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The next is an interview between jazz journalist Morgan Enos and the superlative saxophonist, composer and educator Dayna Stephens. His upcoming album, Nearer Than We Assume, which releases 5 April through Cellar Music Group, options guitarist Emmanuel Michael, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Jongkuk Kim, with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt on the sixth observe, “E.S.P.”
Dayna Stephens may have been enervated throughout this interview, for good motive. He’s residing with the truth of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which has subjected him to years of dialysis, and led to a 2015 kidney transplant.
In dialog, Stephens is altogether energised. He readily references this setback, with out prompting, although it has by no means actually stalled his artistic momentum.
The tenorist and EWI (Digital Wind Instrument) participant has performed with the greats, from Herbie Hancock to Chris Potter to Linda Oh. Now, Stephens is out with a brand new album, Nearer Than We Assume, on which he continues to stake his declare as a sui generis artist.
London JazzNews: How’s 2024 treating you?
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Dayna Stephens: One good month, one unhealthy month. That’s what I’ll say for now. [Chuckles]
I had a well being scare in January. I used to be within the hospital for per week and a half. I bought some type of virus; as , I’m immunocompromised, because of the kidney transplant. And after I get one thing, I simply get it 10 instances greater than individuals who don’t have this subject.
I used to be making an attempt to make it higher, and I believed some days we had been getting higher, however then I went to the hospital. I used to be tremendous dehydrated, and I virtually misplaced my kidney. However issues are fortunately again precisely the place they need to be.
LJN: For what it’s value, you look higher than I’ve ever seen.
DS: Thanks, recognize it. I’ve been plant-based for a 12 months and misplaced a whole lot of weight. Till it lastly hit me, my power was higher than I might have hoped years in the past.
LJN: What occurred throughout the good month?
DS: Simply a whole lot of nice gigs. And I went to California to go to my grandmother, and my dad and mom, and my sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews.
I bought an opportunity to play with Kenny Barron, additionally, at SFJAZZ. The week after, I performed with Johnathan Blake at SFJAZZ, for 4 days. I solely return to the Bay, the place I’m from, a couple of times a 12 months.
LJN: The press launch talked about that you just obtain commensurate inspiration out of your college students and your elders. Are you able to speak in regards to the dynamic of taking part in with these you educated?
DS: I train at two totally different faculties: the Manhattan Faculty of Music and William Paterson College.
In each of these colleges, I’ve ensembles. And at Manhattan Faculty of Music, I’ve improv lessons, the place we’re actually simply speaking about improv, and the myriad of various attributes there are to improvisation, and methods to concentrate on every of these to seek out your individual voice.
Particularly within the ensembles, I get an opportunity to listen to their writing, however I additionally usher in a few of my tunes. I’ve tunes which might be straightforward, some tunes which might be ridiculously laborious, and every thing in between.
I actually attempt to concentrate on a storytelling stage. All the blokes had been killing, and [guitarist] Emmanuel [Michael] actually stood out to me as a pure storyteller. Somebody who has paid a whole lot of consideration to his sound, clearly, but in addition his rhythmic really feel. I’m undecided how a lot of it comes throughout on the file, however his rhythmic really feel is pure Jedi. He looks like he’s floating, however he’s actually, actually exact. JK [drummer Jongkuk Kim] instructed me that Emmanuel’s rhythmic affect is Billie Vacation. Which isn’t somebody I believed a guitarist would consider as a major affect.
LJN: I like the Jedi reference.
DS: I feel all three of those musicians are Jedis in their very own proper – actually transcending their devices.
[Bassist] Kanoa [Mendenhall], I’ve recognized since she was just a little woman. She was a scholar on the Stanford Jazz Workshop. I bear in mind her taking part in with a vocalist one 12 months, and I used to be instantly impressed along with her taking part in. [Chuckles] At that time, the bass could have been twice her top, however she was tremendous supportive, with an incredible sound.
That’s the factor I attempt to instil in my college students on a regular basis: take note of the context. It’s not about what you say; it’s the way you say it.
LJN: Are you able to discuss your historical past with chordless ensembles?
DS: I haven’t performed with them on file rather a lot, however I’ve performed trio with out chords. I’ve all the time gravitated to this specific factor, with guitar as a chordal instrument, however I haven’t made the chance to specific [myself in that way].
It all the time comes right down to my desert island file: The Bridge by Sonny Rollins. The taking part in appears so pure and human. It’s so severe and humorous on the identical time. It’s like my Sort of Blue.
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