The Playbay Interview

 

West Coast Music Reporter caught up with Jimmy Dillon in the Studio where he is recording material for his latest CD, scheduled for release in late 2013.  

 

WCMR: Every musician has that "FIRST” experience with music which they remember lighting the fuse of their future careers. What was your moment of ignition?

 

JD: My earliest memory is growing up in LA...listening to Elvis and early soul music. I was raised on radio in the 50's and delivered newspapers to Raff's Record Bar on Beverly Drive. One day, I went in to deliver the paper and they were playing "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles...that pretty much sealed my fate. I knew music was going to be a big part of my life but...I don't think I was exactly sure of anything beyond that abstract feeling.

Things got much clearer when I was 13 and got my first guitar, a red Gibson Les Paul jr. From the moment I cradled it in my arms and felt my hands on the strings I was home. Awhile later,  I saw Jimi  Hendrix and BB King in Chicago. That really blew my mind and inspired me to make the leap and commit myself as a professional musician...it felt so natural. At 17 I moved to San Francisco and was exposed to all  of the amazing music being made there in the late 60's and early 70's... Mike Bloomfield, Santana...the whole  scene in The City was a great place to learn and grow as a musician.

 

WCMR: You were serving your apprenticeship, so to speak.

 

JD: Yeah...well...musicians are always learning. I think that during those early days, it was all about learning HOW to learn...finding your limits and doing what you have to do to push beyond them. Music kind of forces musicians onto a lifetime learning curve.Ya gotta know what ya need to know. I pretty much was sopping everything up like a huge sponge. I don't think I've ever stopped looking and listening. I’ve had so many musical influences over the last 5 decades…Early on The Beatles, Stones and Hendrix and the great Blues masters…The 3 Kings BB, Albert and Freddy…recording a duet with John Lee Hooker was life changing.

 

WCMR: So you settled into life as a musician...

 

JD : Right. In the 70's,I eventually wound up in Maui... I played in the house band at the Blue Max, this legendary club in Lahaina. We did shows w/ Elton John and Toots and the Maytals…a lot of well known acts. At some point, I met Mike Pinder, keyboardist from the Moody Blues and this led to my first studio gig. We recorded his solo album "The Promise" in Malibu and I collaborated on some tunes and sang and got to record with some uber talented LA musicians from The Eagles, and Stevie Wonder's Band. Mike was a pioneer on the Mellotron, which preceded synthesizers and gave the Moody's their orchestral sound….Another great learning experience. The late 70's and early 80's were spent with The Edge … a funky original Bay Area band with some London-Ska vibe on it.. We cut a few LPs and toured the West as well... we had a strong SF following. This was a true "band experience" that proved to be very productive and exhilarating for years. But, I started to get restless.

 

WCMR: Artistic rut?

 

JD: It happens. After knocking around and playing in different bands as well as solo stints, I was hired by Clarence Clemons, which led to touring and recording around the globe. I was fortunate to perform with some fantastic artists like Sting, Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Bruce Springsteen etc…I’m grateful for all those experiences because they really allowed me to pursue my own solo career. I spent the 90’s based in the south of France...just touring in Europe. I recorded 4 CDs with my pal's from Robert Cray's band. We played every venue, big and small, from Prague to London. This was a dream come true for me, to play my own music night after night... with a great band... in some pretty exotic places. I also managed to spend some time writing and recording in Cuba & Brazil during this period.

 

WCMR: Sounds like a decade long party. Did you burn out? 

 

JD: You could say I was ready for a change. In 1999, on New Years Eve actually... I found myself back in the U.S. longing to try something new. I really wanted to perform...put together something that would play in a great theater...something theatrical. The result was a "Bluesical" called Ascension of the Blues. The production presented the story of American music in narration, dance and song…from Ragtime to Rap with some funky Blues and Rock n Roll as well. Creating and performing a show like this brought lots of challenges and was a transforming experience for me. We performed it over a couple of years in various venues...got a lot of good press...made a lot of people happy and educated about American music at the same time. But, I had another idea in mind and there just wasn't time and/or energy to keep both pots boiling.

 

WCMR: What was that?

 

JD: So...someone once told me "The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away…" This line of thinking led me to start a non-profit musical program for kids...Blue Star Music Camps. It turned out to be the most rewarding experience of my career. See...the concept behind Blue Star is to pass on our knowledge as professionals to the next generation of young performers. I look forward to teaching at Blue Star every summer and we have had a lot of support from other artists along the way. Blue Star is a way for us musicians to give back and we have a blast doing it!

 

WCMR: Working with young people in the Blue Star environment, what advice do you hear yourself giving them?

 

JD: My advice to young musicians is try to develop yourself as a player, singer, composer teacher, and learn from soup to nuts as much as you can because you will be called upon to use all these skills. The biz has changed so much in my lifetime and I’ve learned a ton being around young performers at Blue Star…what's old is new…keepers of the flame to some degree and busting out into new styles…I love the sea of cross-pollinating musical styles and genres…I encourage free expression and always be fearless... our musical pioneers from Robert Johnson to Count Basie have always been bold and taken risks…that's what keeps it dress…..Play on.

 

 

WCMR: You appear to be a very satisfied and fulfilled musician. Where do you go from here?

 

JD: I've been blessed to make a living doing what I love. On the other hand...I think being too contented can be a dangerous thing artistically. These days I wake up every morning sit down with my coffee...my cat, Max...my guitar... and I just follow the muse. All kinds of diverse projects are on the horizon. I’m excited about this new CD we're recording…this group of songs are mostly me and my guitar...has a rootsy feel that I think captures the simplicity and heart of what I want to express as a writer. For me these days it's all about the vibe…whether performing, recording, whatever…I’ve been producing a series of instructional DVDs and it's been really fun to pass on what I know in a way that hopefully fires up the creative spark and inspires students to let go of the critical mind and get free with the guitar.

 

WCMR: During this conversation, I notice that you haven't really let go of that guitar since you sat down. You've been patting it, twanging it, fiddling about with it...is there something Freudian about that?

 

JD:(Laughs) My God...do you think? Seriously though...that's interesting...I didn't really notice I was doing that. It occurs to me that my constant companion has been my guitar…everything flows from there…all songs and ideas really start with my axe…there is something about feeling the wood and vibration against my body and how the rhythm just takes over The process has become one of letting go…letting the inspiration bubble up and to some degree getting the hell out of the way. Music sends me to a place that has always felt right and I really don't know why. It's like music chose me, as opposed to the other way around. Here I am, 50 years on and I still feel like I'm 13 every time I pick up my guitar. That sense of wonder and magic are still strong. I think that often, we musicians get caught up in the biz part to the point where it kills the creative spirit. My experience tells me if I stay true to myself and follow my musical heart and instincts all will be well…leap and the net will appear.

 

WCMR: ‘Nuff said.

 

 

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