INSPIRATION: My Musical Influences

Music plays a huge part in my life inside and outside of school. The main reason that I am inspired to learn how to play new instruments or pieces or to write in or listen to new and interesting styles of music is because of the musicians and pieces that have had an impact on my tastes and interests. I would like to talk about a few of those influences in this article.

Michael Brecker – For as long as I can remember, I have loved the saxophone; and whilst Brecker was not the first saxophonist I came across, he was certainly the best and most inspiring. Michael Brecker was a tenor saxophonist who played post-bop jazz music. Not only was he one of the best tenor players ever to have lived, but he was so passionate about his music that he continued to play live concerts even after experiencing a herniated larynx (he blew out the muscles in his neck from playing too strongly and had to play with a neck brace) and being diagnosed with leukaemia. Brecker died in 2007 at the age of 57 due to his leukaemia, but his music and his attitudes towards it continue to have a profound effect on me.

Recommended tracks: Some Skunk Funk – Live and Delta City Blues

Chris Thile – Aside from being a virtuosic mandolin player, Chris Thile is on this list because of his ideas regarding genre. Despite coming from a background in playing traditional Bluegrass (American folk music), he listened to a huge range of musical genres and came to the conclusion that the boundaries of genre would one day become obsolete. This idea is particularly inspiring for me as the styles of music that I really enjoy are so far apart that one would never associate one with another. Thile’s music, particularly with his band – Punch Brothers – blends ideas from multiple genres to make some of the most exciting music I have ever listened to.

YouTube search “Chris Thile Genre Hopping” for a summary of his ideas.
Recommended tracks: Movement and Location and Soon or Never

James Newton Howard – I love film music. Pieces written to accompany motion pictures are some of the most interesting I have ever listened to. This is because they have to change and warp around what is happening on screen. For me, the person who is best at writing music like this is James Newton Howard. The range of different genres and styles of music he is able to compose in is incredible. From the dark, brooding feel of the Dark Knight soundtrack, to the jazzy, laid back sounds of Glengarry Gen Ross, to the driving, upbeat Dinosaur soundtrack. The score that is particularly special for me is the soundtrack for Disney’s Treasure Planet. This is the soundtrack to my childhood and is the first film I can remember seeing where the music really stood out to me.

Recommended tracks: Jim Saves the Crew and Silver Leaves

Jamie Cullum – Until I was about 12, I had always been introduced to musicians and groups by either my father or my sister. In 2010, I happened to see Jamie Cullum performing his song I’m All Over It on television. From there I was hooked. This was the first time I had discovered a musician by myself and I’m so glad I did. I didn’t just gain a couple of great new albums to listen to, but I was inspired to start finding more and more music by myself. For this reason (in addition to the fact that I love his music) Jamie Cullum will always be my favourite musician and my biggest musical influence. Cullum’s songs were incredibly accessible and managed to introduce me to jazz in a way that no other artist had been able to. They were also the first songs that I really wanted to learn to play. It’s been four years since I learned of the existence of Jamie Cullum, and since then I have only grown to enjoy his music even more.

Recommended tracks: All at Sea, Pointless Nostalgic and I’m All Over It

There are plenty more people who have inspired my playing and influenced my taste in music, but those mentioned above have had the biggest impact. It’s the music and ideas of these people that can inspire creativity and new interest in people everywhere and I hope that they do for years to come.

Honourable Mentions: Gerry Rafferty, Newton Faulkner, Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer.