[Creative Fridays] #8: Pete Teo

Photo taken at Tokyo Bay by Kato Masaya.Today we have epic singer-songwriter/actor/producer Pete Teo. He's responsible for Songwriter's Round, a series promoting local Malaysian talent, award-winning albums & most recently - Undilah, a a pro-bono, non-partisan music video promoting the right to vote. [You can watch the video here]

The first time I met Pete was the very first time I played the open mic stage for Songwriter's Round at the old No Black Tie. Pete was very supportive and later on was one of the main people who encouraged me to record my debut album 'Acoustic Gestures' in 2004. He continues to be an inspiration to my work and is the embodiment of a hard working creative individual. 

Let's find out what he's been up to! 

1. What's your latest project? 

I have just finished recording 2 songs commissioned by a Korean cultural foundation and 5 short films for Microsoft Malaysia. I am readying myself to write a few new songs for a regional Mandarin pop star and then make an ambitious music / film project in March or April. I want to work towards making a feature film this year also - but that depends on whether I'll find funding for it. Right now, I am just enjoying doing nothing for a few weeks. It's my first proper break for about 4 years.

2. What inspires your music? 

Stories. Life. Experiences. They don't have to be extraordinary stories. The trick is to make something sublime out of the ordinary and unremarkable. It is not an easy thing to do, especially if one were interested to tell stories honestly.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums?

Too many to choose from - but just on top of my head:

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
The Band - Music From Big Pink
Astor Piazzolla - La Camorra
Leonard Cohen - The Essential Leonard Cohen

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of? 

Kim Doo Soo - Bohemian. Mr Kim is a cult Korean folk singer and 'Bohemian' is his ode to death. The song fuses both the eastern and western folk traditions into a simple whole - and it possesses the sort of organic complexity that all my favorite songs have. I read somewhere that when it was released in Korea, it caused several suicides. It certainly stunned me when I first heard it a few years ago. I must have put it on repeat for days afterwards. It made me glad to be a musician.

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts? 

I love music but have mixed feelings about the music business. I wish someone had told me when I first started that the music industry these days is no longer really about music. Still, a music industry veteran in Hong Kong did tell me years ago that music in itself is a musician's reward - so I guess being able to make music makes up for having to deal with the vagaries of a broken industry.

6. How do we reach you?

Website: http://www.peteteo.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/peteteo
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peteteo.news
Blog: http://www.peteteo.com/weblog

And before we go, here's a video from Pete's last album, Television.

This is 'Lost in America' - 2007 AIM Award winning video from Pete Teo's 'Television' album. Directed by Tony Pietra [live action] and Studio Voxel [animation].

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[Creative Fridays] #5: Gustavo Assis-Brasil

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In today's [Creative Fridays] interview, we geek out on guitar & have an exclusive interview with Jazz Guitarist Gustavo Assis-Brasil. He's most known for his awesome series of books on Hybrid Picking - explaining and dissecting this guitar technique.

I first met Gustavo when I taught at Berklee College of Music's Summer Guitar Sessions back in 2007. We had a mutual friend in common, Jazz Guitarist John Stowell who I remember talked fondly about Gustavo's playing and teaching. Eventually, I got to sit for a song in one of their duo gigs at Cambridge, MA's LilyPad, a cool intimate performance space. 

Since then, we've kept in touch and I've been following his musical adventures (which are super cool!). Gustavo has been a real inspiration to me in both his music and work in music education - so I'm really happy to have him to be a part of this series. I hope you'll be inspired too, and check out some of the cool music he's into!

And now... presenting Gustavo Assis-Brasil! =)

1. What's your latest project? 
My newest project is my new book about hybrid picking. The book is called ‘Hybrid Picking Lines & Licks (foreword by Guthrie Govan). This is my third book on the subject and it is a collection of 284 modern phrases exclusively written for the pick and fingers combined. Chapters include: Triads, Arpeggios, Pentatonics, Scales and Modes, Atonal, Intervallic, and Octave Displacement Lines and Licks.


2. What inspires your music?
It changes from time to time. I remember writing songs inspired by some paintings at some point. Lately I’ve been inspired by exercises based on permutations of notes and fingers, and also by some new chords I learn.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? 
This is a hard one. I like so many different styles, so I guess I could pick 5 from each style. The ones that come to mind writing now are: 

- “Epiphany” (Vince Mendoza), 
- "Princess Sita" (Dominique DiPiazza)
- “The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites Complete” by Yo-Yo Ma
- “Aerial Boundaries” (Michael Hedges)
- “Solo Guitar” by Ted Greene. 

Again, there are many many other ones, but if right now I had to pick five, I’d pick these ones. 

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of?
Nelson Veras

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts?
My grandfather used to tell me to choose something that I would love to do for the rest of my life as a profession/major, since I was a little kid. I thought I wanted to be a dentist, but 6 months before I went to college, my mom convinced me to go for a music major. 

6. How do we reach you?
Website: www.gustavoassisbrasil.com
Twitter: gabguitar
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/gustavoassisbrasil (personal)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hybrid-Picking-for-Guitar/97934682789 (hybrid picking)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gustavo-Assis-Brasil-Music/251450864889051 (my music page)

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If you liked this interview, do let me know by...

1. Clicking Like or Share this post on FB or Twitter

2. Leaving a comment below (anyone you'd like to see featured here? Questions you wished I asked?)

3. Read other [Creative Fridays] posts here:
http://www.azsamad.com/creative-fridays

Thank you so much! =)

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[Creative Fridays] #4: Azmyl Yunor

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For today's [Creative Fridays], I have the cool singer-songwriter/college professor Azmyl Yunor! I first met Azmyl many years ago in a underground music hub called Paul's Place. At that time, it was located in Damansara Uptown.

In fact, I have a blog post from 2004 documenting that very encounter here: [First time I met Azmyl Yunor]

Let's check out what inspires Azmyl and what he's up to now....

 

1. What's your latest project? 
New album "Wilayah" by Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes! Full on folk rockin' with my touring band! Launch on Monday 5th March 2012 @ No Black Tie! Mari-mari!

2. What inspires your music? 
Walking or wandering around a new town; idling while looking at nature; talking to strangers; traveling or driving somewhere; getting lost; feeling sorry for myself; empathy; the kindness of strangers; history; local food & beverages (Malaysian and anywhere I travel to); 

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? [ the five albums that you could listen on repeat forever]

- "Pujaan Pop" (Best of...series)  - A. Romzi & the Hooks
- "Pujaan Pop"  (Best of...series) - Kassim Selamat & the Swallows  
- "Return of the Repressed: The Anthology" - John Fahey
- "Murmur" - R.E.M.
- "Album Best Seller Selection" (Best of...) - Iwan Fals

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of? [you can include specific album or songs if you'd like and why you like his/her/the group's music.]
Datuk David Arumugam of Alleycats - his plaintive rough-around-the-edges voice in songs like "Hingga Akhir Nanti" and "Andainya Aku Pergi Dulu" made me wanna a sing as a kid. 

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts? 
Do it for yourself first, everything else second. 

6. How do we reach you?

Website: http://www.azmylyunor.com [currently under renovation!]
Twitter: twitter.com/azmyl
Facebook: facebook.com/azmylyunor
Email: azmylyunor@gmail.com
Blog: reverbnation.com/azmylyunor

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If you liked this interview, do read other [Creative Fridays] posts here:
http://www.azsamad.com/creative-fridays

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[Creative Fridays] #3 : Dylan Kay

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I first met Jazz Guitarist Dylan Kay while we were both studying in Berklee College of Music. We had a mutual friend, Swedish guitarist Magnus Lindstrom and at some point we became a guitar trio and had different opportunities to perform together. We remained friends even after graduating and I've visited him a bunch of times when he was based in London. Fairly soon though, he will be relocating to New Zealand. My own dream is to get a chance to tour with him when he's finally based in the same region.

More about Dylan: He's been on faculty at Guitar Insitute London, led his group 1224 Project and has been teaching for year at differents schools in London. For an exclusive lesson with him, check out his guest blog post on A Chord A Day here.

For now, in our 3rd installment of Creative Fridays, we'll learn more about what inspires this creative musician....


 

1. What's your latest project? 
“What Happened to The Foot” is my latest CD with 1224 Project. It’s all original compositions (plus a re-worked medley of a couple of Nirvana tunes). The trio features two incredible musicians (and great friends) I have played with for a long time – David Bouet (drums) and Leslee Booth (6-string bass).

2. What inspires your music?
My mum, Lynette Kay, is an abstract artist. Through enjoying her work, I have become more and more aware of the similarities and differences between these art forms. I am always hugely inspired by visiting galleries and exhibitions (I also studied a lot of Art History at university…)

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums?
"Bright Size Life" Pat Metheny
His first album as leader... a big initial inspiration for me.

"Yo Hey" David Tronzo
Live album from 1996. Incredible music and playing! A genius. (See question 4)

"Quiet" John Scofield
I used to listen to this endlessly – a radical departure for Sco, but absolutely beautiful in every way.

“King of the Delta Blues Singers” Robert Johnson 
This scared the hell out of me the first time I heard it, and I really did not know how to relate to it. Unbelievable.

Blue" - Joni Mitchell. An album I have listened to intensely for a long time. Just beautiful.

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of? 
It has got to be slide guitarist David Tronzo. I think it’s absolutely criminal that this guy isn’t a household name. Tronzo is possibly the most incredible musician and most fearless improviser I have ever heard. A huge inspiration to me (and pretty much anyone else who’s heard him play…)

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts? 
I often find that people have already told me what I needed to know – I just didn’t realize it at the time! Perhaps this would have been particularly helpful though: to know that everyone progresses in their own way, at their own pace. Don’t be swayed or intimidated by people who seem to be further down their own particular path.

6. How do we reach you?
Website: www.dylankay.co.uk
Buy CD/Album/MP3 Link: www.1224project.co.uk/music

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[Creative Fridays] #1 Kevin Broken Scar

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Photo Credit: Alvin Wong http://www.alvinwong.com.au/

Welcome to the debut installment of [Creative Fridays] 

For the past one month, I've been contacting fellow musicians from around the globe. They are my friends -- wonderful people that I've met over the years. Even though they might play different styles of music, live in different regions of the world & love different flavors of ice-cream (or not!) ... They all are creative individuals that constantly inspire me in my own work.

In [Creative Fridays], I'll be featuring one every week for 13 weeks, running from Feb 2012 to April 2012. They include singer-songwriters, a musician-turned-film maker, rockers, a violinist-Berklee Assistant Professor, Jazz Guitarists, a musician/festival organizer, a Cumbia-Dub bandleader and more! 

For our first interview, we have Kevin Broken Scar, an amazing singer-songwriter/bandleader based in Melbourne, Australia. Kevin is a professional sound engineer, leads the 3-piece rock band Broken Scar, an amazing guitarist and loves red t-shirts.

I first met him years ago at a gig organized by website/music forum Jamtank.com. At that time, Kevin was still performing a solo acoustic act. Even solo, I could hear the sound of the band that he was hearing in his head. It was rocking! 

Let's get to know more about his music and take a peek into his creative world. 

Here we go! (And if you like, you can listen to a track by Kevin while reading here) =)

1. What's your latest project? 

I am currently in the process of recording demo tracks for a release that is yet to be announced.

2. What inspires your music? 
Most of the time the amazing people around me, my wife that I adore, God, navigating this journey of life, relationships and heart matters. I am also very fortunate to have many talented and gifted musician friends who inspire me. Lately, I’ve found myself getting sparks of ideas from films in addition to all of the above.

3. What's your 5 Desert Island Albums? [ the five albums that you could listen on repeat forever]
Underoath – They’re Only Chasing Safety
Taking Back Sunday – Live From Orensanz
Anberlin – Never Take Friendship Personal
Hillsong United – Aftermath
Mr. Big – Big, Bigger, Biggest.

4. Who's one artist/musician that you love but most people probably don't know of?
I can’t think of a better artist to love than my own brother Darren Teh of An Honest Mistake. He has thousands of fans so this may not fit the “most people probably don’t know of” bit accurately, but I can’t help it. He is a brilliant bass player, a killer acoustic and electric guitar player, a great singer and most importantly an amazing songwriter. He is one of the people who inspire me too.

5. What's an advice you wish someone told you when you started in the arts? 
I wish someone told me how much administration is involved in this music business. 

6. How do we reach you?
Website: www.brokenscar.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kevbrokenscar
Facebook: www.facebook.com/brokenscar
Blog: www.blogspot.com/brokenscar
Buy CD/Album/MP3 Link: Download everything for free at www.brokenscar.com

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Next week: [Creative Fridays] #2 with Oakland, California-based singer-songwriter Deborah Crooks! 

Thank you so much for reading! 

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