Listen to Topaz!

By Brian L. Knight

 

There is a hot new funky sound in New York City and it is emanating from the saxophone player Topaz who leads a talented band (also known as Topaz) consisting of percussionist Ernesto Abreau, keyboardist Ethan White, bassist Justin Wallace , trombonist  Squantch, drummer Phelim White, and trumpeter Takuya Nakamura.  Combining some good old funky jazz with some jam band undertones, Topaz gets a crowd dancing as well as pushes the limit on sonic improvisations.  The band has been playing the Big Apple for quite some time now, with their popularity growing exponentially by the week.  In addition to their numerous live appearances, Topaz released the magnificent album, Listen!  Like the album title suggests, everyone should pick these album up, thrown it on their headphones or crank it up in the stereo and check out the intense grooves that collectively arise from the band.  In addition to the psychedelic meets jazz vibes of the band, Listen! also features some great vocal numbers by Rozz Nash and Christian Ulrich.   The album was recorded on and off over the last year.  Some of the songs were simply tunes that he recorded as a bait to allure a record company while the remainder were done since signing with Velour Records

 

The Vermont Review spoke to Topaz from his home in New York City, which has been his home for the last six years. Before his arrival in the Big Apple, Topaz called Washington D.C., England and Austin, Texas his hometowns.  As a eleven year old, Topaz played the saxophone on the streets of Austin for loose change.  It was not until his arrival in Washington D.C that he began to hone his music profession with weekly jam sessions. 

 

VR: Do you feel the tradition of jazz all around you when you are in NYC?

 

Topaz: Definitely.  Actually, when I first moved to New York, it was not quite as open. Everyone is really into straight-ahead jazz.  It wasn’t as balanced as it is now.  Now, there are many super clubs and people are experimenting more than when I first moved here.  Back when I moved here, the only places happening, that did not take twenty-five dollars to get in, was the Knitting Factory.  Even then, that was a small little joint.  It was not like it is now.  

 

VR: Did somebody turn you onto a saxophone at an early age?

 

Topaz: Yes.  I played with this guy named Kirk Whalum. He lived in Texas for a good while.  When I was young, my mom used  to take me to 6^th Street in Austin, where all the music happens, and listen to him a lot.  I got inspired.

 

 VR: Which saxophone do you play?

 

Topaz: Tenor

 

VR: Have you always played that?

 

Topaz: I started on alto.

 

VR: It seems that many musicians start on alto and then switch to tenor.  Why is that?

 

Topaz: It is easy to play when you are younger because tenor takes a lot more breath.  It is bigger and bulkier.  Than the alto is actually a little bit harder to play and, I think, to make sound good.    I also think a lot of it is that people go through their Coltrane stage phase and they are “Oh I have to play tenor.” 

 

VR: How long has your present band been together?

 

Topaz: We have been together for about two years.  It has taken a while for the core members to gel together.  It started out as a jam session and than I molded it more into a band.  It has taken until now, with this new album, to mold the guys who are going to stick around, go on the road and stuff like that.

 

VR: By listening to the album, it sounds like your band has obviously spent some time together.

 

Topaz:  We have.  The trombone player and I had played together for four or five years.  Many of  the band members knew each other from different circles. 

 

VR: Phillip Glass is the master of production and sound.  How much did his old studio contribute to the sound of Listen!?

 

Topaz: That was a great experience.  Four of the tracks were done there. The sound in that room is just incredible. The live sound just blew me away.  It was also the first time that I got to use a two-inch tape. 

 

VR: Were most of the songs done in one take?

 

Topaz: I would say that we would get it about the third time through.  Some of them were a little more difficult because there were weird transitions and stuff. 

 

VR: The album seems to flow effortlessly from one song to another.  Was that intentional?

 

Topaz: Yes. Getting the order took a long time because there are so few and they are all fairly unique.  It was difficult to figure out how to make them flow.  I am pretty happy with how it came out. 

 

VR: I am going to name some musicians.  I would like to hear what you have to say about them. Lou Donaldson?

 

Topaz: I am crazy about Lou Donaldson.  I don’t have that many of his albums but I have seen him live a couple times and he is an incredible performer.  I got to seem him at a couple festivals here plus the Village Vanguard.  He always plays with Dr. Lonnie Smith, the organ player.  Man! That guy blows me away.  A lot of times it seems like jazz players do not develop much energy into the performance side of things and he just does a great job.   

 

VR: Lonnie Smith was on my list of people to ask.  How about Pink Floyd?

 

Topaz: I love Pink Floyd.  The album that I listen to most is Wish You Were Here.  There was a period in my life when I practically listened to it non-stop. 

 

VR: Melvin Sparks?

 

Topaz: I have heard a lot of him with Ruben Wilson and I love his stuff. The organ player that I use a lot has that gig now so I will have to go check him out.

 

VR: Soulive?

 

Topaz: Soulive I love.  They are dear friends of mine. They are a great, great band.  I just saw them at the studio today.  They were working with Fred Wesley.

 

VR: Bennie Maupin?

 

Topaz: I never checked out his solo stuff but I love all the Headhunters stuff.  Bitches Brew is one of my favorite albums. 

 

VR: Do you pick up the flute at all?

 

Topaz: A little bit but I don’t take it out.  I need to get a new flute.  My old flute has broken down. 

 

VR: Your band is definitely funky and it is definitely jazzy, but there is a progressive-jam aspect as well.

 

Topaz: Cool.  We are definitely trying.  We are definitely drawing on music from the past but we also try to make it modern. 

 

VR: What is the best thing about doing what you do?

 

Topaz: Primarily, I am doing what I love.  I love the way that my music makes me feel and I hope that I am making other people feel that way.  I am hoping that I am spreading some good vibes into the universe.  I think I am so that is an honor.

 

VR: What is the worse thing?

 

Topaz: Right now, it is dealing with the business aspect. Hopefully, I will get a little more successful and I will have people to deal with that.  

 

VR: If you were to hold a party for yourself, and you wanted it to be the party of lifetime, who would share the bill with Topaz?

 

Topaz:  That is tough.  I would like for the first part a band from Europe, Eric Truffaz.  We played with Maceo the other day.  We would play the middle part and have Maceo close it out.

 

VR: Sounds good.  What are you listening to right now?

 

Topaz: I have been listening to Roy Ayers from the 1970s.  I check out of lots of different stuff.

 

VR: When you listen to Ayers, do you study it and try to incorporate his sound into your sound?

 

Topaz: Yes.  Definitely.  

 

Check out Topaz at http://www.velourmusic.com/