The Other Part of the Whole
The shape of Juani Mendez
Image Credits: Juani Mendez © Fernando Ibarra
October 24, 2017
Juani Mendez is a talented saxophonist and Argentine composer; we reached him in Buenos Aires to talk about his latest album and much more
> Ivano Rossato
You recently published the album Otra parte del todo, can you tell us something about it?
We recorded it last year in November, with Ernesto Jodos on piano, Mauricio Dawid on double bass and Sebastián Groshaus on drums. It’s my second release and it represents the continuity of my first album, Diez Construcciones Fáciles (2014). About the title, I thought how that release would work into my entire life. You always have some doubts if you and your music are really ok or not, and after all that, I realize that it’s simply another part of everything, as important and good as it is. It’s very important for me to give it to other people, to let other people hear it, love it, or even hate it or whatever. Music is important in itself.
We recorded it last year in November, with Ernesto Jodos on piano, Mauricio Dawid on double bass and Sebastián Groshaus on drums. It’s my second release and it represents the continuity of my first album, Diez Construcciones Fáciles (2014). About the title, I thought how that release would work into my entire life. You always have some doubts if you and your music are really ok or not, and after all that, I realize that it’s simply another part of everything, as important and good as it is. It’s very important for me to give it to other people, to let other people hear it, love it, or even hate it or whatever. Music is important in itself.
In this album, you played with different musicians from those you cooperated with on the first one…
I really like sharing different ideas and changing the musicians lets me feel how they feel music. I look for good timing, good comping and feelings about the music. In the making of Otra parte del todo, everybody was comfortable from the first rehearsal and that was very important for me because I thought that they really understood what I wanted to say with my compositions. They made an effort to do that with so many ideas and that gave new life to the music.
I really like sharing different ideas and changing the musicians lets me feel how they feel music. I look for good timing, good comping and feelings about the music. In the making of Otra parte del todo, everybody was comfortable from the first rehearsal and that was very important for me because I thought that they really understood what I wanted to say with my compositions. They made an effort to do that with so many ideas and that gave new life to the music.
You have spent some time in New York, what are the major differences compared to Buenos Aires?
The biggest one is that in New York there are so many places to play, and so many things going on! Here in Buenos Aires, in the last 10 years especially, a beautiful jazz scene has grown but nothing compared to New York. The offer there is so huge that one time I was listening to Joe Lovano and there were 5 people, it was like “He’s playing just for me!”
The biggest one is that in New York there are so many places to play, and so many things going on! Here in Buenos Aires, in the last 10 years especially, a beautiful jazz scene has grown but nothing compared to New York. The offer there is so huge that one time I was listening to Joe Lovano and there were 5 people, it was like “He’s playing just for me!”
What non jazz music influenced you as a musician?
I listen to a lot of different genres but the thing about the music that really interests me is not the concept of genre but the one of shape, form and architecture. How the form of solos can exist and be played on the form of the song; and the structure of the songs on the structure of the whole album. That’s the biggest influence for me: shapes. And I can find that in every kind of music; in Schönberg, rock, John Coltrane, Kenny Garrett. It’s an open minded approach and it is also from this that the title of the album came out.
I listen to a lot of different genres but the thing about the music that really interests me is not the concept of genre but the one of shape, form and architecture. How the form of solos can exist and be played on the form of the song; and the structure of the songs on the structure of the whole album. That’s the biggest influence for me: shapes. And I can find that in every kind of music; in Schönberg, rock, John Coltrane, Kenny Garrett. It’s an open minded approach and it is also from this that the title of the album came out.
You teach improvisation and sax at UTEC (Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay); what is the most important lesson for your students?
The most important thing that everybody should know, not only musicians, is that all the knowledge is in you, if you look inside you, you will find everything. You have to trust yourself because you are the most important thing.
The most important thing that everybody should know, not only musicians, is that all the knowledge is in you, if you look inside you, you will find everything. You have to trust yourself because you are the most important thing.
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Jazzespresso es una revista de jazz y también un sitio web, una red, un centro que desea conectar las diferentes almas del mundo del jazz: americano, europeo, asiático, australiano y africano. Un punto de referencia multicultural en lengua inglesa, china y en castellano para los amantes de esta música en todos los países que quieren estar al tanto de lo que está ocurriendo en todo el mundo. Manténganse informados!
Jazzespresso is a jazz magazine, but also a website, a network, a hub wishing to connect the different souls of the jazz world: American, European, Asian, Australian and African. A multicultural reference point in English, Chinese and Spanish language for the lovers of this music in every Country, who want to be updated about what is happening all around the world… Stay tuned.
Jazzespresso 不只是一個爵士樂雜誌，也是一個能將擁有各種不同精髓的世界爵士樂，包括美洲、歐洲、亞洲、澳洲及非洲各地，互相連結起來的網站及交流站。以中文及英文寫成的內容將是一個新的多元文化交流的參考點，為各地的爵士音樂愛好者提供來自全世界最新的消息。請持續關注！
JazzEspresso 不只是一个爵士乐杂誌，也是一个能将拥有各种不同精髓的世界爵士乐，包括美洲、欧洲、亚洲、澳洲及非洲各地，互相连结起来的网站及交流站。以中文及英文写成的内容将是一个新的多元文化交流的参考点，为各地的爵士音乐爱好者提供来自全世界最新的消息。请持续关注！
Info: info@jazzespresso.com; Advertising / 廣告 / 广告 / Publicidad: adv@jazzespresso.com.
ABOUT US / 關於我們 / 关于我们 / NOSOTROS
Jazzespresso es una revista de jazz y también un sitio web, una red, un centro que desea conectar las diferentes almas del mundo del jazz: americano, europeo, asiático, australiano y africano. Un punto de referencia multicultural en lengua inglesa, china y en castellano para los amantes de esta música en todos los países que quieren estar al tanto de lo que está ocurriendo en todo el mundo. Manténganse informados!
Jazzespresso is a jazz magazine, but also a website, a network, a hub wishing to connect the different souls of the jazz world: American, European, Asian, Australian and African. A multicultural reference point in English, Chinese and Spanish language for the lovers of this music in every Country, who want to be updated about what is happening all around the world… Stay tuned.
Jazzespresso 不只是一個爵士樂雜誌，也是一個能將擁有各種不同精髓的世界爵士樂，包括美洲、歐洲、亞洲、澳洲及非洲各地，互相連結起來的網站及交流站。以中文及英文寫成的內容將是一個新的多元文化交流的參考點，為各地的爵士音樂愛好者提供來自全世界最新的消息。請持續關注！
JazzEspresso 不只是一个爵士乐杂誌，也是一个能将拥有各种不同精髓的世界爵士乐，包括美洲、欧洲、亚洲、澳洲及非洲各地，互相连结起来的网站及交流站。以中文及英文写成的内容将是一个新的多元文化交流的参考点，为各地的爵士音乐爱好者提供来自全世界最新的消息。请持续关注！
Info: info@jazzespresso.com; Advertising / 廣告 / 广告 / Publicidad: adv@jazzespresso.com.
