A Conversation with Ernest Ranglin – HuffPost 7.25.14
Mike Ragogna: Ernest, how do you feel about your creative body of work these days?
Ernest Ranglin: I feel fine. And good! When you have been doing it as long as I have and still get to keep doing it, I feel like a lucky man. I love what I am doing. I still compose and write and I am always trying to find that sound…whatever it is that I am hearing at the moment. I am still learning.
MR: You recently released the album Bless Up. How did it come together?
ER: I a did a festival in California in 2011 and connected with some musicians out there that and I had met a nice gentleman named Tony Mindel and we seem to have some common ideas at that particular moment. The band had a nice connection and we did a quick little recording (album name Avila) in just a few days in lovely studio in northern California. I brought in a new composition and we reworked a couple of my older ones and each of the musicians added a tune and I think had had something pretty special. I really enjoyed the sound. We all stayed in touch and Tony and I connected again a year later in New York. I mentioned I had a stack of new compositions and Tony was excited to make another album. This time around we’d had more than a couple days in the studio to record what is now Bless Up. Needless to say I am very pleased with the results and this is a good feeling. The musicians have very international world flavor and style. Inx Herman is from Johannesburg and Yossi Fine is a very talented Bass player /producer from Israel, and keyboardist Jonathan Korty a great musician from the San Francisco Bay Area. This band and I have a special musical understanding. I hope people will agree when they hear these songs.
MR: Any particular songs that you’re most fond of having played, created or recorded for Bless Up?
ER: That is difficult to say. I consider all of these songs good friends–this is a bit of humor as one of the tracks is titled “Good Friends.” But really I like them all and think we have a pretty good variety on the recording. I think the compositions encompass many different styles–ska, reggae, jazz, world music–we put in some interesting elements and instrumentation on this album such as like harmonium and the melodica. These songs have flavors from many different eras of my career. So in that way, I like that we have so many sounds that will take the listener to many different places.
MR: How do you approach your music now compared to when you first started?ER: Well I am always trying to be stay true to myself as a musician and a person. I never want to write for anyone but I also want people to feel good and enjoy what we are playing. I feel I have a certain style that is accessible to the listener but I try to keep it original and have some interesting things as far as melody, rhythm or tempo in each composition as well as well. I have many different influences of course–Charlie Christian, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker the great John Coltrane. But I work very hard to maintain a unique sound. I am self-taught, and always learning. I read a lot of music books when I was younger and the music that I grew up certainly influenced me but I have always tried to play my way. I try to portray what is necessary for the music. I try to play whatever suits the moment, as much as that is possible.
MR: What have been your observations about music over the years? For instance, genre changes, new artists, technology?
ER: Well music is always growing and changing and reinventing itself so I try to remain neutral in regards about judging new artists and technology. I am sure they were thinking my music was pretty different at some point when we were playing the ska rhythm and reggae for the first time. Everyone is a new artist at the beginning of their career and there are always new talents coming along. As far as technology, again the technology is just a tool and it always depends on how you use the tool. It always comes down to the music and if technology can help all the better, but for my style it usually comes out early in the process so hopefully we don’t need much of anything else to make it sound the way we want it.When When I was just starting in studios we used very rudimentary 2-track recording. Vocalists shared mics. One mic for drums etc… But we got a lot of real sounds in those studios. There is always room for new things and developments in technology. That is just the way things go, but it still comes down to the essential musical elements and what people feel. It is always about feeling the music for me.
MR: What are some of your favorite recordings that you’ve ever recorded? Do you continue to play them live?
ER: That is a tough one as well. Again, I like so many of them it is hard to pick favorites. Of course, Below the Bassline is something I have always been proud of. I still do many of those compositions live so of course that one has a special place in my heart. Modern Answers to Old Problems and In Search of the Lost Riddim… They all came from a desire to explore new and different styles and I was lucky to be able to collaborate with great musicians. I try to play the style and sound that suits the moment. And there have been a lot of moments indeed. I am blessed to have the opportunity to travel the world and create music that comes form my heart and soul.
MR: Does playing live still have that excitement to you like from when you first started out?
ER: Oh yes, definitely. I still enjoy performing very much. Of course, as I grow older I play a little less but there is nothing like performing one’s own music to people who truly appreciate it. I still enjoy traveling and seeing new and different places and visiting some of my favorite cities.
MR: What do you make of the respect and reverence people have toward you and your music?
ER: Well I am deeply appreciative and humbled by all the nice people out there who seem to appreciate what I am doing. I have always tried to create something of substance that is accessible and pleasing to the ears. I am very grateful that I have been able to create something that is enjoyable and don’t plan on absconding anytime soon! I just want the good vibes to keep following me.
MR: What advice do you have for new artists?
ER: One, look for a good teacher. I know I wish I had one. 2–Always remain true to your own heart and vision and try not to be like anyone else. Of course, you can always have your influences but chart your own course and stay true to yourself!
MR: Beyond promoting the album, do you have any plans or projects in the near future?
ER: I am always interested in new ideas in music and learning about different musical cultures. Specifically, I am interested in music from India and Southeast Asia and, of course, Africa. Perhaps combining many different sounds from all over the world and infusing this into a one conceptual project…who knows. I think this new record represents what I am doing now but I am not planning on stopping. I hope the music will continue for a good long time.I also plan to write a book one day. I’d like to get down all the great stories from over the years on paper. That’s part of my plan.