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Paul Giordmaina needs no introduction to music and particularly jazz enthusiasts and along with several other musicians he has accompanied over the years, he is set to age like fine red wine. Giordmaina has played with some of the world greats, but also keeps a crowd rooted to their seats alone and can still be caught at BJ’s on a Monday and Tuesday, while on Thursday he joins some of Malta’s Jazz greats in a jamming session. The BJ’s 100 hours non-stop music marathon kicks of tomorrow at 5pm and Giordmaina, as every year, will be one of its mainstays. Julian Manduca caught up with him this week.
Your career spans several years yet you still seem to have the energy and enthusiasm of someone starting off, what has experience added to you as a musician?
I get my energy from things that inspire me in everyday life. I strongly believe that artists base their projections from dreams, its very healthy in art to
dream, and the higher the goal is, the harder will be your input. You just have to be true to yourself and the art.
It is never easy to make it in the musical world, what do you remember most of your early years?
Well I took a decision at the age of 16 to take music as my profession, and luckily I’m still earning my pennies from it today. Its never easy, and with technology advancing to a stage that one can buy a piano that plays by itself, it can create some problems for musicians like myself. Luckily for me I play in clubs where the patrons, will only accept ‘live’ performances!
For such a small country Malta enjoys quite a number of established jazz musicians, are the younger generation keeping up this trend?
As I play with a lot of different local musicians, I can’t help but notice the young have a serious attitude towards jazz. It is a long and winding road for all of us, as the thirst to achieve and improve our music is always top of our agenda.
The Malta Jazz festival is one of the few regular high quality musical events that take place in Malta, what are your most treasured memories; and what do you look forward too?
The Malta Jazz Festival is a dream for all of us fond of this style of music. I cannot but sing my praise to Charles Gatt, the festival co-ordinator, for making our dream come true. Every year magic takes place at Ta Liesse, but in my mind the first year, when we had Elvin Jones, Michel Petrucciani and Chick Corea all in one event, was mind blowing!
You have played alongside some of the world greats, what can you tell us about those experiences?
As its a tradition now that some of the musicians who take part in the Jazz Fest, will want to meet the local jazz scene, BJ's provide the perfect setting for this, and as I’ve been playing at this club now for well over 20yrs, I have some great memories, when big guns like Joe Lovano, Marc Johnson, Triluk Gurtu, Larry Coryell and others graced us with their presence and jammed with us at the club till the late mornings, even to the extent that we play till its time for them to go to the airport!!
Tomorrow the BJs music marathon kicks off, you are a regular, what makes it such a special event?
Yes tomorrow BJ's host its fifteenth music marathon. Its not all roses for musicians like myself who spend long hours, playing our hearts out, but the satisfaction I see on tired faces at the end of each marathon is something I cherish, as its a well known fact that musicians always respond strongly to such worthy causes.
What kind of music are you listening to and playing currently?
Well as I said at the beginning of this interview I work with music, so I need to play a lot of commercial stuff that people want to hear when they are out socialising, but of course my heart will always be firmly rooted in jazz, and my favourite is pianist Keith Jarrett.
How do you react to the accusations that Jazz has become too elitist and intellectual?
This is not true! Jazz has many different branches, of styles, and I’m sure whatever musical level one has, one will always find a style to their heart’s content. Trust me visit the Malta Jazz festival in July - it will be an experience!
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