Play That Jazz: Mark Guiliana
There’s a reason why jazz continues to be one of the most respected musical art forms. It’s a genre that thrives on organic, unrestrained creativity and it’s constantly fueled by freethinking improvisation. To become a highly skilled player requires years and years of dedication, and the accomplished NJ native Mark Guiliana has been honing his craft as a jazz percussionist for over 20 years. Mark leads his own jazz quartet and he’s also played with music industry heavyweights like David Bowie and Meshell Ndegeocello. He recently garnered the cover of Modern Drummer magazine and earlier this year, he released a new CD titled Family First with his eponymous band. This is a musician you need to know. Read on below.
At what age did you know that you were going to be a musician? And also, who were some of your biggest music influences?
I started playing drums when I was 15-years-old but it took me quite a while to understand to what degree music would change my life. At first, playing drums was simply a hobby and I was trying to emulate the drummers that I was seeing on MTV – guys like Dave Grohl from Nirvana and Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It wasn’t until I went to college and started to immerse myself in jazz that I realized this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
The 2014 movie Whiplash portrayed a harrowing experience of the relentless training it takes to become a master drummer. What was your training like?
I was very lucky to have incredible teachers throughout my development. They motivated me to work very hard and inspired me to develop a strong relationship with the drums. There are no shortcuts – you simply have to do the work. I feel lucky that music has never felt like a job to me. I have managed to find joy in even the most tedious practicing.
Tell us briefly about your current career. Who are some of the artists you’ve worked with and what projects have you worked on?
Over the past 10 or so years, I’m grateful to have worked with some of my favorite musicians from a wide variety of genres – Brad Mehldau, Meshell Ndegeocello, Gretchen Parlato, Avishai Cohen, etc. I even got to record with David Bowie last year on his latest single “Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)”… a career highlight for sure! More recently, I’ve been focusing on presenting my own music. I have two different bands; Beat Music, the more electronic influenced project, and my Jazz Quartet, which is a purely acoustic environment. Both are equally important to me and provide a diverse output for my own compositions.
You also have your own label: Beat Music Productions. When did you start it and what projects have you released through it?
Beat Music Productions was created in 2014 with the simultaneous release of two records, My Life Starts Now and Beat Music: The Los Angeles Improvisation. Both of those records represented more of my electronic influences. In June of this year, I released the debut from my Jazz Quartet, Family First. That was also followed up with a companion release Family First (The Alternate Takes). Four albums in the first two years isn’t too bad, right?
How often are you on the road and what cities do you like playing the most?
I am on the road quite a bit and it’s usually out of the country. I’ve been to Europe half a dozen times already this year and also had a great tour in Japan and Indonesia in March. I have my family at home (including my one-and-a-half year old son) so I’m always trying to find a good balance between the touring and home life.
Jazz players are known for their refined sartorial style. What kind of attire do you usually prefer when you are on stage?
Since drumming is a very physical activity, comfort plays a large part in my decisions on what to wear on stage. My goal is to look sharp but not at the compromise of comfort and flexibility. I have to choose clothes that travel well too since I’m usually only in a city for one night at a time and I’m constantly packing and unpacking. A few nice collared shirts and some stylish black jeans can go along way.
Back to the music, you do a lot of experimental & electronic stuff. What are your inspirations for that and how far do you want to go in that direction?
Electronic music has been a massive influence on my music making. Some of my biggest heroes come from this world. Artists like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher have changed the way I think about music. I’m constantly investigating these influences both on the drums and as a composer. New York is a great place to find like-minded musicians who are willing to explore in this sonic realm.
Lastly, can you let our readers know how they can keep with all your new projects and live shows?
You can find me on all the social media outlets under my name, as well as my personal site, markguiliana.com.
Shop Mark Guiliana’s Onassis Look below:
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