04,196 Speaker 1: Third Range record, where I had went shorter who I'd 539 00:37:04,236 --> 00:37:05,796 Speaker 1: gotten to play at the end of the Innocence. That's 540 00:37:05,796 --> 00:37:09,836 Speaker 1: how I know it knew him. Charlie Hate and Bayla 541 00:37:09,876 --> 00:37:13,196 Speaker 1: Fleck Garcia on that It's the Night of the Town. 542 00:37:13,516 --> 00:37:16,156 Speaker 1: It's a good record. I love several of the songs 543 00:37:16,196 --> 00:37:22,956 Speaker 1: on it. Barren Ground is great, also using that same chords. Yes, 544 00:37:23,076 --> 00:37:24,996 Speaker 1: I'm repeating myself. 545 00:37:26,796 --> 00:37:28,556 Speaker 5: Yeah, they're going to come up and say everybody wants 546 00:37:28,636 --> 00:37:29,036 Speaker 5: that chord. 547 00:37:29,076 --> 00:37:34,316 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's that a over duh. So that's where 548 00:37:34,316 --> 00:37:37,636 Speaker 1: it really started, where I really started stretching out. Sean 549 00:37:37,716 --> 00:37:39,356 Speaker 1: Colvin it's on that record. 550 00:37:39,516 --> 00:37:39,716 Speaker 9: Uh. 551 00:37:40,276 --> 00:37:43,516 Speaker 1: I think I'm named five or six and so. But 552 00:37:43,516 --> 00:37:46,436 Speaker 1: but yes, the next time somehow made more of a 553 00:37:46,476 --> 00:37:49,956 Speaker 1: mark with the guests. I don't know why. Pat Metheeny 554 00:37:50,116 --> 00:37:53,396 Speaker 1: was a huge guest on that Harbor Lights record played 555 00:37:53,556 --> 00:37:57,036 Speaker 1: so fantastic. In fact, I love that. When I got 556 00:37:57,036 --> 00:37:59,156 Speaker 1: to know the great Justin Vernon from Boney Vere, I 557 00:37:59,476 --> 00:38:03,476 Speaker 1: learned that he, at age s thirteen, had transcribed the 558 00:38:03,636 --> 00:38:07,556 Speaker 1: entire Pat Metheny Harbor Lights guitar solo, some of it 559 00:38:07,716 --> 00:38:28,596 Speaker 1: playing over these crazy He's playing over that. It's hard 560 00:38:28,756 --> 00:38:32,116 Speaker 1: to do. He just nailed it because he's a freak 561 00:38:32,156 --> 00:38:35,156 Speaker 1: of nature and I love him. And then I can't. 562 00:38:34,956 --> 00:38:35,636 Speaker 5: Remember the record. 563 00:38:35,676 --> 00:38:40,396 Speaker 4: It's on White Wheeled Limousine has has him trading with 564 00:38:40,516 --> 00:38:44,276 Speaker 4: Bayla with a Bayla Fleck who we've had here, bay Yes, yeah, 565 00:38:44,276 --> 00:38:46,956 Speaker 4: which is a kind of it's just an amazing section 566 00:38:47,076 --> 00:38:48,396 Speaker 4: of that of that record. 567 00:38:48,556 --> 00:38:52,636 Speaker 1: I love it. Yes, they both are just just killing it. 568 00:38:53,636 --> 00:38:57,436 Speaker 1: The cover of that record was a depiction of Bruce's Dream, 569 00:38:57,636 --> 00:39:04,076 Speaker 1: which had dol Monroe and Charlie Parker. Of course, yeah, 570 00:39:04,556 --> 00:39:09,356 Speaker 1: so and so Bayla Fleck and Pat Metheny are were 571 00:39:09,956 --> 00:39:12,076 Speaker 1: modern archetypes of each guy. 572 00:39:12,556 --> 00:39:15,796 Speaker 4: And that's also two guys who like you just keep 573 00:39:15,836 --> 00:39:18,356 Speaker 4: pushing it like Bailaflex, new stuff just keeps going. 574 00:39:18,556 --> 00:39:22,956 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, right, absolutely, So the Kindred Spirits did you. 575 00:39:22,916 --> 00:39:25,276 Speaker 5: Learn from playing with those guys? Did it change your playing? 576 00:39:28,556 --> 00:39:33,196 Speaker 1: I was on this other thing. We're sort of not applicable. Yeah, 577 00:39:33,716 --> 00:39:36,716 Speaker 1: the two hand independence thing is not something that they're 578 00:39:36,756 --> 00:39:40,516 Speaker 1: dealing with. They're dealing with their own difficult issues when 579 00:39:40,556 --> 00:39:48,036 Speaker 1: they're pushing the envelope. So I wouldn't really say that's true. 580 00:39:48,276 --> 00:39:49,836 Speaker 1: I don't think anything. I think I was just in 581 00:39:49,956 --> 00:39:52,476 Speaker 1: my own on world with this. 582 00:39:52,556 --> 00:39:55,956 Speaker 4: Yeah, two thousand and seven, and I had to I 583 00:39:56,076 --> 00:39:59,196 Speaker 4: kept staring at this, thinking is this real that you 584 00:39:59,276 --> 00:40:00,556 Speaker 4: did two albums that year? 585 00:40:01,076 --> 00:40:02,596 Speaker 1: It's very disparate. 586 00:40:02,756 --> 00:40:06,316 Speaker 4: One with the great Ricky Skaggs, who I think plays 587 00:40:06,316 --> 00:40:13,636 Speaker 4: every instrument but the piano. How did you adapt I'm 588 00:40:13,636 --> 00:40:17,156 Speaker 4: not sure if you adapted the piano to bluegrass or 589 00:40:17,276 --> 00:40:20,676 Speaker 4: bluegrass to the piano. It's not it's not considered a 590 00:40:21,156 --> 00:40:22,836 Speaker 4: piano is not a bluegrass instrument. 591 00:40:23,156 --> 00:40:26,836 Speaker 1: No, it's not. But it can be made to sound 592 00:40:26,996 --> 00:40:33,116 Speaker 1: very banjo esque. Sometimes the piano doing something it feels 593 00:40:33,196 --> 00:40:35,716 Speaker 1: like it sounds can sound like banjo. So it fit 594 00:40:35,836 --> 00:40:40,756 Speaker 1: in pretty well. Oh, it was so challenging because the 595 00:40:40,796 --> 00:40:49,636 Speaker 1: tempos are insane, you know, just ding ding ding do 596 00:40:50,876 --> 00:40:55,076 Speaker 1: and and these guys Ricky's bands have always been freaky great. 597 00:40:55,716 --> 00:41:00,076 Speaker 1: He gets the killer pickers of Nashville. When I was 598 00:41:00,076 --> 00:41:02,356 Speaker 1: playing with him, he had these guys Andy Leftwich and 599 00:41:02,396 --> 00:41:05,996 Speaker 1: Cody Kilby and Jimmy Mills on banjo. So I was 600 00:41:06,036 --> 00:41:08,716 Speaker 1: just hanging on for dear life. Every time I've had 601 00:41:08,716 --> 00:41:12,036 Speaker 1: a skin Ex Orangeby tour coming, I would take the 602 00:41:12,036 --> 00:41:14,636 Speaker 1: metron on that and put it on ding ding ding 603 00:41:14,756 --> 00:41:16,756 Speaker 1: ding ding ding. Jew I'm not gonna even gonna try 604 00:41:16,796 --> 00:41:19,116 Speaker 1: it now because I'm I'm totally out of practice with that. 605 00:41:19,276 --> 00:41:22,796 Speaker 1: But but if I did it, and I would do it. 606 00:41:23,236 --> 00:41:25,396 Speaker 1: I loved my time doing all that. We made two 607 00:41:25,436 --> 00:41:28,796 Speaker 1: records two thousand and seven, the studio record in twenty thirteen, 608 00:41:28,876 --> 00:41:35,276 Speaker 1: this crazy jam and live record, so right. 609 00:41:35,196 --> 00:41:36,756 Speaker 5: And what's he like to play with? What's he? What 610 00:41:36,876 --> 00:41:37,396 Speaker 5: kind of a well? 611 00:41:37,396 --> 00:41:42,076 Speaker 1: He's a joyous, joyous soul, a beautiful soul, and this 612 00:41:42,156 --> 00:41:46,476 Speaker 1: warm person, funny, too ready for a ready for a laugh. 613 00:41:48,036 --> 00:41:51,636 Speaker 1: Some of that country humor, it's nothing to quite like it. 614 00:41:53,716 --> 00:42:00,556 Speaker 1: Often a little blue, but great, very fun. So yeah, 615 00:42:00,556 --> 00:42:04,316 Speaker 1: but just a consummate player, a musician, one of the 616 00:42:04,316 --> 00:42:09,756 Speaker 1: great singers, and also, like Garcia in his own way, 617 00:42:10,356 --> 00:42:14,556 Speaker 1: a true walking encyclopedia of that music of old time. 618 00:42:16,876 --> 00:42:19,316 Speaker 1: I probably mentioned this before we went on the air. 619 00:42:20,476 --> 00:42:22,916 Speaker 1: He turned me onto Doc Box and Roscoe hulkm and 620 00:42:22,956 --> 00:42:26,996 Speaker 1: Clarence Ashley. Then again the Harry Smith Anthology of Folk Music. 621 00:42:28,276 --> 00:42:30,676 Speaker 1: It's such a deep well. So I learned so much 622 00:42:30,836 --> 00:42:39,396 Speaker 1: from him in that way. He was very open. One time, 623 00:42:39,436 --> 00:42:41,396 Speaker 1: in the middle of a gem in Medford, Oregon, in 624 00:42:41,396 --> 00:42:43,916 Speaker 1: about two thousand and two one or two, We're in 625 00:42:43,956 --> 00:42:49,356 Speaker 1: a sort of a minor key spacey thing, this kind 626 00:42:49,396 --> 00:42:54,316 Speaker 1: of chords, and all of a sudden this came to 627 00:42:54,356 --> 00:42:57,356 Speaker 1: me fully formed. I went. 628 00:43:25,716 --> 00:43:29,596 Speaker 7: And the song came ban on it like the times 629 00:43:29,996 --> 00:43:33,156 Speaker 7: that we spent hiding out. 630 00:43:33,316 --> 00:43:41,756 Speaker 1: From the rain under the CARNIVALTI laughed and she smiled 631 00:43:42,356 --> 00:43:48,196 Speaker 1: with a less for you don't know what You've got 632 00:43:48,636 --> 00:43:51,116 Speaker 1: to lose it all again. 633 00:43:52,676 --> 00:43:57,716 Speaker 6: Listen to the Manlin Rain, Listen to them music point. 634 00:43:59,556 --> 00:44:05,116 Speaker 1: Listen to My Hardbreak every time she runs away. 635 00:44:06,596 --> 00:44:13,916 Speaker 6: Listen to the Mangol. It a sad song, drifting. Listen 636 00:44:13,996 --> 00:44:16,996 Speaker 6: to the tears roll down. 637 00:44:16,876 --> 00:44:39,436 Speaker 1: My face as she turns to go. So I played 638 00:44:39,436 --> 00:44:42,996 Speaker 1: that for him and he went the son we have 639 00:44:43,116 --> 00:44:47,836 Speaker 1: to record that, and because it was just something about 640 00:44:47,876 --> 00:44:51,796 Speaker 1: it has that sort of deep mountain sol with the 641 00:44:51,876 --> 00:44:54,516 Speaker 1: with the with that too, you know, it's sort of 642 00:44:54,516 --> 00:44:57,356 Speaker 1: a combo thing that I would do. 643 00:44:58,596 --> 00:45:00,796 Speaker 2: We're coming right back with more of Bruce Hornsby. 644 00:45:05,356 --> 00:45:08,316 Speaker 4: To me, it's interesting because so much of what you're 645 00:45:08,356 --> 00:45:12,396 Speaker 4: doing with jazz and a lot of dissonance is the 646 00:45:12,436 --> 00:45:15,356 Speaker 4: sort of thing that you have to really be careful 647 00:45:15,516 --> 00:45:19,716 Speaker 4: in bluegrass music. It doesn't you know, Western swing can 648 00:45:19,756 --> 00:45:21,596 Speaker 4: do a lot of that stuff, but bluegrass did you 649 00:45:21,596 --> 00:45:23,596 Speaker 4: find it was not confining? 650 00:45:23,756 --> 00:45:26,116 Speaker 1: But no, not confining. I just I feel like there 651 00:45:26,116 --> 00:45:28,316 Speaker 1: are just some people coming to these skys wants to 652 00:45:28,356 --> 00:45:33,436 Speaker 1: be concerts who who wish I was not there. But 653 00:45:34,396 --> 00:45:36,556 Speaker 1: I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it for 654 00:45:36,676 --> 00:45:39,596 Speaker 1: the groove Ricky and the guys, and they've responded so 655 00:45:39,836 --> 00:45:43,236 Speaker 1: deeply to that, and so we recorded and it's a 656 00:45:43,916 --> 00:45:47,636 Speaker 1: very beautiful version of that. So that was and then 657 00:45:47,796 --> 00:45:50,996 Speaker 1: then there's the other one two thousand and seven, same year. 658 00:45:51,276 --> 00:45:55,756 Speaker 4: Yeah, you did your jazz trio, Yes Camp meeting. 659 00:45:58,596 --> 00:46:03,556 Speaker 1: Christian Christian McBride, Jack d Jeanette Djenete, Yeah, what was outside? 660 00:46:03,636 --> 00:46:06,756 Speaker 1: So this is the origin story. I would run run 661 00:46:06,756 --> 00:46:09,076 Speaker 1: into those guys. I would go hear the Keith chain 662 00:46:09,236 --> 00:46:12,356 Speaker 1: at trio at Carnegie Hall with Gary Peacock on bass 663 00:46:12,436 --> 00:46:15,996 Speaker 1: and Jack playing drums, and I'd run into Jack backstage 664 00:46:16,036 --> 00:46:21,996 Speaker 1: and he would say, okay man, when's the hit. I say, well, 665 00:46:23,556 --> 00:46:24,236 Speaker 1: I'll let you know. 666 00:46:26,116 --> 00:46:26,636 Speaker 13: Uh. 667 00:46:26,996 --> 00:46:32,716 Speaker 1: Run into Christian around somewhere, and he'd say, okay man, 668 00:46:33,436 --> 00:46:39,396 Speaker 1: when's the hit. It as if they'd conspired, so I'd 669 00:46:39,476 --> 00:46:41,796 Speaker 1: said to them. To christ I would say to Christian, well, 670 00:46:43,036 --> 00:46:45,676 Speaker 1: when I figure out a way to do this to 671 00:46:45,796 --> 00:46:50,076 Speaker 1: make a jazz piano trio record, that is not just 672 00:46:50,516 --> 00:46:54,236 Speaker 1: me doing my Bill Evans or Chick career, or just 673 00:46:54,316 --> 00:46:57,836 Speaker 1: feeling the names red Garland Win and Kelly whatever, Bud Powell. 674 00:46:58,276 --> 00:47:03,436 Speaker 1: It's not me just doing my replication. Then I'll let 675 00:47:03,516 --> 00:47:05,916 Speaker 1: then then yeah, I'll call you then then then the 676 00:47:05,996 --> 00:47:10,636 Speaker 1: hit will happen. We'll schedule the hit. So it was 677 00:47:10,676 --> 00:47:14,196 Speaker 1: a bit of a project, a back burner project that 678 00:47:14,276 --> 00:47:17,596 Speaker 1: I would gradually work on over a three or four 679 00:47:17,676 --> 00:47:22,116 Speaker 1: year period and come up with certain certain things. It 680 00:47:22,156 --> 00:47:25,876 Speaker 1: felt felt fresh, felt original, and that's the word okay. 681 00:47:25,916 --> 00:47:30,356 Speaker 1: So I when I I came to them, I called 682 00:47:30,396 --> 00:47:32,036 Speaker 1: them both up and said, at a certain point in 683 00:47:32,036 --> 00:47:35,676 Speaker 1: two thousand and six or maybe late two thousand and five, hey, 684 00:47:35,716 --> 00:47:38,676 Speaker 1: I think I've got an idea I'm gonna And they said, okay, 685 00:47:38,676 --> 00:47:44,556 Speaker 1: please send us stuff. And so I did send them, 686 00:47:44,716 --> 00:47:50,956 Speaker 1: send them both the recording of me playing these seven 687 00:47:51,036 --> 00:47:55,276 Speaker 1: or eight non songs. Some were originals, some were reworkings 688 00:47:55,316 --> 00:48:01,636 Speaker 1: of old jazz chestnuts. And it took them a good 689 00:48:01,716 --> 00:48:03,516 Speaker 1: month to get back to me. It's a long it's 690 00:48:03,556 --> 00:48:07,236 Speaker 1: a loud silence, loud silent month. Some i'thing, Okay, they 691 00:48:07,236 --> 00:48:10,116 Speaker 1: don't like it. It's fine. Well they called me up 692 00:48:10,316 --> 00:48:16,596 Speaker 1: but together and they said, man, we really like this. 693 00:48:16,716 --> 00:48:21,796 Speaker 1: It's very fresh. It sounds original. It sounds like an 694 00:48:21,836 --> 00:48:26,756 Speaker 1: original take on this music. I said, well, okay, thanks 695 00:48:26,796 --> 00:48:33,756 Speaker 1: a lot. That's great. But they said, you're not making that. 696 00:48:33,796 --> 00:48:39,036 Speaker 1: You're not making on our playing level, and so so 697 00:48:39,156 --> 00:48:45,996 Speaker 1: there's that. I said, okay, I humbly replied, I got you. 698 00:48:47,116 --> 00:48:50,396 Speaker 1: We've got five months between the time from between now 699 00:48:50,436 --> 00:48:52,796 Speaker 1: and the time we're slated to do this down at 700 00:48:52,796 --> 00:48:56,396 Speaker 1: my house in Virginia. So give me those five months 701 00:48:56,476 --> 00:48:58,716 Speaker 1: and come on down there and if you if you 702 00:48:58,876 --> 00:49:02,276 Speaker 1: still feel the same way about my lack of ability, 703 00:49:03,076 --> 00:49:06,556 Speaker 1: then we'll just shake hands and call it, call it 704 00:49:06,556 --> 00:49:10,116 Speaker 1: a day. So I dealt with it. Luckily I didn't 705 00:49:10,116 --> 00:49:13,796 Speaker 1: have a ton going on, and they came down and 706 00:49:13,876 --> 00:49:19,596 Speaker 1: we started hitting, and they went, Okay, you've done You've 707 00:49:19,596 --> 00:49:20,236 Speaker 1: done the work. 708 00:49:20,316 --> 00:49:21,996 Speaker 5: You got to back up. What was the work? 709 00:49:22,596 --> 00:49:25,276 Speaker 1: Oh, the work was just learning how to okay, to 710 00:49:25,276 --> 00:49:29,396 Speaker 1: to to play. Well, here's a perfect example. So I 711 00:49:29,476 --> 00:49:32,636 Speaker 1: we played Giant Steps, which is one of the insane. 712 00:49:33,956 --> 00:49:54,276 Speaker 13: Hallmarks of the of the literature. 713 00:49:57,356 --> 00:50:59,356 Speaker 1: So I'm reharmonizing it in my own way, almost him like, okay, 714 00:51:00,156 --> 00:51:02,676 Speaker 1: so what I was just sold I was just slowing 715 00:51:02,756 --> 00:51:07,716 Speaker 1: over those my reharmonized semi re harmonization, and I had 716 00:51:07,756 --> 00:51:09,676 Speaker 1: to learn how to do that, but do it well now, 717 00:51:09,756 --> 00:51:12,516 Speaker 1: this is I haven't done that in years. So but 718 00:51:12,596 --> 00:51:14,276 Speaker 1: so I tried to keep it real simple so I 719 00:51:14,276 --> 00:51:19,276 Speaker 1: wouldn't just completely blow it. But so that was okay, 720 00:51:19,356 --> 00:51:23,676 Speaker 1: it wasn't great, but but so yeah, I said, if 721 00:51:23,756 --> 00:51:25,596 Speaker 1: I was going to make a record of doing that, 722 00:51:26,196 --> 00:51:30,716 Speaker 1: I need to do that times fifty and really get it. 723 00:51:30,756 --> 00:51:36,476 Speaker 1: So it's very because if it's you have to ingest it. 724 00:51:37,196 --> 00:51:40,676 Speaker 1: And because of the if you that's a slow tempo, 725 00:51:41,196 --> 00:51:59,516 Speaker 1: we went, you know like that, Yeah, that's I'm just 726 00:51:59,556 --> 00:52:01,956 Speaker 1: not on my under my fingers, you know so so 727 00:52:01,956 --> 00:52:04,436 Speaker 1: so that's what I had to do. I had to 728 00:52:05,396 --> 00:52:07,636 Speaker 1: I had to get to a point where it was 729 00:52:07,716 --> 00:52:12,276 Speaker 1: so free, play so freely and nail nail it. 730 00:52:13,556 --> 00:52:15,396 Speaker 5: I should have asked you this earlier. Do you practice 731 00:52:15,396 --> 00:52:15,836 Speaker 5: every day? 732 00:52:15,996 --> 00:52:16,196 Speaker 1: Oh? 733 00:52:16,276 --> 00:52:16,436 Speaker 14: Hell? 734 00:52:16,556 --> 00:52:16,916 Speaker 1: Yeah? 735 00:52:17,076 --> 00:52:17,476 Speaker 14: How long? 736 00:52:17,516 --> 00:52:26,276 Speaker 1: Hell? I practice? I probably do about two or three hours. 737 00:52:26,396 --> 00:52:32,436 Speaker 1: So for instance, right now, I'm working on music from 738 00:52:32,476 --> 00:52:34,676 Speaker 1: my new record, and I'll play you a little bit 739 00:52:34,756 --> 00:52:38,756 Speaker 1: of it. This is a song called Silhouette Shadows. I 740 00:52:39,116 --> 00:52:44,676 Speaker 1: was I love a Shastakovich piece for one of his 741 00:52:44,916 --> 00:52:49,836 Speaker 1: fugues and his Preludes and Fugues collection that he that 742 00:52:49,956 --> 00:52:53,236 Speaker 1: he produced beautiful. I have a Keith Charot record of 743 00:52:53,356 --> 00:52:57,476 Speaker 1: Keith playing the Shastakovich Preludes and fugues. So I love 744 00:52:57,556 --> 00:52:59,516 Speaker 1: the one in F sharp is number thirteen. I think, 745 00:52:59,836 --> 00:53:03,756 Speaker 1: I just I just love it. It's so beautiful. And 746 00:53:03,796 --> 00:53:05,996 Speaker 1: after fooling around with it for a while, I thought, well, 747 00:53:05,996 --> 00:53:08,276 Speaker 1: I would like to do my own version of this 748 00:53:09,316 --> 00:53:13,116 Speaker 1: of a semi fugue. So I did this when I 749 00:53:13,156 --> 00:53:17,836 Speaker 1: was scoring films for Spike Lee. I threw this in 750 00:53:17,876 --> 00:53:21,236 Speaker 1: there as he never picked it, which is okay. Then 751 00:53:21,276 --> 00:53:25,556 Speaker 1: a couple two or three years later, I started writing 752 00:53:25,596 --> 00:53:27,996 Speaker 1: for this record, and this thing had been lying around 753 00:53:28,036 --> 00:53:32,436 Speaker 1: for a little while, and I thought, let me try 754 00:53:32,436 --> 00:53:36,836 Speaker 1: to write a song with words to this music. So 755 00:53:36,996 --> 00:53:40,836 Speaker 1: I did, and it's on the record and it goes 756 00:53:40,916 --> 00:53:41,196 Speaker 1: like this. 757 00:53:41,356 --> 00:54:13,076 Speaker 14: I'll try to play it. 758 00:54:02,116 --> 00:54:03,316 Speaker 1: On TV. 759 00:54:03,876 --> 00:54:10,516 Speaker 8: Watching from Boston Street into Southn's window as Nick's resides. 760 00:54:10,676 --> 00:54:18,196 Speaker 1: Good, good thing. I'm tall, going back to my third 761 00:54:18,276 --> 00:54:19,276 Speaker 1: floor walk up. 762 00:54:19,756 --> 00:54:23,956 Speaker 8: Sounds in the air, the numb couple beating each other 763 00:54:24,076 --> 00:54:25,596 Speaker 8: and dreaming of that summer. 764 00:54:25,396 --> 00:54:29,996 Speaker 1: Sight above in my room, beating each other and screaming 765 00:54:30,076 --> 00:54:46,076 Speaker 1: that summer right above my tr watching morning sitcom shows 766 00:54:46,156 --> 00:54:47,996 Speaker 1: every day, and the Chief's housemen. 767 00:54:48,036 --> 00:54:52,956 Speaker 7: I knew they were away, making sure they never noticed 768 00:54:52,956 --> 00:54:54,396 Speaker 7: that I had been there. 769 00:54:57,396 --> 00:55:01,996 Speaker 1: Couldn't believe I was doing this was a needed a 770 00:55:02,156 --> 00:55:03,916 Speaker 1: break from the music school. 771 00:55:04,276 --> 00:55:22,196 Speaker 8: Crime Let's set shadows ancient scenes and cryptic dreams, so 772 00:55:22,796 --> 00:55:24,596 Speaker 8: Lisen shadows a. 773 00:55:24,836 --> 00:55:28,516 Speaker 1: Sort of remember in the general, like in the show 774 00:55:28,796 --> 00:55:35,836 Speaker 1: how Line of Harborn Good out shaded recollection One Life 775 00:55:35,836 --> 00:55:42,196 Speaker 1: in Reflection, I thing goes on from there, So that's 776 00:55:42,236 --> 00:55:43,036 Speaker 1: what I'm working on. 777 00:55:43,116 --> 00:55:46,996 Speaker 4: Thank you so much for coming in. 778 00:55:46,996 --> 00:55:48,876 Speaker 2: In the episode description, you'll find a link to a 779 00:55:48,876 --> 00:55:51,956 Speaker 2: playlist of our favorite Bruce Hornsby songs. Be sure to 780 00:55:52,036 --> 00:55:54,716 Speaker 2: check out YouTube dot com slash Broken Record Podcast to 781 00:55:54,756 --> 00:55:58,076 Speaker 2: see all of our video interviews, and be sure to 782 00:55:58,116 --> 00:56:01,116 Speaker 2: follow us on Instagram at the Broken Record pot. Broken 783 00:56:01,156 --> 00:56:03,516 Speaker 2: Record is produced and edited by Leah Rhodes, with marketing 784 00:56:03,596 --> 00:56:06,596 Speaker 2: help from Eric Sandler and Jordan McMillan. Our engineer is 785 00:56:06,636 --> 00:56:10,676 Speaker 2: Ben Holladay. Broken Record is product of Pushkin Industries. If 786 00:56:10,676 --> 00:56:13,596 Speaker 2: you love this show and others from Pushkin, consider subscribing 787 00:56:13,636 --> 00:56:16,716 Speaker 2: to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription that 788 00:56:16,796 --> 00:56:19,796 Speaker 2: offers bonus content and ad free listening for four ninety 789 00:56:19,836 --> 00:56:23,036 Speaker 2: nine a month. Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple podcast subscriptions. 790 00:56:23,676 --> 00:56:25,916 Speaker 2: And if you like this show, please remember to share, rate, 791 00:56:25,916 --> 00:56:28,436 Speaker 2: and review us on your podcast app. Our theme music's 792 00:56:28,436 --> 00:56:30,276 Speaker 2: by Kenny Beats. I'm justin Richmond.