Ras Moshe

1.What brought you to music?

I always loved music.Jazz especially,but many kinds ofmusic. Its hard to describe why. It was just always there..itsstill like that!

I heard Jazz everyday in the house..that's not too uniquebecause lots of young black children grew up around Jazz,butmaybe they didn't like it for themselves even though they knowabout it.

2. Describe your role models, muses and mentors.

Hmmm...one good model for me was/is John Coltrane. Heovercame certain personal issues and because he devoted somuch time to the music he was able to make a living fromit...and playing some very creative music as you knowalready!Politically some of my role models are Malcolm X and AmiriBaraka..they had/have the ability to move forward andrecognize that Things Have Got To Change.

Billy Bang was a kind of musical mentor in that he taught meabout dynamics and playing the personality of thecomposition. He had a song called "The Softness Of Light"and I was barreling through the thing like Ascension orsomething. He said"man,what's the name of the piece?" I said"The Softness Of Light",and he said "so what the hell are youdoing?" It improved my playing doing workshops with him.

All the artists I listen to are muses and mentors for me..justby listening.If I name them all,that would take a loooooongtime!

3. Describe your community of colleagues and audiences.

There are a group of us who play in different combinations. Asfar as my own bands I have a few. One with Jackson Krall,onewith Rashid Bakr(Charles Downs) and Shayna Dulberger. Onewith Tor Snyder..and other formations with Hill Greene, AndreMartinez..Dave Ross,Tom Zlabinger,Kyoko Kitamura,DafnaNaphtali,Todd Nicholson.

The audiences are composed of many people of differentcutural backgrounds and ages. I still have an audience frommy Brooklyn days when I was playing Reggae too. CulturalRoots Reggae that is.

4.What are the important elements you apply to your personalapproach to performance, repertoire and composition?

Sometimes I use composition,and sometimes I dont useany..I just start playing. Both are important directions. Attimes,I can't get some people to play the pieces Iwrite,because they think composition is not free enough. Orthey intentionally play them the wrong way..I'm still not quitesure why,but I always have a lot of fun when I play anyway.

5.What role does teaching have in your work?

I'm currently preparing myself to be able to pass this music onto young people..this music is a cultural legacy and passingon what you've learned yourself is one of the main functions ofcultural/political/artistic activity.

6. How have changes in the economy impacted your work?

I was on the bus once and an older friend got on and she toldme that the 60's represented a "great depression" in Jazz. Icouldn't help but wonder,depression for who? The club ownersor the musicians? Its been a damn depression already formany jazz musicians..since the music started!

I mean there have always been those who worked a lot andthose who didn't..within any part of the music's evolution.Actually a lot masters of this music have been through crazythings in order to play..not just in the 60's.

I think its better to say "i didn't like some of the newer musichappening in the 60's" instead of saying the "60's was bad forjazz". In a lot of ways it was a good time because of theexpansion of consciousness among the people. But thatconsciousness is seen as bad by those who want toconservatize Jazz. They think Bird and Louis Armstrong weregoing to vote for Rudolph Giuliani.

So,I said all of that to say that the Jazz musician(swing,be-bop,free,fusion etc.) has always been in a precarious situationregardless of all the econmic changes in America. I just thinkpostive and make sure I have a day job. Unfortunately itdoesn't matter how well played the "free music" your playingis..if its different it takes a little longer to get your voice outthere.

7. If you perform beyond your region or overseas, how has thatchanged over time?

I haven't been overseas yet..but that's coming soon! Its alwaysbeen a great reception and great turnouts when I play outsidemy NY/Brooklyn region .

8. How has technology and changes in the way musiccirculates impacted your work?

Its easier to produce your music yourself and put it out. Oneof the catches is that sometimes there's tons of music outthere that's not that good just because the technology isthere. I really don't like to judge,I want to record too,but that'swhat I've been seeing/hearing.

9. Describe your current and potential future projects andcollaborations along with things you would like to do.

I'm developing my writing my large ensembles..I want to dothat often in the future. I like large and small groups.I would also like to play with Rashied Ali,Sunny Murray,MilfordGraves or Cecil Taylor!