Jazz Monthly.com Interview with Nick Colionne

“Jazz Monthly Feature Interview” Nick Colionne

Smitty: Well, it’s my pleasure to welcome to Jazz Monthly one of the hippest, most prolific guitar players in the business. He’s got a great new record out called Keepin’ It Cool, please give a red carpet welcome to Narada Jazz recording artist, my man, Nick Colionne. Hey Nick, how are you?

Nick Colionne (NC): I’m doing good. I’m doing good, man.

Smitty: Excellent.

NC: Real good.

Smitty: Yeah, you should be man, because you’re sure keepin’ it cool.

NC: I’m trying. It’s cold in Chicago, so it’s not hard to keep it cool here. Believe me, it’s cold.

Smitty: Yeah, it is a little cool right now. You have got to be so excited, I mean, you’ve got this great new record, you just signed with a new label. You must really be burning the candle at both ends right now.

NC: Well yeah, but it’s good, you know, it’s good to burn it at both ends instead of not having any fire going at all, you know? (Both laughing)

Smitty: Exactly.

NC: Yes, I’m real happy, with the new label and I’m really happy and excited about the new project, you know, Keepin’ It Cool.

Smitty: Yeah.

NC: I’m hoping that it’s going to do really well.

Smitty: Well, I think it will, because I can tell you that when I first got this record and listened to it, I couldn’t put it down, and I’ve already narrowed down my favorite track, although every song is really tight, my favorite track is the title track. That is my song!

NC: (Laughing) “Keepin’ It Cool” is your track, huh?

Smitty: That’s my song!

NC: It’s kind of my track too.

Smitty: Yeah man. But this is one of those CD’s where you can kick it in the player and just let it play and groove to it, and it’s just got that provocative groove to it, you know?

NC: Well, that’s what we were hoping for, that’s what I was really going for; to have one of those projects where you just want to hear the whole thing, not just one or two tracks. You know, try to give it some kind of flow that keeps you listening.

Smitty: You scored it Nick! It’s a great project. And speaking of that I heard a lot of different styles and vibes; I mean, you blend a lot of different styles on this record and what I like about it is, not one song sounded alike, and I love that in a project.

NC: Well, I try my best to not make an album one-dimensional, you know. I wanted to go into a lot of different fields, and it’s all gonna be me because it’s me playing. I wanted it all to feel differently, and incorporate some other things that I’ve played.

Smitty: Yeah, that’s nice. And you brought back “Rainy Night in Georgia.”

NC: Oh yeah, I thought “Rainy Night In Georgia” is such a great song and, Carol, my manager, she just loves it so much, she kind of made me do that one.

Smitty: Well, you could tell her I said “Great choice!”

NC: Okay.

Smitty: Yeah. But let’s break it down a little bit. Now, when I think about, or when I listened to this project, I had to wonder about your life in Chicago and the influences that you have there and abroad, but how much does your life in Chicago influence your music?

NC: A lot, because, I’m a brother straight from the ‘hood, you know, (both laughing) so all my music kind of reflects my life experiences, so to speak. Like “Keepin’ It Cool,” where I’m from here, you had to keep it cool. There’s a feeling in Chicago. I mean, I guess it’s in the air, I don’t know. But there’s a feeling in Chicago that comes out in the music, so there’s something right about that. It happens, and I think most artists blend in with the environment from wherever it is they may live and the feeling of that area.

Smitty: Yeah.

NC: Because I do, you know, we’re heavily blues influenced here and a lot of jazz, blues, got a lot of jazz greats here and a lot of blues greats, Lonnie Brooks and we’ve got Ramsey Lewis here playing jazz, my boy Steve Cole…we’ve got a lot of great people here.

Smitty: Yeah, well, Chicago has always had a great mix of fantastic artists and that’s still true even today, you’re right. I love that. Now, you’ve been compared to Norman Brown, George Benson, Wes Montgomery, you know, how do you describe Nick Colionne’s sound, his music?

NC: Nick Colionne’s sound is all of the above, plus Nick Colionne (laughing). I guess my inflections will come from all the people that I’ve emulated over my career, you know. When I was a kid I played a lot of Wes Montgomery. Basically that’s all I played. A lot of Wes Montgomery and a lot of Kenny Burrell, a lot of George Benson, and I also played a lot of rock. Like (Jimi) Hendrix and Steve Vai, all these people that I’ve listened to. It’s been like a like a combination, a potpourri, just throw it all together and then inside of there I found who I was. You can’t go your whole career emulating other people, so inside of all these people who I loved to listen to, I found who I was.

Smitty: I feel a lot of those influences listening to your music. I can still hear “High Flyin’” and that was my favorite track and now “Keepin’ It Cool” has just kind of taken over.

NC: Well, that’s good, You gotta keep moving on.

Smitty: Yeah, yeah.

NC: That means a lot to me; that means that I’m constantly growing as an artist when you say that, because you’re not saying, well, “Hey, ‘High Flying’ was my favorite record,” your new record is good, but ‘High Flying’ is my favorite record.” You found something here that is your new favorite, and that’s the way I want it to be each time that I do another record. I hope it progresses where even though you had a favorite song on this record, on my next record, you’ll have a favorite song there because I’m continuing to grow.

Smitty: I can feel that, yes I love that. Now, you’ve got a new label and that’s such a beautiful time when you’ve got a new record, you’ve got a new label, and things are blending very well. You know, talk about what this experience has been like the past few months now that you have the new label and the new record.

NC: Well, having a new label is, it’s exciting and it’s scary, you know, it can be scary. This time for me it wasn’t a scary thing, because right from the beginning I saw that these people believed in Nick Colionne and what Nick Colionne was doing, and felt that I was capable of doing a really good or great project. They were behind it from day one and they’re still behind it. And they’re excited about the record and that’s what makes it really great, when you have a label as excited about a project as you are. Because if they’re excited about it, and they’re going all out to promote it and you’re going all out to promote it, you’ve got a win-win situation.

Smitty: No doubt, and I love the vibe at Narada Jazz. They’ve got some great artists there and they’ve done some quality work with their artists and you gotta love that whole mix over there; some great people over there at Narada.

NC: Everybody over there is great. They’ve been treating me real well, bought me some bags of candy and stuff, some chocolates so, you know, I love ‘em all!

Smitty: (Laughing)

NC: They know I’ve got a chocolate habit, and they gave me like these four bags of chocolate and I’m gonna have to tell them that those are gone, I’m gonna need more.

Smitty: (Both laughing) Oh, chocolates. Well, I’ll have to have a talk with them about that. I never got chocolates!

NC: Well, they’re still waiting for your project.

Smitty: (Laughing) Ohhhhh, then I’m in trouble! That’s too cool. Well, now, you know, getting back to your record, I’ve heard that, you’ve said sometimes that your music is romantic and there’s a lot of emotion in your music. Talk about how you’re able to convey that to the listener; your emotions and your feelings at the time of doing a record.

NC: Well, I’m…I hate to say it but I’m kind of a romantic at heart, you know. I’m into romantic stuff and, you know….I like girls. (Both Laughing) I kind of…I try to do a song that touches people in the heart for some reason. That’s why all my titles are like “From Me to You” and stuff like that…. things that guys might want to say to women or women might want to say to men, you know. And when I come up with a title, then I try to express the lyrics instrumentally.

Smitty: Yeah. That’s a cool thing and I’m glad to know you like girls.

NC: Oh, thank you. (Both laughing)

Smitty: Speaking of reaching people, now, I know you work with young kids in the schools and that kind of thing with your music, and tutoring and mentoring. How important is that to you because I know that it can be a lot of work, but it’s a satisfying work, talk about how important that part of your life is, working with kids and seeing them grow and progress as musicians or future musicians.

NC: That is one of the most important things to me, because it keeps the music going. It keeps a fresh new batch of people coming along playing this stuff. As a matter of fact, I’ve got two of them here right now from this school. One who’s now in college as a music major in college and playing jazz in college, and his little brother’s with him, and plays proms. I mentored them. They still come by and see me. They’re over here today to get some pointers. I’m thinking they wanna try to steal my gig (laughing). Plus he worked with me last summer, a roadie for me, so it’s important for me to have contact with the kids and show them what I know and tell them how to get the information about what they should listen to and to learn more about playing jazz…..and to have somebody that they know that they can come and talk with. Not only about the music, but about anything, you know.

Smitty: Yes, I love it.

NC: So I’m there for them for whatever, not just musically, if they need some help with something or want to talk about something, I’m there for them. That’s important to me because, thankfully I had two great parents. Rather three, I had a stepfather too who was always there for me.

Smitty: Yes, that’s important, it’s very important. You’re able to help them to discover jazz, the history of jazz, and that’s a great foundation for them musically to progress as future musicians.

NC: Right. I enjoy listening to them. Gets a little scary sometimes, you know, “Whoa, he’s kinda good, maybe I gotta practice too,” you know? (Laughing)

Smitty: Oh yeah. Well, now, you were on this…on another note, you were on this fantastic All Star Smooth Jazz Cruise. And I must say that I had such a great time and it was such a wealth of fantastic music; the shows were great, a lot of wonderful people from around the world. Talk about what that experience was like for you because I know you and I talked about this before the cruise, and what we anticipated happening. Just talk a little bit about some of the highlights of this cruise for you.

NC: Well, one of the biggest highlights for me was getting to meet a lot of the entertainers who I hadn’t met before, and some who I’ve seen, and some I’ve seen before and met but never had a chance to really sit down and talk to them because you know how it is. Every time you’re on a festival or concerts, everybody’s flying off to the next one right after the gig. But even greater than that was to have that close of a relationship with the fans; to be able to sit and fans coming up and talking to you while you’re walking around and you’re talking to them and finding out what they do, getting into them, telling you how much they dig the music, and that was great! You’re getting to know people, just getting to know them because they don’t get to know us because we’re on stage, then we’re off the stage and we’re gone.

Smitty: Yes, I know what you mean.

NC: On the cruise it was like you couldn’t go nowhere unless you were gonna dive off in the ocean and swim off. (both laughing) So I got a lotta kick out of just hanging out with fans, and hopefully I made a lot of new fans because not everybody knew me. I was kind of a new guy.

Smitty: Well, you’re not anymore!

NC: I met a lot of Peter White fans, a lot of Rick Braun fans, who hopefully are also fans mine.

Smitty: Yeah, you can share the wealth. Well I must say that if you were not known before the cruise, you are well known now, because I must say that a lot of the feedback I have received was always the positive things about your shows and those jam sessions. Oh, I tell ya, I think that was one of the top hits of the cruise. Everyone talks about the jam sessions with Nick Colionne. So if you weren’t on the cruise, you really missed some fantastic improvisational music, that’s for sure.

NC: Yeah, those jam sessions were really great. I enjoyed the jam sessions so much. I mean, on that Thursday night, I was about to pass out from being up so long every night, but I wasn’t gonna miss a jam session. I was like “Oh, I gotta get over to the jam session,” you know. That’s where I was.

Smitty: Oh Yeah.

NC: That way everybody could come together and just play loose, you know, and have fun.

Smitty: It was fun. I think everyone enjoyed that. I will tell you, the fans…I think you were the overwhelming favorite, not just the jam sessions, but the cruise itself. It was overwhelming that it was always those comments from the fans over the last month or so; “We just loved Nick Colionne on the cruise. He was always everywhere.” And I noticed everywhere you walked, you had fans with you. If you were sitting by the pool, there were fans talking to you. If you were walking, they were with you. If you were walking on the top deck late at night, they were there. And you were always there for them and I think that’s a very cool thing when the fans know that you’re that accessible.

NC: Well, that was one of the things I was looking forward to with the cruise, was to be able to be accessible like that, to talk to people, or so that they could get to know me personally as well as musically, and it all worked out. I wasn’t gonna be in my room all day, you know. I didn’t need that much rest. So I was out there looking for fans. “Hey, were you at the show? Did I do okay?” (Both laughing) I was having a good time.

Smitty: So let’s tell your fans now. Nick Colionne gonna do a cruise this year?

NC: Yep.

Smitty: All right.

NC: 2007 All Star Jazz Cruise. Brian Culbertson is the host.

Smitty: All right. So you better get your tickets early. Nick’s going to do the next cruise.

NC: And I’m hosting the jam sessions again.

Smitty: Oh…I think they’ll come in droves.

NC: The crazy times will continue (Both Laughing).

Smitty: You had a great band there and the band really shines on this new CD as well. Talk about these guys in the band that you have and what they’ve meant to you and your career the last few years.

NC: Well, I’ll start with Dave Hiltebrand, who I dubbed “Hollywood.” Now everybody calls him “Hollywood.” He’s been with me for five years now and he’s not only like a great bass player, great musician, he’s like one of my closest friends. You know, he and I talk every day, we hang out together, and he brings a lot to the table musically, in writing and in performance. He’s just a real deep cat. John Blasucci, who does most of the co-writing with me, keyboard player. John’s been with me three years and from day one we just kind of clicked, you know. I mean, I brought him in to produce a song on my last CD, and I liked what he did and we said “Well, let’s sit down and write a song together,” and that song was “High Flyin’.” That turned out to be the hit song from that album and that collaboration. So he’s been with me ever since. Chris has been with me...John brought Chris. He told me “You need to go see this drummer.” So Chris “The Wild Man”, I call him the Wild Man because he’s just too crazy and he’s the kind of drummer that I like because he lives and plays like I do, on the edge. He pushes me constantly. I have Brian Danzy, who’s been with me since I first embarked on a solo career and, I mean, as you’ve seen, Brian’s just phenomenal with his playing keyboards. He is one of the most premiere keyboard players that I’ve ever seen, and I’m like…I look at him sometimes and say “Why are you working side with me,” you know, because he’s just awesome.

Smitty: You cats seem to really gel so well together.

NC: The thing is, it’s like people always, your band and you and your show is this, and your show is that. It’s because we not only like playing together, we like each other.

Smitty: That’s very cool!

NC: I think that comes across in the music, that we genuinely like each other, we like being together, because I don’t consider them as people who work for me, they work with me.

Smitty: I can totally feel that.

NC: They’re my friends, you know. They’re the people that I like to be with.

Smitty: Oh yeah, and I think that says a lot about, like you said, how the music comes across. When you have that rapport with each other and you have that close knit atmosphere between the band, everything else flows.

NC: Right! Because we’re a family. We’re together. Wherever we go, we go together. I figure like this: When we go to a town, we don’t know nobody but each other.

Smitty: Well, that’s very cool. Well, I must say that this new record really speaks a lot for you and your playing as well as the band. It’s got every element of smooth vibes, it’s got some rock, R&B, it’s just got a lot of improvisational grooves, and it’s just a beautiful record from start to finish.

NC: Well, thank you.

Smitty: Yes.

NC: Thank you so much Smitty. It really means a lot.

Smitty: Well, you’re more than welcome, man, and I mean that from the heart. Tell me about the release of this record. When’s the release?

NC: Add date for radio is the 16th of January and the record will be in stores the 21st of February.

Smitty: Very cool. So people really need to line up for this record because if you miss this one, you’ve really missed something. This is a great record, man. This is…I think this is your best work. I know this is so cliché-ish, but this is……

NC: (Laughing).

Smitty: But this is your best work to date!

NC: Well, you know what? It may be cliché-ish, but when I do the next one I want you to say “Here is your best work to date”.

Smitty: (Laughing).

NC: Because each one should be progressively better, you know?

Smitty: Yeah man, and I somehow think it will too because listening to all of your past work, there’s one thing that’s noted distinctively, and that’s the constant and consistent progression of your playing, and that’s a beautiful thing.

NC: Yeah, you know, I figure you never stop learning, so you have to grow.

Smitty: That is just wonderful, and I really anticipate some serious, wonderful things happening with this record and your tour this summer.

NC: Oh, thank you.

Smitty: Yes.

NC: If the Lord sees fit to have that in His will, then that’s what’s gonna happen.

Smitty: There you go.

NC: And I think He sees fit for me to do this.

Smitty: There you go. Now, talk about touring. Now, there is a tour planned, of course, for this year with the record?

NC: Right, you know, they’re lining up dates now, you know, and I know I’m gonna kick off at the Birchmere in D.C. and I’m going to kick things off with Jason Miles at the Berks Jazz Festival in March. From there on they’re lining up dates, and they know, the more dates they have for me, the happier I am.

Smitty: Well, I want to say something about your live show and your tour this year.

NC: Okay.

Smitty: And I’m speaking to the fans now. “If you want to see a kickin’ great show, don’t miss Nick Colionne live. It will be worth every penny, it’ll be worth every minute of the time you spend at this show. It is one of the more fantastic live performances you will see.” End of quote.

NC: Thank you, Smitty! Like I say, I only know one way to play and that’s all out.

Smitty: (Laughing) Well, I’ll tell you, Nick, I wish you the best this year with this record. I know you put a lot of time and a lot of energy in it, and it shows in the music, and I certainly wish you the best with this record because it is worth every note, that’s for sure.

NC: Thank you so much.

Smitty: Yes.

NC: Man, I appreciate that. You don’t know how much I really appreciate that.

Smitty: Well, it comes from the heart, brother. (Laughing)

NC: Hey, straight from the heart.

Smitty: Yes. Hopefully we can touch base sort of mid-year and see how things are going with the record and we’ll talk a little bit more about some of your upcoming shows and we’ll keep honing in on that cruise.

NC: Okay.

Smitty: So the fans will stay updated on that.

NC: Like Smokey Robinson says, “Let’s go cruising together.”

Smitty: Yeah baby!

NC: Yeah.

Smitty: And now give me your Web site so everybody can go to the site and see some of the things that you have cookin’ there.

NC: My website is www.nickcolionne.com and also visit my fan club website, www.kickinwithnick.com.

Smitty: Yeah, I’m glad you mentioned that because I wanted to talk about your fan club. Now, this is a newly formed fan club, right?

NC: Right.

Smitty: Tell me a little bit about the fan club and who’s doing the fan club and how fans can join.

NC: Okay, a young lady named Carrie Schmidt is the president of the fan club. She came to me and said, you know, “You need a fan club,” and I was like “I do?” You know, and so I’m like, “Well, let’s put it together,” and she put it together and it’s been going on now for about maybe three and a half months, and the fan base is really growing. I think that there’s a small membership fee, and you get a free CD and a bunch of other stuff . You get to be on the inside of what’s happening with Nick. I think she has a lot of things planned with what she’s going to do with the fan club this year and I’m excited about that; like meet-and-greets with just the fan club and stuff like that. It’s gonna be great. It’s going be a great year. If you like Nick Colionne and his music, I would say “Hey, join the fan club,” “because we’re going to have some fun.”

Smitty: That’s cool. Well, we’ll certainly keep that in mind. All right Nick, best of everything for you. Thanks so much for kickin with Smitty and talking about this great new record and the things that you have planned for the coming year of 2006, and let’s kick it in ‘6, man.

NC: Hey, man, let’s do it.

Smitty: We’ve been talking with Narada Jazz recording artist Nick Colionne. He’s about to release his great new CD Feb. 21st, his debut CD on the Narada Jazz label. It’s called KEEPIN’ IT COOL and I highly recommend this great new project from Nick Colionne. Nick, thanks again and let’s talk soon, my friend.

NC: Thank you, Smitty. We’ll talk soon.

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit:
www.nickcolionne.com or www.kickinwithnick.com or www.naradajazz.com.