INTERVIEW: World guitar master Andrés Laprida, in his own words

Andrés Laprida, guitarist and composer of Brazilian jazz and tango, is a native of Argentina whose musical styles will be on full display Friday, Aug. 1 at Lucille’s Bar & Grill in B.B King Blues Club on 42nd Street in Manhattan. Fans can expect a special tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, a legend whom Laprida met while a young prodigy. The concert will also feature a tribute to Astor Piazzolla.

As a composer for TV, Laprida has worked on a variety of projects, including Highlander. He has also recorded with a number of world music and jazz artists, including Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Mark Egan and Phillipe Saisse, among many others.

YouTube performances capture some of the spirit and energy of Laprida’s concerts. One selection, “Latino Porteño,” has the guitarist sitting in a chair, leg raised on his knee, with a steady gaze down at his rhythmically moving hands that never seem to miss a beat. His bobbing head seems to both coincide with the guitar work and progress it to the next stage. He plays around with the slower movements, embracing their solemnity, and then explodes when the pacing picks up. Cognizant of the audience, he plays the notes with a methodical verve, understanding that the dizzying sound can prove transfixing. The bassist and drummer backing him are perfect accompanists, but there is an appreciation for letting Laprida drive this musical vehicle.

Audiences can see Laprida headline Lucille’s at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 1. He’ll also be there the night before as a special guest at the “Beautiful Night of Jazz” series.

Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Laprida about his career and upcoming concerts. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

Growing up in Argentina, when did you first pick up a guitar? What was it like when you first learned the instrument?

At age 6. At home we had a classical guitar and a piano. My grandfather was a pianist and tango composer; my mother played classical music and jazz on the piano; and my older brother and sister, taking after my grandmother, played the guitar. So it was just natural to grow up playing both guitar and piano. At first, I was much more involved with the guitar, although later I fell in love with the piano, and now I can’t decide which instrument I enjoy more.

At a young age you worked with some greats, including Antonio Carlos Jobim. What was it like getting to know them?

It was certainly an immeasurable pleasure to meet Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes in person. Toquinho, the great Brazilian guitarist, was the one who introduced them to me and suggested that I play something for them. I was just 17 years old, and I couldn’t believe that I was among people of such artistic stature.They seemed almost unreal to me, with a fascinating sense of humor and profound understanding of things. However, what really amazed me was that they genuinely wanted to hear me play the guitar, which led to Jobim inviting me to perform with him. I wasn’t aware that the event would change my life forever. Sometimes I wonder if he ever realized that. Later, I met and played with other great musicians, but at that age, after I had spent so many hours of my life listening to Jobim’s music, meeting him in person — and playing with him — was the high point of my life.

Your Aug. 9 concert at BB Kings will be a tribute to Jobim and Astor Piazzolla. How will you pay tribute to them? What can fans expect?

I have been playing this tribute to Jobim and Piazzolla for the past two years. The repertoire includes my original arrangements of some of their classics, such as Jobim’s A Felicidade, Triste and Waters of March, as well as Piazzolla’s Libertango and Adios Nonino. I also play some music I have written in a similar style, such as Astor Place, Sortilegio and A Lua. At the show, I talk briefly about my experience with these two remarkable 20th-century composers.

Do you see a resurgence in the public’s interest in Brazilian jazz and tango?

Yes. Great music is — and will always be — alive. I understand that in good music — as in other forms of artistic expression — there is true emotion involved, as well as a certain degree of expertise, which serves as its vehicle. Yes, circumstances can make a composer or style trendy, but the truth is that this “ingredient” reaches people’s hearts in a more direct way. This phenomenon is not related to trends or publicity, which appeals more to the mind. Piazzolla and Jobim’s music will always find an audience for that reason — the true emotion it contains. My decision to play a tribute to them now is just about personal timing, although, in a way I have been playing music influenced by them all along, even when writing a commercial spot or film score.

When it comes to your own composing, how do you honor the traditional aspects of this music but also put your own spin on it?

In my own music I can find elements of all the music I’ve heard. I think of music very much as a language, a vehicle of expression for musicians. When I write, I just need a motif, a theme that inspires me to compose. Jobim and Piazzolla are among the musicians whose presence finds its way into my music. It’s also true that other interesting composers and my own life experience dramatically influence the creative process. I search for myself each time I write a piece, and the moment I believe I have accomplished that is when I begin to consider a piece of music my own.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

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