Don Sickler

Don Sickler's work with such names as Joe Henderson, J.J. Johnson, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and his mentor Philly Joe Jones, has established him as an important figure in the world of jazz. He also has led his own quintet, not only writing and arranging for many important jazz recordings, but also playing excellent trumpet. Along with recent work with Curtis Fowler and Ben Riley, he has helped direct Junko Moriya's most recent big band project. He took time before returning to New York to talk with JAZZNIN about big bands, recording and the processes of jazz.

What is the process of working on this project?

Junko does most of the work, which makes it easy on me. She first sent me scores and was able to make a live recording in a concert hall. Then, she sent me the scores and the recording. She could hear little things that she wanted to change. For example, she picked a key a step lower that works better for the flugelhorn. She told me that all of the musicians were the same as before, so that made it easy. I was excited to do another recording since everyone in the band has grown as musicians and they know how I operate, too. Junko is a marvelous performer, composer and arranger, so it was really a lot of fun. Then she sent me another set of scores that she had changed. I reviewed those and studied them in preparation for coming over here.

What do you look for when you read the scores?

I made suggestions on dynamics and a few suggestions overall. But really, it's an easy process with her, as there are no big areas of doubt. She has a good grasp of what she wants to get and the music is very strong. A lot of times, it's hard to tell on just a demo recording, but I could see it was well written, so it was easy. She really knows what she wants, and the only thing I mentioned really was breathing. Pianists, and also guitarists, don't really think about when you need to breathe. So, some musicians were breathing here, some there. You want to try to synchronize that, which helps the flow. There were a few places where the trombone starts to build a phrase, but we have to find a place where they can breathe and feel comfortable themselves.

Is working with these musicians different from in the States?

It's such a wonderful experience to work with all Japanese musicians. Having worked with so many musicians in the States, the attention and dedication here in Japan is so impressive. Here, if you ask for something, when I raise my hand, they're ready to listen. Some of them don't understand English so well, and people translate, but it's very uplifting. I noticed that from the first day, the musicians really respect Junko. She knows the musicians and the soloists well. She writes out of the Duke Ellington tradition, meaning she knows who her soloists are, and is thinking of the soloist as much as anything else when she's writing. I knew she picked the right soloists for her compositions. The quality of the musicians she picks is exceptional.

In the studio I noticed some musicians wanted to re-record parts.

The Japanese musicians tend to want to do everything perfect. They hear little things, so I try to be polite. I don't say, "Don't worry about that." If there's something that they feel they must fix, we fix it. This time we're doing it on Protools, which is non-destructive. You can call anything back. It's really not perfection that makes people want to listen to a piece over and over; it's really the feeling that the musicians get. Sometimes perfection in the jazz world can get in the way. You hate mistakes and want it clean, but if the feeling is really there, and on the greatest records, the feeling is so strong, the music compels you to listen. If it's too perfect, it ends up with a sterile kind of quality.

How do you get that feeling, beyond the charts, technical work, and musicians?

A lot of times, an engineer helps us dig out the balance of the instruments. That makes a huge difference. In the recording process, the quality of the musicians is essential. Then, in the mixing we can draw it all out. In the mixing, you can get that little magic, and create more space, for example, with the four trombones. You can control things fanatically mixing-wise nowadays, but this isn't a pop record. We don't want to spend two months mixing a track, because that isn't what this music is all about. It never was. The spontaneity with the vitality and energy has to be there.

Having the musicians work together, though, is essential.

All of these musicians know how to blend with the section, and still can be great lead players who can set the music in the right direction. There aren't that many players like that in the States now either. A lot of the best soloists that I've been involved with would panic if I had to put them in a section. They just can't do it well; they're not used to it. A lot of the so-called "young lions" in New York were difficult to use when I had to make combinations of five or so. They were always soloists, even at school. Musicians my age all played in rhythm and blues bands. I played with Marvin Gaye and the Spinners, for example, and what you learned was how to play together smoothly. You had to be one unit, and still be funky in your phrasing, feeling it together.

The big band needs good writing, though, first.

The writing has to be very strong. The writing has to have balance and coordination within itself. Junko has done a remarkable job. Pianists are often good at writing for big bands, because they have an orchestra under their hands. You also have to challenge the musicians, you can't write something that is easy to play. The strongest attribute is her ability to write in a challenging way for the musicians that she has. I can't predict what she's going to do. A lot of writers I can predict, they're always doing this or that. With Junko, you don't know where it's going to go, ever. That's really creative. It is a lot of work, and a unique sound. She has that special quality that I've seen in so many great artists. I can't figure her out, in the best sense.

(Originally published in Jazznin June 2005)