Russell Malone Interview Page 4

RM:  Thank you. I strongly feel that, you want to have the respect of your peers and you want the aficionados to like you, the so-called experts to like you, but every now and then you gotta play some melody.

Smitty:  Yes.

RM:  And every now and then, if you want to be working, you gotta play pretty for the ladies every now and then.

Smitty:  That’s right, man. (Laughs.)  Absolutely, man.  Well, I will pass along a compliment I heard, from a very nice young lady….not in particular about this record, but about your working with her on her latest project…and that was, Ms. Gladys Knight.

RM:  Oh yeah.  Yeah, yeah.

Smitty:  Oh man, she had some beautiful words to say about your musicianship and working with her on her latest project that was just fantastic, you know, the tribute she did to the great legendary ladies of jazz.

RM:  Yeah, that record Before Me.

Smitty:  Yeah, Before Me. What a magnificent project. And she had some very nice comments about your contributing to that record.

RM:  Well, that makes me feel very good. See, these are the things; these are the people who matter to me.

Smitty:  Yes.

RM:  You know, people that I grew up listening to. I mean, when they come back and say nice things about you, that’s more precious than platinum or gold.

Smitty:  Yes indeed, my friend.

RM:  Yeah.

Smitty:  Just looking at your record here, I love the album cover too and the great photographs throughout the album.  It’s very nice, it’s very well put together, and my compliments to everybody involved with that, and all the folks at MaxJazz.  They did a magnificent job with this.

RM:  Well, thank you so much, man.

Smitty:  It’s beautiful.  Well, I look forward to catching you out on the road when you come back, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to chat a little bit, and in the meantime I am totally digging the record, man.

RM:  Well, thank you.  Thank you.  I really appreciate it.  Well, there’s a Volume Two coming out too.

Smitty:  Yeah, I was gonna ask you about that. 

RM:  There will be a Volume Two.

Smitty:  Oh man, that’s fantastic. That’s great for the fans to hear. I know everyone’s excited about that. Right now we are digging this one and we certainly look forward to Volume Two, my friend.  If it’s anything like this, we know it’ll be fantastic.

RM:  Thank you.

Smitty:  Yeah, and please pass along my congratulations to the band as well because they did a monster job with this as well.

RM:  All right, then.

Smitty:  All right.  We’ve been talking with the incredible guitarist, Russell Malone.  He has a great new “Live” project out.  It’s called Live at the Jazz Standard Volume One. And it has a plethora of magnificent grooves and melodies. You will love this great Russell Malone project. Russell, thanks again, my friend, all the very best with this great record and we look forward to seeing you on the road.

RM:  Thanks, Smitty.  Take care of yourself.

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

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