"I think jazz has made its impact through its flexibility and inclusivity, along with its democratic underpinnings. I don’t just mean this in the abstract. If you look at the instrumentation, you’ll see that any and all instruments and styles can be adapted to its improvisational format."

Jonathan Toscano: Talking With The Jazz

Jonathan Toscano is an emerging bass player enjoying collaborations with world class talent on the international stage. New York born Toscano’s dynamic style on upright and electric bass has brought him major performing credits with celebrated artists. Toscano’s collaborators include Gregoire Maret, Steve Wilson, Jeremy Pelt, Billy Kilson, George Garzon, Ben Perowsky, Kader Japonais, Adam Falcon, Richie Morales, Minu Cinelu, Pheeroan Acklaff, Karl Latham, Alan Cave, Oz Noy, Bendik Hofseth, Burr Johnson, Ray Levier, and more. Toscano has performed at the Blue Note in Beijing; Winter Jazz Fest in New York City; The X Jazz Fest in Berlin, Germany; the Dobos Festival in Cegled, Hungary; Long Beach Jazz Festival, Zagreb Jazz Festival, Ecole Des Musiques Actualles Geneva Switzerland, Teatro Golden Palermo Italy, Teatro Metropolitan Catania Italy, Half Note Jazz Club in Greece, and the Zadymka Jazz Festival in Bielsko-Biala, Poland.

(Photo: Jonathan Toscano is an emerging bass player from New York)

Currently working with drum master Omar Hakim and virtuoso pianist Rachel Z, Toscano’s harmonic range and percussive feel have made him a sought after man on the bandstand in his early career. Jonathan says: "I look at jazz as a language, with technique being the method with which we communicate and express ourselves, as well as the idiomatic vocabulary we use within specific musical contexts. What you describe as soul, I call the expression of our personalities, sensibilities, logic, humor, etc. We develop technique so that we aren’t trying to speak through our musculature. The instrument is ultimately a vehicle through which we express ourselves — the voice we speak with." 

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has music influenced your view of the world? What characterizes your music philosophy?

Music is an anthropological universal found in some capacity in all cultures we know of — like cooking and language. It is a window into culture, and through it, you can learn from and understand various peoples and cultures of the world. It’s a beautiful thing — infinitely human. With music as the lens, there are limitless angles to view the world.

Why do you think the NYC Jazz scene continues to generate such a devoted following?

I think it is due in no small part to its rich diversity of institutions, universities, and most importantly, people. With so many perspectives, there are infinite possibilities. There really isn’t anywhere like New York City.

What moment changed your musical life the most? What have been the highlights of your life and career so far?

There have been many life-changing moments in my career. I think what makes music so fun is there are never any boring moments. It’s all very exciting.

Some particular highlights were playing Blue Note Beijing with Omar Hakim and Rachel Z, playing with Richie Morales, and doing Rachel Z’s Wayne Shorter tribute tour in October and November. Also, playing with the amazing Algerian Raï artist Kader Japonais was a wonderful experience that had a great impact on how I hear music in general. Honestly, I never thought I’d make it this far, so everything is a highlight for me.

"Music is an anthropological universal found in some capacity in all cultures we know of — like cooking and language. It is a window into culture, and through it, you can learn from and understand various peoples and cultures of the world. It’s a beautiful thing — infinitely human. With music as the lens, there are limitless angles to view the world." (Photo: New York-born bass player, Jonathan Toscano)

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, tours, and studio sessions you’d like to share with us?

There are many, many memories! Seeing the Parthenon (Athens Greece) was an incredible, unforgettable experience. I am a huge history buff, so I make sure to walk around and see as much as I can while traveling.

One of my oldest and most important tour memories is from the last gig of my first tour. The show was preceded by a particularly brutal travel day and a very short sleep. Right at the end of the soundcheck, the bandleader said to me, “Don’t play it like a student. You’re not a student anymore.” That stuck with me, because they were right. I was very young, inexperienced, and fresh out of college. It was a humbling experience that set a standard of discipline and excellence, and I never forgot that moment.

What do you miss most from the Jazz of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of the music?

I am relatively young — only 33 as this is published. To me, the jazz of the past is the stuff of legend — an age of progenitors and heroic figures who laid the foundation of the path we all walk on.

My hope is that people continue to contribute to this great art form, and not just by listening to and appreciating it, but by playing it. My biggest fear for jazz is falling into obscurity or being regulated to museums. It is living, breathing, and meant to be heard and played.

What are the socio-cultural implications of Jazz? How do you want the music to affect people?

I think jazz has made its impact through its flexibility and inclusivity, along with its democratic underpinnings. I don’t just mean this in the abstract. If you look at the instrumentation, you’ll see that any and all instruments and styles can be adapted to its improvisational format.

As for how I want the music to affect people, I would love for it to bring joy. I have a lot of fun playing, and I hope people can hear and resonate with that.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in music?                                                     (Photo: Jonathan Toscano)

I have found the study of music to be deeply explorative. You study technique, sounds, patterns, and arrays, but you also study yourself. You look in the mirror and reflect on your personality through music, and then tinker and adjust. In a way, you have to be both rigid and disciplined in practice and performance — yet just as malleable and flexible. I think this is applicable to life as well.

"My biggest fear for jazz is falling into obscurity or being regulated to museums. It is living, breathing, and meant to be heard and played."

What's the balance in music between technique and soul? Why is it important to preserve and spread Jazz music?

I look at jazz as a language, with technique being the method with which we communicate and express ourselves, as well as the idiomatic vocabulary we use within specific musical contexts.

What you describe as soul, I call the expression of our personalities, sensibilities, logic, humor, etc. We develop technique so that we aren’t trying to speak through our musculature. The instrument is ultimately a vehicle through which we express ourselves — the voice we speak with.

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