Mitch Seidman is a marvelous jazz guitarist out of Boston who teaches at the Berklee School of Music. In this interview he shares his thoughts on everything from his musical background, to his relationship with jazz great Atilla Zoller, and how he came to record an album paying tribute to his guitar influences.Some great stuff here.

JazzGuitarLife.com Interview with Mitch Seidman: This interview was conducted via email June, 2004. Check out his website at www.mitchseidman.com

JGL: What geographical area do you live in?

MS: I would pretty much consider myself a Bostonian.

JGL: At what age did you first get into guitar playing, and were you interested in jazz from the beginning or were there other musical interests before jazz? What was the motivating experience to get you involved in this particular music and instrument?

MS: I think I started playing when I was around 10 years old, and took a few months of lessons at a music store. When my guitar teacher showed me the Ray Charles riff from “What I Say” I was totally hooked! I had heard some early Louis Armstrong thanks to my sixth grade teacher, but I was mainly into the Beatles and other groups that I heard on the radio. I started playing around the Albany area at school dances, parties, and things like that when I was about 13, and continued playing at bars at 18. I mainly played the rock and soul music that was around during the 1960s, along with blues and some folk things. It was actually a great period for popular music, and figuring out all the parts from the records turned out to be good ear training. I caught the jazz bug later on when I heard a Kenny Burrell record at a friend’s party. I was totally knocked out, and immediately knew that’s how I wanted to play. I started seeking out jazz records, and each would lead me to another. I felt like I was discovering gold. I remember staring at a Gibson Tal Farlow in a catalogue I had as a kid, but when I finally actually heard one of Tal’s records I almost fainted…It sounded just impossible!

JGL: What kind, if any, formal training do you have (i.e.: lessons, schooling, that sort of thing). And how did these experiences help you get where you are today?

MS: Outside of some occasional guitar lessons my real formal training began when I moved to Boston in 1973 to attend Berklee College of Music, and earned a Bachelors Degree in Composition. After a stretch in New York City I returned to Boston years later and earned a Masters Degree in Music Education from Boston University, along with certification for teaching in public school. Studying composition and orchestration helped me perceive music on a much broader sense than the guitar. My listening broadened and I became interested in composers like Bartok, Stravinsky, and others. I also had to develop a real work ethic towards music. Incidentally, I returned to Berklee as a faculty member almost 20 years later, where I’m based in the Ear Training department. Studying music education was also very helpful since it directly relates to my teaching, such as student learning styles, organizing lessons plans, research, and so forth.

JGL: Your bio on your site states that you had taken lessons from, and became friends with the late, great, Attila Zoller. Could you talk a bit about that relationship and how it came to be? And what has his influence done for your playing?

MS: I met Attila around 1974 when he was playing solo guitar at the Persian Room in Albany, and approached him for some lessons. Jack Fragomeni, a terrific local guitarist, also studied some with him at the time, and we’re still good friends. A turning point was when I attended a week long clinic snowed in at Attila’s old place in Newfane, Vermont with just one other student. I was never let off the hook! From then on Attila and I basically remained friends, although he often gave advice and suggestions. He was very encouraging, but could be brutally honest, and you had to be prepared for either. He was also charming, and extremely funny. He influenced me to be explorative and expressive, and to pursue my own music. I’m sure I learned much through example because Attila was the strongest and most determined person I ever knew. Through him also I got meet and play with Jimmy Raney and Tal Farlow, which was really inspirational. I actually got to play or hang out with a lot of great musicians through Attila over the years. I was very fortunate.

JGL: What was your first guitar? What are you playing now?

MS: My first guitar is hardly worth mentioning. It was a 3/4 size $15.00 thing with terrible action. But I did graduate to a black Sears Silvertone electric guitar and amp combo about six months later. These days I play a few different guitars, including an ES-175, a Framus AZ-10, among others depending upon the gig. For an acoustic archtop I mainly use a beautiful blonde 18” Monteleone Eclipse that John custom-built for me some years ago. It’s very resonant with a rich, punchy sound.

JGL: Who were your influences on jazz guitar when you were beginning? And have they stayed the same or have they changed over the years? Who are you listening to today (guitarists or non-guitarists)?

MS: My main guitar influences included Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, and Attila, of course. I tend to gravitate back to them since they still sound so fresh to me. Jim Hall is also a great model for how to grow as an artist. And he’s a wonderful person, as well. My tastes are pretty broad, and I can be in the mood for Sonny Rollins, free jazz, Brazilian music, Bartok, or anything in between…All the greats! I love players of any style whose musical personality eclipses their musical instrument. I’ll also search the car radio for classic pop tunes I grew up with or something new that grabs me. I still love a great two or three minute song.

JGL: When you were younger what was your band experiences like? Did you have friends who were involved in music as well or did you have to search for people to play with.

MS: When I was a kid, bands were as much a social thing as music. And if your mother had a station wagon that was a big plus! Band members were buddies, and our friends went to our gigs, helped carry our equipment, and so forth. Jamming situations were pretty rare at that point. As I got into jazz I sought out others who could perform the music we wanted to play, which often included original compositions. Of course I had to like them as people, too. And still do.

JGL: Did you know early on that music was something you wanted to do as a career choice and if so, what were some of the things you did to make this choice work for you?

MS: I wasn’t a good athlete or a particularly good student, but I was always at least aware that I was good at music. I loved it from the start, and it just felt natural to me. Although I had played for a number of years, I probably didn’t make it a career choice until I was around 20. Then I threw myself into every opportunity to gain experience, including all kinds of gigs, sitting in, jam sessions, or whatever I could do. All of these things help you grow as a musician, and help get the word out about you. Later on I was able to become more selective.

JGL: Were your parents and family members supportive of your musical career choice?

MS: They were very supportive. Not necessarily of my career choice, but of the fact that I took music very seriously. It’s obvious to them now that it was probably the right choice for me.

JGL: What was your practice routine like when you were beginning and what is it like now? Are there specific areas that you work on or do you just play through tunes?

MS: I used to practice every day for hours on end. I did the technical exercises like scales, arpeggios, and chord studies from Bill Leavitt’s books, and had to work very hard on my music reading skills. I also remember using Kreutzer for Guitar (Alan Hanlon), The Joe Pass Guitar Style, and Aids to Technique (Johnny Smith), among others, on my own. I often still use Johnny Smith’s exercises to warm up my hands, beginning very slowly and then speeding up. I also spent a lot of time back then transcribing solos by all kinds of instruments, and then analyzed the parts that intrigued me to see what made them tick. I used to also work out my own solos to tunes, and then just forget about them. It was sort of like transcribing from yourself, which was a great way to start building your own vocabulary. Practice time is scarce now, so I tend to focus on the music at hand when I have to prepare for something special, like a recording or a concert. Plus since I teach music classes and ensembles I often have a guitar at hand. If I’m practicing on a standard tune I try to allow my improvisation to unfold in a natural way while still retaining the song’s form. At this point I’m more concerned with shape, dynamics, and where or how phrases resolve.

JGL: How do you go about searching for gigs, or do they come to you now that you have a reputation as a jazz guitarist?

MS: I’m really not great gig hustler, especially after seeing others I know in action, so it’s probably more often that someone will contact me. That would include subbing, accompaniment, and various other gigs, as well as leading. I just fill in my calendar the best I can, and so it makes sense. It’s difficult and uncomfortable for me to pound the pavement for gigs, but I try to keep my eyes open and will speak up from time to time if I’m interested in something.

JGL: What type of musical situation do you enjoy the most (i.e.: trio, quartet, duo, solo, etc.)

MS: Solo gigs pop up now and then, but I prefer playing in duos on up. I love interaction and the inspiration you can get from others. I like quartets because you can play as a trio with the bass and drums, as well as comp and interact with a soloist or vocalist. But any size group can be enjoyable with the right musicians. I even enjoy playing in a big band, but how often does that come up?

JGL: Do you like performing more as a sideman or as a leader? And could you comment on the pros and cons of both?

MS: I’m wide open to either if the situation is good. Being a leader allows you to select the tunes and makes you more visible, but there’s more pressure. And you can be distracted by non-musical elements like the finances, the clock, etc. As a sideman you don’t have the same worries, but you need to be supportive and adaptable, and ready to play new things. Some players avoid or don’t get called for sideman gigs for a variety of reasons, but I’m happy to do them anytime.

JGL: You are, amongst all your other endeavors, a Contributing Editor to 20th Century Guitar Magazine. How do you find it wearing many different hats? And if you could, would you settle for just one occupation as it were?

MS: I mainly contribute a monthly instructional column for 20th Century Guitar magazine, so it isn’t an occupation in itself. Since my performing, teaching, and writing all tend to feed each other, I think I’ve come to think of music as one occupation.

JGL: Apart from your Berklee gig do you teach privately as well? Is there a difference in teaching one-on-one as opposed to a class, apart from the obvious?

MS: I do give private lessons. I’ve had to back off over recent years, but I plan to accept a few private students soon. Classroom teaching can be like a type of performance. You try to engage the students and remain aware of them as individuals, as well as the class dynamic. Classes tend to be curriculum driven, and require a lot of energy and planning, but it can be a lot of fun. In a private lesson you can focus as long as necessary without having to be concerned with other students. You can also work on things of their particular interest, and really hone in on where they need development. The student also gets more opportunity to observe your playing up close. In both situations you have to be articulate about what you do musically, and what you expect of them.

JGL: You have five CD's out as a leader and have also been recorded as a sideman on a number of albums. What was your original intention in releasing your first CD?

MS: My original intention may have been somewhat cathartic, and I was hardly a kid. After playing for a number of years in Boston and New York I felt about ready to make some kind of solid musical statement. A local independent label was staring to roll about then so the timing was right. I think it holds up pretty well, although I’m not sure if it’s still actually in print.

JGL: Your CD "How 'Bout It" is a wonderful recording (ed:click here to check out the review) that pays tribute to those guitar players that have influenced you in one way or another. What was the impetus for this specific recording, and what has the response been from the Jazz Guitar community?

MS: I wanted to make a recording featuring my straight-ahead playing with a standard rhythm section, yet with an underlying theme throughout. I didn’t want it to sound like I was calling tunes at a club gig. So I decided to feature guitarists as composers, yet arrange and perform the songs in my own way. I listened to dozens of recordings until I decided on the songs by guitarists that best suited me. I also composed the title song “How ‘Bout It?” especially for that recording. I think the response was very good, although a few people commented that they preferred my more adventuresome CDs. For me it was just another side of my playing that I wanted to express at the time.

JGL: Has your impressions and experiences of being a Jazz Guitar player been what you had expected when you first decided to become a musician?

MS: I guess if you had asked me at twenty what I expected to be doing as a jazz guitarist today, this would pretty much be it. I had a good idea even then it would be a difficult path, but I was so buried in the growth process I doubt I ever stopped and asked myself, “Do I really want to do this?” I sort of knew what was coming, but now I know how it really feels.

JGL: Where would you like to see jazz guitar go in the coming years?

MS: I know what I prefer to hear but I would never pick a direction for jazz guitar to go. Things could become way too predictable. Players out there are into every bag and tradition imaginable, including Django style, straight-ahead, fusion, Latin, or anything that could be emerging. So it’s unlikely jazz guitar would simply go in one direction anyway. Some directions just seem to get more attention than others, for one reason or another.

JGL: Any advice for the younger guy or gal who is thinking about playing jazz guitar?

MS: I think it’s important to have a vision of how they would like to sound, and strive towards it. It will help them focus and play with more clarity, even if that particular vision changes from time to time. Since many of the rewards are rare and difficult to achieve they should enjoy the process of developing and discovery…’Worry less about arriving at the destination and enjoy the drive! Finally, I once heard that we should do our art with a sense of craft, and our craft with a sense of art. I always liked how that sounded.

JGL: Thank you Mitch for participating in jazzguitarlife.com. It is most appreciated.

Mitch Seidman can be contacted for performances, clinics, or lessons through his website at; www.mitchseidman.com.