アップしてくれたのはFUNK LIFE、本人も忘れていたこんな映像、一体どこで? ブラックバードの若さが強調されるこのインタビュー、まぁ、70年代なんですから当然のことですけれども、Mrsも含めて、当時の彼を知らないファンカティア達が見ると、笑っちゃうくらい可愛いですよね。ポール・ジャクソン、マイク・クラーク、ビル・サマーズ、本インタビューに何度も登場しているベニー・モウピン、そして、ブラックバード・マックナイトの五人による最強のグルーブ・マシン、これが巷では世界一サンプルされた曲のひとつと言われているGod Make Me Funky。
That same year, you worked on Herbie Hancock’s Man-Child and Flood.
“For Man-Child, Herbie was due to release a new album on Columbia Records, and he used the Headhunters. The two songs I played on are Sun Touch and Heartbeat. I enjoyed those sessions and working with Wah Wah Watson, who helped me with playing in the pocket.
“As far as Flood, after the Headhunters’ album Survival of the Fittest, Herbie embarked on a tour of Japan with his Headhunters group, and I joined. While on tour, we did two days of recording for a live album in Tokyo. It was my first time in Japan. I liked Japan very much.
“I was very happy. Maybe it showed in my playing because I still receive compliments on my playing from that album. I was stoked to be included on a live album with Herbie Hancock.”
‘Floodの方はと言うと、ザ・ヘッドハンターズのアルバムSurvival of the Fittest発売後、ハービーは自身のバンド、ヘッドハンターズとともに日本ツアーへ出立、僕も一緒に行くことになったんだ。ツアー中、東京で二日間ライブレコーディングをすると聞いた。あれは僕にとっては、初めての日本だった。日本が大好きになった。
“I approached the tracks the same way as I did with all the sessions I got. I practiced religiously to be ready for whatever came my way during the sessions. Once the tune was played a couple of times, I had it down. Herbie let us do our thang. I love the whole Man-Child album, especially Hang Up Your Hang Ups and Sun Touch.”
楽曲にはどんな気持ちで挑んだ?
‘他のセッションと全く同じだよ。何にでも対応できるよう、たくさんたくさん練習をした。2回ほど曲を聴いたら、僕の番だ。ハービーは僕たちに自由にやらせてくれた。Man-Childは大好きなアルバムだけど、特にHang Up Your Hang UpsとSun Touchが好きだね。”
What gear did you have in the studio with you?
“I remember using a Les Paul with mini-humbuckers, an MXR Dyna Comp, which I permanently borrowed from Paul – yes, I still have it – and a Fender Twin Reverb. As far as Flood goes, I have heard pieces or sections here and there, but I haven’t listened to the whole album yet. I used the same Les Paul straight through a Fender Twin Reverb amp. If I had any pedal setup, I don’t remember.”
You didn’t meet Herbie until Survival of the Fittest, right? What did he think of your guitar playing?
“Correct. I met him at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco during the recording session of the Headhunters’ album Survival of the Fittest. Meeting one of my favorite musicians and being involved with his band was nice.
“Herbie is one of the nicest guys I’ve met, so not only did I love his music, but I also loved him as a person. He didn’t comment on my playing then, so I don’t know what he thought.”
あなたはSurvival of the Fittest.までハービーに会った事はなかったんですよね。彼はあなたの演奏をどう思った?
うん、ハービーにはサンフランシスコにあるWally Heider Studiosで、ザ・ヘッドハンターズのアルバムSurvival of the Fittestをレコーディングしていた時に初めて会った。大好きなミュージシャンの一人に会い、バンドに関わることができて嬉しかった。
What was it like working on Sonny Rollins’ Nucleus in ’75?
“It was both exhilarating and terrifying. Bennie Maupin called and told me he was about to do an album with Sonny Rollins, who was also one of the greatest reed men known to me, and he was going to submit my name as a guitarist.
“When I got the go-ahead to do the session, I was very appreciative. Still young and not yet experienced enough, however, I decided to take on the task as it was a great opportunity for me.”
Being as young as you were, did you have any nerves?
“The session went very fast. We recorded the songs I played in two days or quicker – for some songs, we were given directions, and for some, we were not. Mr. Rollins also gave us the freedom to do whatever we wanted. The butterflies in my stomach were flying fiercely, but I persevered.
“I was in awe of working with Mr. Rollins. My father had a broad collection of records, including Sonny Rollins’ records or albums he played on. When I was a kid, I used to go through his record collection, take out albums to look at the pictures – Pop didn’t like us messing with his record player – and read the graphics.
“Sonny Rollins’ mohawk hairstyle caught my eye, so I used to hand his albums to Pop and asked him to play them. Needless to say, they were great. So I knew about Sonny Rollins and his legacy when I got the phone call, and it was an absolute honor and privilege to have worked with such a jazz great.”