Johannes Linstead Interview

Photo: johanneslinstead.com
"Guitarist of the Year" in the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards and Juno nominee last year for "Instrumental Album of the Year", Johannes Linstead, just finished off a performance in Toronto over the weekend. We had a chance to do a Q&A with Linstead.

How would you describe your music?
I would describe my music as a fusion of Latin, Mediterranea, and Middle Eastern rhythms with Spanish guitar as the main instrument accented with various instruments and percussion from around the world. Most of my music is influenced by my travels to countries with warm climates such as the Middle East, Spain, Mexico, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, Columbia, Venezuela, many Caribbean islands, etc. so as you can guess the music is very tropical and festive sounding.

How have you grown as musician and person in the last year?
I believe that my music grows as I grow as a conscious human being. Through my spiritual practices I have attained a state of joy in my day to day life and I feel my music, while it can be very deep and moody, illicits those feelings of joy and peace. Consider that we are here on
this planet in a time and space where we must go beyond thinking of just the individual self. In order to create a brighter future we have to look at our actions and their consequences and decide if they bring about positive changes to not only the planet but to the consciousness
of others. I am aware that my music affects people, so I consciously choose to create music that will have a positive affect on others. In yoga there is a term for the science of sound, it is called Naad. I am a certified yoga instructor, and although I can only teach when my schedule allows, I choose to adhere to certain principals that I believe in, and one of those is social responsibility. Thus it is reflected in my music.

What's the best part of performing a live show for yourself?
The feeling when the audience is no longer separate but becomes part of the show. If a person is watching the show on an intellectual level, that is one things and the mind is dominant. But when a person /feels/ the music they move from the intellect to the heart and a much more
deeper and profound connection is created between the performer and the spectator. When I see that the audience is smiling, dancing, clapping along, I know that we've made the connection. It's quite Zen-like.

What's the most touching compliment you've received?
Winning "Guitarist of the Year" in the Canadian Smooth Jazz awards was quite a compliment but better than that are the emails I receive when someone writes to tell me that my music has helped them through a tough time in their lives.

What goals do you have for your career?
I try not to be very goal oriented, but I do wish to continue making the best music I can and enjoy the journey. My music has brought me to places I would probably have never seen and the good fortune of touching many lives. I've accomplished more than I could ask for, so my only hope is to have the opportunity to give back and share some of the blessings that I have received.

You can visit Johannes' website at johanneslinstead.com

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[ READER COMMENTS ]

1

Kim said:

Johannes' music is so passionate and after reading this interview I can see he is also a very kindhearted person.

Posted at 03:04 PM, on November 15 2007

Johannes Linstead Interview

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