Rick Del Savio is a working Jazz guitarist out of New York who shares with us his background and what it takes to be a professional Jazz guitarist today. A great read indeed.

JazzGuitarLife.com Interview with Rick Del Savio: This interview was conducted via email August, 2004. Check out his website at www.rickdelsavio.com

JGL: How old are you?

RDS: 47

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?

RDS: I got a Sears acoustic guitar in 6th grade. I was 11 years old. I started as a Blues player actually. One of my older brothers was a drummer in a local, NYC, Blues band. They had a blues harp-player, John Marino, great player. And a true character. He worked at 'the cab stand'. Sort of "Goodfellas" meets The Delta. Anyway, John was the guy who told me to get records by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, Mike Bloomfield and others. We had a Carnegie endowed library in the next town that had tons of Blues, Bluegrass, prison recordings, real 'Americana' stuff in their collection. So, there I was this 11 year old white kid walking around with all these great Blues records under my arm. Not Cream or Hendrix. Blues was huge back in the 60s' and I'm glad it all began for me with that. The feel that comes from playing the Blues helped a lot when I did get into Rock. Which would be The Allman Brothers in particular.

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

RDS: I come from a musical family. My father was a piano mover. (Just kidding.) He played accordion and some xylophone. My two older brothers played too, one the drums, the other also the accordion. I started with lessons right from the get go. $3.00 US for a half hour lesson each week. And the teacher, a really sweet old Italian man named Mr. Ligouri would come to The Bronx from Long Island each week to see me.

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

RDS: Well, like I said my first guitar was that Sears acoustic steel-string. Now I've got a bunch of Gibsons; a '64 L7C, Tal Farlow, ES350T, Lucille, ES 333, Les Paul etc.

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)?

RDS: My influences when I started to study Jazz? Well, mostly my mentor Irwin Stahl an arranger and teacher here in New York. That's only 14 years ago. I took awhile to come around to playing Jazz guitar. But, I'd begun gigging
professionally in 8th grade in cover bands with guys who were just getting back from Viet Nam and were getting back into playing. So, although I didn't realize it then I was learning standards all the time. In those days, especially in The Bronx, you did Sinatra tunes, Top 40, Blues, all sorts of styles. I don't know that that exists today, not around here anyway. I've always dug all types of guitar players. I'd watch "Hee-Haw" just to see Roy Clark tear it up at the end of the show. I recall getting a Bucky Pizzarelli solo guitar album from the library as a kid. He did "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from "Godspell" or "Jesus Christ Superstar". I even transcribed quite a bit of that arrangement. As far as my Jazz guitar influences, that's a good question. I say that because I've never spent much time transcribing Jazz guitar solos. Irwin Stahl taught a compositional approach to improv, which meant studying the principles that a well written melody uses like chord-tones, adding passing tones, upper/lower neighbor tones etc... From that I really learned to craft melodic ideas. I use this same approach with my Jazz and Rock/Blues students. When I first got serious about Jazz, all the Jazz guitarists sounded great to me. Joe Pass, Wes, Herb Ellis, Pat Martino et al. As my 'listening' evolved I began to be able to identify the different players and their styles. But at first it was like handing a Martian some Jazz records. It ALL sounded like Jazz to me, which was great. But, yeah, as one grows and develops, ones' hearing is refined, lucky for me.

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?

RDS: When I began playing professionally the term 'career choice' didn't exist in my lexicon. It was just something I did every Friday and Saturday night. Gig. If I've done anything towards making a living as a player it has been to be relentless. I used to practice all the time. Still do. I'd go to the library and get books on Jazz, composition, etc and although I maybe didn't 'get' 100% but maybe 20% of what the book was talking about I'd learned something new. Like the first time I saw a Major scale harmonized into 7th chords. I was around 11 or 12. BIG eye-opener that was. Also, I've been fascinated with chords since my earliest years. I had the Mel Bay Chord book and I'd find the more bizarre looking chords like F#7#5b9, that sort of thing. Which helped me tremendously when I did buckle-down and got on 'the Jazz bus'. Because, think of it, if suddenly faced with learning all these scales, arpeggios, songs and so on, if I'd had to learn all those "$2 chords" the development would've taken longer, no?

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

RDS: I have great memories of the era that I discovered music. This would be the mid to late 60's and music was the ribbon that was winding through everything we did. Go to the park? Bring guitars. Go to the beach, camping, visit relatives? Bring the guitar. And everyone seemed to play back then, on one level or another.

JGL: Were your parent(s) and family members supportive of your musical career choice?

RDS: My parents were supportive to a point. When music started to 'interfere' with my schooling they weren't too thrilled. In 1973-74, I'm in my second and last year of high-school. We had an all original Rock band with a hook at Columbia Records. We'd go into their NYC studios, the very ones that Simon and Garfunkel, BS&T, and our other heroes used. Must have done this 3-4 times, go in on a Friday around 5 pm and leave around 5 am the next day. Recording the whole time. Met Teo Macero wandering the hallways on one of these nights. Which shows what a different time it was. I mean, they would recruit new artists this way. Imagine this happening now? I can't. So, anyway, it seemed like a matter of time before we'd get signed. Hah! I spent the next 15 years in original Rock bands and NEVER came as close as I did when I was 16. Who knew? Wish I did. I was curious about Jazz then to boot. This was the early Fusion era of Return to Forever, Mahavishnu, and for whatever reason I must have thought "I'll get to it." It's a process, like a few other things in life that I can think of.

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?

RDS: I used to practice every free moment I had, which is a lot when you're not married, when you're still living at home. I've always practiced technical exercises. I took two semesters of Classical guitar when I was around 16. That really helps ones right hand chops, provided one is right handed. But the left hand too, and the sight reading, block chords, learning pieces. I still practice 2-3 hours a day on my Classical material, just as a hobby. Playing through tunes is what I do at the end of the day. Which already means 2-3 hours of practice, 5-6 private lessons. What I do is to use a Roland Loop Station, a great, useful little device, and I record/sample myself playing a bass-line with the odd chord stabs over a standard tunes changes. Then I try out different ideas over the tune. I usually do this during the Yankees games. Baseballs' pace allows for this. Plus I put the sound on the TV way down. I mean, I am trying to work here! I'm also a guitar book junkie. So several times a year I'll get some things like Mick Goodricks Almanac of Voice Leading, Vic Juris Advanced Harmony. And also Brecker, Tyner, Coltrane transcriptions.

JGL: How difficult do you find it making a living as a jazz guitar player? Or have you found it to be relatively easy?

RDS: Well, I've never, until now, put my focus on making a career as a Jazz guitarist. The last 15 years I've devoted my time to establishing myself as a guitar instructor. I live in Westchester County NY which I believe is still something like the 5-6th wealthiest County in the USA. Not my town mind you. But places like Scarsdale, White Plains. Which is where 80% of my students are from. One can make a nice living as an instructor in this area if one is committed/determined/professional/polite. I keep students for years so I'm doing something right, I suppose. Anyway, making a living as a Jazz player. Hmmm. We'll let's see...It may be too late in my life right now for all that traveling, lousy food, you know, 'The Road'. I do perform every Thursday night as a Duo with my bassist Ed Kollar. He's the bass-player on my CD "New York Minutes". So that's some income there, plus sales of my CD at the gigs, my web-site. I'd be really keen to know what a sideman guitar player gets per week. Problem is I might lose students if I have to tell them 'Well, I'm off to Japan for 8 weeks.'

JGL: How do you go about searching for gigs? And what have you found in your experience that makes looking for gigs easier?

RDS: Nothing I've encountered has ever made looking for gigs easier. For years I gigged through a big Agency that did loads of weddings, party-boats, corporate events. They had 10 bands working steady until the DJ thing cut into their scene. With my Jazz Duo gigging as the house entertainment every Thursday night for 4 months I'll be using that and my CD as a calling card to some of the other joints around here to try and drum up more dates.

JGL: Could you describe some of your best musical situations or experiences and the worst?

RDS: My best gig experience was doing a County Fair. Great bread for one set. Then, the 'famous' lounge singers band arrives with no equipment. So we got double the pay. Worst, oh where do I begin? I recall being the house band at a ski resort for the entire season. One night the owner walks up to my lead-singer, during my solo, and tells him he is "gonna' bust YOUR" F^%$#in head if the band don't lower down." That was fun.

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

RDS: I enjoy any sort of playing situation. It makes one rise to the occasion and I always take it as a personal/professional challenge. I've done many solo jobs. I have my Jazz Duo. I've played shows, Rock/Bar bands. I was the musical director for two oldies acts that gigged a lot, "The Kodaks" and "The Valentinos". Not all people are willing to do this. I actually enjoy it.

JGL: What type of guitar/amp sound do you prefer, or does it change from one situation to the next?

RDS: I use an Acoustic Image 1R amp into a Raezers Edge Twin 8 cabinet. Best set-up I've come across so far for Jazz. I have a Peavey Bandit 112 in case of any Rock, casuals, etc turning up. Plus a Strat, Les Paul, ES333 that will work well when a variety of sounds are required.

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

RDS: I enjoy performing either way. Although, it can be a bit more stressful when one is the leader depending on the settting, club-owner.

JGL: How many CD's have you released as a leader?

RDS: 2 CDs to date. "Evolution" was my first. Not exactly a Jazz recording but Stevie Wonder tunes, a couple of reworked standards, a few originals. I learned so much from doing that CD. I'm a big film buff and I've heard this; "You want to make movies? Take the money you would've spent on film school and make a movie. You'll learn everything you need to know kid!" Which for me meant that I'll NEVER EVER use a drum machine on any recordings again. Lol! Well, maybe a soundtrack or something similar.

JGL: What was the motivation to release your own CDs? And what was your experience as such getting that first CD out (from the initial idea to the final product)?

RDS: My motivation? To see if I could pull it off. Truly. To see if I I could get those 'ideas' I had in my head to manifest themselves into something tangible, and something of merit. Yeah man, you learn a lot when you do it yourself. I mean, three years ago I'd thought that a mechanical license was something they needed down at Jiffy Lube.

JGL: LOL. Your latest CD release is "New York Minutes", a duo album with you and bassist Ed Kollar. Would you talk a bit about how this album came to be and how did you come about choosing the wonderful songs you play on it.

RDS: Well, I think that I have a knack for picking songs that I can really do something with. I don't know where this comes from. I just get to playing a tune and if it's happenin' I run with it. Believe me, there are some real 'Standard' standards that I just can't do anything that I feel is interesting with. The other answer is "Well, here are some great tunes. Tunes people seem to enjoy, from my observations. And not just from my performing them. Actually, less from that and more from, gee, movies? Clubs? Tunes I think from experience people will dig".

JGL: Was there any particular reason you chose to do the CD in a duo setting?

RDS: Well, the smart-aleck in me wants to say "Why a Duo? It's cheaper that way!" But, it's not cheaper. Not when you acquire the mechanical licenses for 14 Standards. The minimum royalty due is based of 500 copies. Whether you press 500 or less. That was almost $1000 US upfront just for the rights. Then there's artwork, mastering, pressing, mailing promos, yada yada...But I wasn't doing anything else so I thought why not? LOL

JGL: How do you go about pushing the CD for sales, and do you have plans for another CD?

RDS: I'm in the early stages of 'pushing' the CD but I announce at my gigs that copies are available at the bandstand. I'm also linked to lots of other folks sites. I'm also active on a few guitar newsgroups and so far these few things have helped get the word out. That, and submitting the CD for review to this wonderful site, to Jazz and Guitar magazines. We'll see. Wish me luck. [ed's. note: you can check out JGL's review of Rick's CD by clicking here].

JGL: On your site you provide some great lessons for playing through tunes like Coltrane's "Countdown" and "Giant Steps". Do you teach privately?

RDS: Yes, I have from between 25-30 private students a week at any given time. Hey, I gotta' eat.

JGL: How has growing up in New York helped you in your development as a jazz guitarist?

RDS: Growing up in a place like New York, in my case The Bronx, helps in all kinds of ways. One becomes street-smart in a hurry growing up around here. Also the competition is staggering. Here's an example. In NYC you stand the chance of walking into a bar or little restaurant and being knocked on your butt by someone like a Jack Wilkins or a Gene Bertoncini. That's the level of cats that play in my neighborhood.

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?

RDS: Oh, I guess. If by that you mean maybe you're playing great one night and hearing nothing back from that particular audience? Then yes, I've come to expect that. I've seen it happen to great, famous cats right here in New York. Jazz is a niche market to begin with. And we're Jazz GUITARISTS?! People hear the word Jazz and usually think Sax, piano, trumpet, and way down the food-chain, maybe, guitar. But, like Hyman Roth says in 'Godfather II' "This is the business we've chosen."

JGL: How important is the audience to you? And how do you handle nights when the club is practically empty or when you are playing your heart out and everyone seems to be blabbing away and not listening to what you're playing?

RDS: Well, the audience is what keeps me and Ed at our weekly gig. I have a nice following being that all my students, their families, my friends, and Jazz fans are in abundance in the same County, Westchester that I gig in. On slow nights you take it as it is. The two Thursday nights that we recorded "New York Minutes" were very quiet, not many people. We sound fine to me. I think that as a Jazz player you condition yourself to play to a certain standard no matter who's there or not there. A writer asked Joe DiMaggio late in his career why he busts his butt playing so hard. His answer? "There maybe someone here who's never seen me play before." Works for me.

JGL: Have you ever had second thoughts about your choice to have music as a career and if so, what other career path do you think you would have followed had you not been a guitar player.

RDS: No second thoughts. Ever. And I have worked for 17 years straight, after leaving High-school, doing miserable factory work, drove trucks, got dressed up as a duck and gave out Drakes' Cakes, worked for The Liberace Show, and on and on. Another career? I would like to have been a cinematographer, photographer. It's a passion I've embraced the last few years. I even shot the cover photo to "New York Minutes", Brooklyn Bridge.

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

RDS: I'd like to see ALL Jazz music become more popular in the future. Maybe not in my lifetime, but one day. It did have a good run though, yes? The '20s to 50s'. Not too shabby. Given the nature of this country I think that Jazz will have to become 'fashionable' to become popular again. Let's hope so.

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

RDS: Yes. Get yourself a good teacher. And be relentless in your pursuit. Just like in Baseball, you are going to be measured against all who have come before you. And just like in Baseball, don't be getting too cocky. Both activities will
flatten you if you start 'daydreaming'. Although, in Baseball you're lucky to be still playing at 35 years of age. Whereas in Jazz you may just be finding your own voice at that age. Be Relentless!

Thank you Rick for participating on www.jazzguitarlife.com. It is most appreciated.