Today, we sat down with soul and jazz artist Gene Garcia to talk inspiration to write music, advice for musicians and much more! Be sure to check out his music below after the interview on Spotify.
Here is the Interview:
What is your inspiration to write your music? Is it your surroundings?
My inspiration when writing music can be very broad, from an idea of a specific topic, a thought, I am
inspired by the human behavior, listening to music by my favorite jazz, soul, blues artists, although normally nothing usually comes up, it is better to wait for it to arise by itself, so that it can be created with its own light. It is always more interesting and genuine. Also a book that I have read, a movie that poses something interesting, I like to create very visual songs, creating environments and always with a meaning.
What type of music did you listen to growing up?
When i was young I always listened to music, I remember that I liked Elvis Presley a lot, in his music there is all black music that I like, R&R, Blues, Soul, Gospel, and then jazz, etc, … and with those. Listen, my curiosity made me pull the strings and find out and I met other artists and I took my musical tastes and practice them with my projects throughout my 51 years. Music is very important to me, I’m always thinking about music and talking about it with friends and myself. Today, my own insatiable evolution I hear from Skip James, through Son House, Rev. Gary Davis, Sister Rosetta Tharp to Memphis Slim, then jazz that drives me crazy from crooners like Hartman, Joe Williams, Jimmy Rushing, Sinatra, Bennet, Lady Day, the current one who. I like and it inspires me is Gregory Porter, then Coltrain, Sheep, Stitt, Garland, Powell, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, etc, … in soul, Ann Peebles, Aretha, James Brown, Mavis Staple, Pop’s Staple …… a few years ago classical music also brings a lot to my soul, Russian composers are my favorites, especially Rachmaninov, with the time and the same curiosity of a child I continue to evolve.
Is there someone you looked up as a hero?
I consider heroes that inspiring me like film directors, Sergio Leone, Scorsese, actors as Marlon Brando, Robert de Niro, for yours supports to other race people, etc, … all the Afro-americans who fought for their rights and still continue to do it, like Simone, you know, a fighter, Ray Carles me does crying with whatever I listen to, he is one of my heroes as well as outside of music for example Mandela, Castro, JFK, Malcom X, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Yogananda Paramahansa is my spiritual support a hero for my soul, I have many, Muhammad Ali ,Jessy Jackson, in short to anonymous and known people who are capable of knowing how to lose so that others win, that is in short the quality that makes you a hero.
If you weren’t a musician, would you be doing today?
Sure, I would dedicate myself full time to painting, because I have been a painter since I was a child although I never did it professionally until a few years ago that I do it this way, I am a very creative man, and I have tried to do it as long as I was related to creation. Right now I would love to make movies, that I am addicted to them, good movies, I am a bit old-school in that regard, as in practically everything I do, the great masters of Art are always present in my mind when I paint. I would tell you that is my other face, that’s what I do when I’m not dedicated to music
What advice do you have for our fans out there that want to create
music?
The truth is that I don’t usually give advice to anyone on any subject, I’m not the one to do it, but in this case I will, in my opinion, listen to and enjoy the music of others who make the music you love and want to do. Thinking about music and working hard until you want it to come out. sometimes that topic doesn’t come up but we have to wait …. thanks to Drop Spotlight for your support, it has been a pleasure for me.
Music:
