Jazz collaborators ‘always have a great time’ playing together
Jazz guitarist Michael Anthony and trumpeter-percussionist Paul Gonzales are longtime colleagues.
The Albuquerque musicians have an ensemble they co-lead, and they’ve played together in other players’ bands.
Something special has sprouted from their on-stage performances and offstage practicing — namely, a friendship.
“We like each other personally. We’re like family,” Anthony said. “And the musical dialogue flows between us very easily.”
Gonzales added, “We always have a great time. We don’t have to plan things out. We just start playing and listening to each other, so it’s a really spontaneous thing.”
A sign of their friendship is seen in the songwriting.
Anthony has written a new composition for Gonzales — “Mr. P.G.” It’s based on the harmony to “Softly As in a Morning Sunrise,” in the key of C minor.
Two other musical displays of
friendship and respect are tunes that Gonzales has composed for Anthony.
One, written two years ago, is “Hangin’ With Uncle Mike.” Many of Anthony’s students refer to him as uncle.
“It’s a tribute to him and all the years we’ve been playing together,” Gonzales said of the tune.
The other is a new composition, “Michael Meets the Edisons.”
Gonzales said the title refers to an “invention” Anthony wrote, and that led the trumpeter to link that to inventor Thomas Edison and jazz trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison.
“The tune is my impression of things Michael used to play and things that Harry Edison used to play. It’s half-Latin and half-swing feel,” Gonzales said.
Those three pieces are expected to be on the bill of the Michael Anthony-Paul Gonzales Project’s concert Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Outpost Performance Space. The other members of the project are bassist Milo Jaramillo and drummer Andy Poling.
Anthony said the quartet will also play five of his newly composed originals and will cover Miles Davis’ “Tune-Up.” He’ll also play a solo ballad.