Ira Antelis Interview

BTN: That’s interesting; because in the Hip Hop world you may see producers put out an instrumental album with Jazz samples but not Jazz artists putting out instrumental albums that cater to a Hip Hop audience. Explain how this came to fruition.

IA: We think it’s the first time a project has been put out two ways at the same time. It might have happened before, but the point is we are going to put out the original and sort of rethought Hip Hop at the same time. Just to show people that perception and the things you think are one way; can be really looked at another way.

BTN: Is one of the reasons you decided to tap into the Hip Hop market because it is so tough to sell Jazz Music?

IA: You know the truth is I just love music. Music is in my veins on a very deep level. And I have gotten the opportunity to work with many artists and write many types of music. It’s like you never shut your window and leave yourself open. I love Jazz and I love the project, but I also know the realities of it. A friend of mine who plays on the project also has played with a lot of major artists.  Tony Bennett to Buddy Rich; is one of those iconic Jazz players who accompany people. I’d like people to need to hear you, not you playing behind someone else. And that’s how the project started. Then I kept thinking, let’s just flip it and see. We have the videos and the actual Jazz thing; I just wanted to look at it in a different way. The third thing, which might be the most interesting thing, is working with a producer in town name LPZ. He comes from Chance the Rapper, Towkio, and Vic Mensa and he will flip those beats in a totally different way. So it is almost like a three-part project. And I think we can all look at each other in a different way. Open our eyes to different stuff, that’s sort of like the metaphor for this project.

ira pic 2BTN: Has the project given you a fusion or a new boost of energy?

IA: You know I write and compose music and it’s sort of like the biggest high there is. I actually had a conversation with Dr. Dexter and I’m like we should flip this whole thing. It was very exciting to see him actually do it. And the people who heard the real stuff would never know where it came from. Then you start to look at Kendrick, J. Cole, and some of the brilliant music that’s happening in the world. I think a lot of that comes from a Jazz base and for me, I think it is really exciting.

BTN: Traditionally when you look at Jazz artists like Miles Davis who had success and longevity; a lot of them embrace the people and other genres that followed them as opposed to putting up barriers. Do you think being open to other artists and ideas keeps your music going?

IA: Well Miles especially did that. A good friend of mine is Thelonius Monk’s son; many years ago we did a project together. But Miles stretch his boundaries and some people liked it and some people didn’t, but he never gave up on where he was going. I think that speaks volumes. Because I think when you talk about Jazz, his name is one of the first three you mention.

BTN: What do you think about the younger generation and their lack of interest in Jazz and playing live instruments?

IA: I have two thoughts on that. I grew up in an era when the first music synthesizers came out. This was before the drum machine and all that. I remember working with people who said that this would never last. And he was not right, it took over the world. I remember when we use to do horn sections, and there were no samples or anything. You brought the musicians in. So in a course of a day, you would see 70 or 80 people play all the music. What happened was that the synthesizers became so good that they changed everything. Two things with that; you could either go with the change or wish it would go back to the way it was. And it will never will. I think the key is if you put the hours into the MP3 or whatever you use; then you will be successful. I think it is about the hours. But I do miss the fact that people are not playing instruments. I think more daughters generation is more apt to go with technology first. Truth be told, for somebody coming up it is so easy right now to go get a machine and go sample something and go make a record. It is a complicated question but I grew up with the orchestra and stuff like that. But in 40 years, I’m not sure there will be symphony orchestras. I’m not sure if Jazz is going to survive the way it’s going.

BTN: Where can we find the new album “Gone but not Duality” and some of the other stuff you working on?

IA: Well the third phase of that project is about to drop with some well-known Chicago artists. And you can find the album for free at our website of the same name. That’s Gonebutnotduality.com and the left side is the remixes. We the videos and everything on the site; the first video is with Z-Verse and it is called “Never Gone.” It is a tribute to all the Black youths who lost their life too soon. And it is really a wonderful video.

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