Starting PensEyeView.com has been a striking experience - each week I research and write about aspiring artists with great talent; artists that I've known about for some time, and artists that I have never seen or heard of before in my life. Sometimes I feel a little guilty if I don't know my subject matter as much as I'd like to, and I'll be honest - Prior to working with him through PensEyeView.com, I had no idea who Gilberto was.
However, after getting to know this performer, I realized two things: 1) I no longer felt guilty for my ignorance, and 2) This guy should have been noticed a looooooong time ago.
You see, Gilberto himself will tell you, "Nobody knows who I am." Which sucks. It really does. This composer, producer, painter and musician is full of talent - the man was playing Zepplin on his guitar when he was in the sixth grade! But his musical capacity doesn't end there - just check out his latest collection, "Outside the Box." The album represents "a maximum expression of creativity," refusing to hold back and apologizing for nothing. Gilberto describes one song, "Lucid," as a "true experiment in the crossover zones of technology and the human spirit," requiring a dozen musicians to perform properly.
Gilberto can match his skill in the recording studio with his ability to bring art to life through his painting. Producing over 100 pieces of art thus far, he has organized his own art shows, showcasing original work that reflects several of the same ideals behind his music - fearlessness without regret.
I hope you hear more about Gilberto, even after his feature comes to a conclusion on PensEyeView.com. He'll tell you that "the new album is good enough to break through," and I agree. Read his answers to the XXQ's to find out why.
XXQs: Gilberto
PensEyeView.com (PEV): How and when did you first get involved with playing music?
Gilberto: I remember being attracted to playing music in sixth grade (Led Zep, Kiss, Leonard Skynard, etc). It just seemed obvious for me to get involved with guitar since playing the opening chords to "Stairway to Heaven" in sixth grade made me very popular. I also experimented with snare drum, but that was bogus with only practice pads. Three of us had a band called Bishop, with exactly two songs. I still have a recording somewhere of us performing one of them.
As time went on, I also learned to play the drums and some keyboard. I spent a number of years concentrating on bass guitar. I have twenty songs with myself singing, and I have a couple of songs where I even play some of the saxophone lines.
PEV: Tell us about the earlier days of your career. Where and when was your first live performance?
G: My first live performance was at age 14 in the high school theatre. It was a blast. We played two Hendrix tunes, one of my originals, and Iggy Pop's "Now I Want To Be Your Dog". I was instantly hooked by the attention that I was getting from the girls. That was plenty reason enough to continue.
My music "career" has mostly involved composing and recording, not marketing and promoting. Nobody knows who I am. Thank you for the oppurtunity to share my work with others (http://mattiandthegroove.com)
PEV: Describe the feeling of stepping into a studio for the first time to record your own music.
G: My highschool was well equipped with good musical talents while I was there. We were multitrack recording our junior and senior years. Some of what we recorded were original tunes.
The first "professional" studio I visited was interesting indeed. We went in very late at night/morning to save money, since we really didnt have any. We produced some interesting stuff, but we were just young punks who didnt know anybody.
As I got older, I started taking on more and more of the engineering aspects of recording. Since 2001 Ive done almost all of the engineering related to my recording efforts. So for me, "stepping into the studio" is accomplished by walking downstairs to the music room.
At the completion of the new album, I will have composed and recorded more than four hours worth of music.
PEV: What is it about jazz music in particular that attracted you to it?
G: I am highly creative and the energy and intensity of jazz is so great because of the improvisational efforts of all the participating players. Its also great to play with "no rules". "Accidents" sometime produce the most profound, moving sections of music. Its also true that jazz players have always seemed like some of the nicest, coolest people to me.
PEV: Tells us about your latest album, "Outside the Box" and how is it different from all your other work (1992 GILBERTO RELEASED BAMBOOZLE GROOVE, FOLLOWED IN 1993 BY A ROMANCE DREAMING)?
G: I think "Outside the Box" is in line with what Ive produced before, but its appeal is much broader and wider because of Matti Valdivia's voice (she sings on the new album) . This album is a maximally unique collection of modern jazz rock recordings. The quality of the musicianship and the vocals is very high, and the collection is very eclectic. If you like saxophones, you will find a lot of that on this album. You will never get an album like this from the music industry, it is indeed way "Outside the Box", indeed. I just hope that its not too far "Outside the Box" !!
PEV: What can the fans expect from "Outside the Box" that thy may not find on any other album out today?
G: Wow, almost everything. As I mentioned, the quality of the performers is top notch, every single one of them. This album represents a maximum expression of creativity. There is nothing on this album that was scripted to conform to any normal conventions of the music industry. There are no "safe" songs on this album. There is one song called "Lucid" that has to be one of the wildest songs ever recorded. This song represents a true experiment in the crossover zones of technology and the human spirit. To perform the tune properly live would require about a dozen musicians, or at least three musicians and one damn good robot (which is what we used for recording the album). Interested parties can hear MP3 teasers from the new album at http://mattiandthegroove.com PEV: Is there someone in music you haven't worked/collaborated with that you would like to?
G: I have spent a long time, and a lot of effort, hooking up with my current gang of musicians. They are all so good that I really dont dream about working with other people. Im so excited to have met Matti Valdivia that I cant really think of anyone else for vocals. Her voice is just so perfect for my current work.
PEV: Along with music, you are also an established artist. How and when did you first get involved with art?
G: I first got involved seriously with art in college. I took exactly two art classes, Studio Fundamentals One, and Studio Fundamentals Two. In the second class I did a really nice acrylic of a sax player (http://art.newjazz.net/SaxAttitude.html). It just seemed obvious that I should pursue art as well since I was demonstrating strong talent. After that, I just took off and started cranking out art work. I have produced more than 100 pieces of art work so far (http://art.newjazz.net).
PEV: Describe the feeling of seeing your work in a gallery for the first time?
G: OK, I haven't quite made it to a gallery yet, but I have had some art shows. In 1998 I had my first art show in my home town. I filled the place with more than 40 paintings. It was pretty incredible, but it wasn't New York. My stuff is attractive to younger folks, but not all older folks. Ive have sold about twenty, it feels good. I am indeed in the black on my art adventures. I have built an online store with almost 200 merchandising items that utilize my artwork (http://www.cafepress.com/newjazz)
PEV: Your art is very modern and some go on the side of abstract. How do you think abstract and modern art has changed since you first started? G: I don't think much has changed with abstract art and modern art since I got started, but certainly much has changed over the past 75 years. The music world and the Hollywood world is strange, but the art world is VERY strange. There are things popular in the art world now that I am certain would not have been popular a hundred years ago, and I am certain that these same things will NOT be popular hundred years from now. I think that you could make a strong argument that the art world is the most difficult market to crack, with all of its emotional machinations.
PEV: Is there another artist or musician on the scene right now that you think is "on the rise" and we should all look out for?
G: Can I lay down some ignorance, please? Im so involved in my own stuff that I rarely have to time sample other artists. Let me relay two of which I am aware. For fusion, the Charles Wright Trio (http://killerfusion.com) and for kids, Rocknoceros (http://rocknoceros.com). These two bands contain three of the musicians that have performed with me, and both just released new albums.
PEV: What can people expect from a live Gilberto show?
G: My goodness, what a beautiful thought, a live Gilberto show. There is nothing happening in this department right now. These new songs are very demanding and would require extensive rehearsals before live performances would be possible. When someone is ready to back us up with half a million dollars, then well be ready to go. It would be extrememly inefficient to rehearse a couple of months to play a handful of shows.
PEV: What is the best part about composing and recording?
G: I would say that the most interesting thing is to observe is the life cycle of a song from initial ideas, to a final recording. As much as you try to steer a new recording effort, you dont always end up with the boat heading in the direction that you expected. Sometimes a song will get so far away from you that you dont recognize it any more. When this happens, one should consider dropping the song. Ive certainly done that. Other times you end up with a recording that is much more fantastic that you expected. Now THAT's what really feels good.
PEV: In all your travels, which city or country for that matter, do you feel offers the best environment for music and art? Which has been your favorite to play?
G: Well, Im not the biggest traveller and I have only really performed in my local home town. Here is what I can tell you of my travels. England is a very interesting and creative place with a lot of energy. The Czech Republic is an intriguing country. I found Germany and Austria quite boring. Haiti is a disaster, and Jamaica is dangerous.
In America great music towns include New York, Austin, Nashville, Seattle. There is a lot of interesting stuff going on in the Washington DC area, but for whatever reason, it really isn't known nationally as a strong music incubator.
PEV: What is one thing we'd be surprised to hear about Gilberto?
G: I have been programming computers for 27 years. Its also surprising to hear that my four year old boy was one of the first 100 babies born from a frozen embryo.
PEV: When you get to relax or have some down time, what can we find you doing?
G: I am a voracious consumer of current events, science, technology, and intellectual subjects. I certainly play a lot with my four year old. I go through phases where I play a lot of computer games. You definitely won't catch me watching sports, or soap operas. I've also played a lot of chess and poker in my time.
PEV: How have your friends and family reacted to your career in art and music?
G: Honestly, I don't have much to comment on that. Most people don't have a clue as to what I am up to musically, including my family. This is probably mainly due to the fact that I am first born, and that I am an introverted lone wolf. My small set of observers are very excited about how well Matti Valdivia's voice has expanded my recordings.
I'd say I get a lot more comments about my artwork. You know, it only takes a few seconds to check out a piece of art. Most people would rather examine 20 paintings than 20 recordings. I usually get positive comments from everyone about my artwork.
PEV: When you write and paint, what kind of environment do you surround yourself in?
G: There is definitely nothing special that I use to surround myself while creating. I used to listen to a lot of Zappa while I was painting, but not really any more. An acoustic guitar is usually all I need to get going composing new music. I can definitely say that I need a quiet environment to work and create effectivily.
PEV: When you create music and visual art, is there a certain theme or aspect your find yourself leaning towards most?
G: I'd say the music just flows out, really. It's definitely true that my music contains a good bit of complexities on a regular basis. I did try to write at least a few simpler songs for this album.
When creating artwork I believe line work is the most important feature of a visual compositions. If you have something that looks good in black and white as a line drawing, you are 90% done creating something compelling. I used to work from photographs sometimes, but not so much any more. I like to create interesting black and white drawings, and then turn them into colorful, compelling, paintings.
PEV: So, what is next for Gilberto?
G: Well, I just quit my IT career, hopefully for good. Now its time for me to work very hard to get the word out. Im not trying to move to LA or anything, I just want to sell some albums. I haven't really been in "art mode" since 2004, so maybe that will bubble up again soon.
I do think that the new album is good enough to break through; however, I learned a long time ago that you cant just wait around expecting things to break your way. One must continue to press on.
For more information on the Gilberto, check out http://MattiAndTheGroove.com.