- Describe your sound in 3 words
Mmm, let’s say: warm, rich (in harmonics) and “woody”.Well, at least that’s how I would like to sound, you know, it is not easy to describe oneself…
- Who is your favourite Guitarist?
I love many but the one guitarist I never get tired of and, through the years, always keeps on surprising me more and more every time I get back to his music is, the one and only, Wes Montgomery; I bet I’m not the only one 🙂
- What is your favorite album of the past year?
You know, I am located in Galicia, north west of Spain, and we have a pretty cool emerging jazz scene here. Let me call a couple of albums by my peers: “A La Là” by Pablo Castanho Quartet and “Llanto, Risa, Calma” by singer Ines Carrenho. Both albums sound great and feature fine galician cats.
- You graduated from The Royal Conservatorium in The Hague. You also teach guitar. From your experience, is songwriting a talent or a skill?
I honestly think talent must always be there. Without, theory takes over and, from my point of view, those compositions lack of something. It is also true that without dedication, skills to be learnt and a touch of passion and meaning (story telling), either performing or composing, leads nowhere. Let me put it this way: either both or nosence.
- Is jazz music elitist?
I don’t think so. I think the problem here is an educational one. If we don’t teach music properly we’ll always get undesired results, you know, just “hear around”, isn’t it crazy? There’s something we might be doing wrong… Few people listen to good music anymore nowadays; and I think this is just because their lack of criterium; not their fault, don’t get me wrong, just they have never been taught properly. Unfortunately, It happens in and to every art form. We definitely have a lot to improve in our schools, what and the way we teach I mean.
- Software companies move rapidly on developing VST Plugins that sound like actual Guitars. We may not be there yet, but what is your view on this topic considering their effects?
Well, an image, a sound, those things we can perceive through our senses, sooner or later could be emulated by computers but what about our souls?, our emotions, the need to express ourselves?… my friend, no software will ever even guess how to…
- If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?
Definitely, the way musicians are treated. Period.
- Which book should we read while listening to your music?
I know this is a common answer but, because both writers loved Jazz music and can really transmit the atmosphere through their books; any work by Kerouac or Cortazar would definitely greatly team up with “What but How”
- One last thing we should know about you?
Oscar and Hector, my two sons, I love them madly; so proud of them…
Thanks Marcos!
Secret Eclectic 