MC: And the parts are quite simple.
Bhasker: I used to play a lot of jazz and I love drumming. Mostly now I say, “I need you to play one of two fills: Pat Boone or Debby Boone.” The drums have to be kind of neutral. It’s all about the song. Sometimes I’m happy to have no drums. It’s happened in the past couple years. You don’t lean on drums.
I really like your term “dispassionate.” The music should be passionate. That’s how I write too. I’ll write on the piano and instead of making a click track I’ll make a track on the MPC and track to that. I have the intention of going back and making it better, but at the end I like the way it all fits together.
I fight the urge to add, I would rather minimize and take away. Adding makes it sound smaller, ironically.
MC: As a student, you attended Berklee College of Music. What about that education has helped you the most?
Bhasker: It was a solid foundation; being around other people my age that were into what I was into, especially jazz. It was an amazing thing, to be challenged. People were so much better jazz pianists than me, so much more advanced. I took a lot of inspiration from learning Bach’s music and also practicing a lot.
MC: Does this translate to the real world?
Bhasker: Someone might have said at Berklee “You’ve got to learn all of this and then forget it. Learn the rules then break them––but you can’t do it until you know them.” What someplace like Berklee can’t teach you is how to be an artist or to have a voice; how to have a clear distinction and a style. For me, that was after school, living in New York and being interested in more things like painting, graphic design and architecture. And eventually meeting someone like Kanye who is the definition of an artist, who has the courage to say something different with expertly crafted and a quality product that’s wrong in all of the right ways. You can’t learn how to be an artist at school.
MC: What do you say to people, maybe students at music schools like Berklee or Musicians Institute, who would like to be in the position that you are in now?
Bhasker: Keep trying and never give up and you’ll get there. It’s as simple and corny as that. As in any field it can be tough to ascend to a position and be successful and get attention. People who don’t make it are people who give up. Nothing’s going to be given to you in any way. If you keep trying you get better, eventually you’ll do something great. Don’t be satisfied if something is just okay. Do something you love and people will catch on.
You say, “The position I’m in.” I’m only as good as my last song. Some people want a Jeff Bhasker song or to work with me, but in the end you have to do something amazing. Strive for that and you’ll get it. You can’t be lazy. The people who make it are those who are working at it every day.
Contact greg.cortez@42West.Net
