JAMBÓN’s NEW CD PROJECT

Interview with José Rossy, April 23, 2009, Raw Perception Studios

Percussionist José Rossy’s colorful handprint is found on some of the most creative musical collaborations of the past 30 years, covering a broad spectrum of styles from classical and experimental to pop and R&B. During a recent visit to the Raw Perception studios, Rossy sat down with us to talk about current passions and projects, including his involvement in Jambón, an R&B group comprised of former members of Sonia Dada, Weather Report and Liquid Soul. The brainchild of legendary keyboardist Chris “Hambone” Cameron, Jambón’s self-titled CD was released on May 29, 2009.

Q. Your new work with Jambón is creating quite a buzz. The group’s founding partner, Chris Cameron, described the band as “wildly eclectic and real funky…drop the Meters, Rufus and AC/DC in the blender, then stand back and hit the switch!” Is that an accurate description?

A. I’d call it honest — really honest — “pocket” music: R&B with a twist of all of our experiences. It’s definitely very exciting. I love the feel of this band. I mean, when you hear the music, you can’t help but get up and do something about it!

Q. You’ve played in a number of collaborative groups over the years, each with its own unique flavor. How did Jambón come about?

A. It’s really Chris [Cameron’s] deal, to get some friends from Weather Report, Liquid Soul, and Sonia Dada together. We started talking about [making a record] about a year and a half ago, but it’s so hard to get everyone together, we’re all so busy. But we finally did it, all the tracks in two days, and it’s so good. Every musician is unbelievable. There’s Khari Parker on drums, Tom Sanchez and Alan Burroughs on guitar, Shawn Christopher and Michael Scott on vocals, Ron Hall on bass, and of course Chris Cameron on keyboard. It’s one of those things that’s a no-brainer: you just know that once you start playing, everything’s gonna be perfect.

Q. Are you going to tour with the album release?

A. We’re having a release party on May 29 at Martyr’s in Chicago and we’ll probably do some shows after school is out. You know I’m teaching music now?

Q. Yes, and it seems very appropriate, given your start in the world of music. Tell us about it.

A. I’m working with the Kiowa School District in Eads, Colorado, teaching music to kids K-12. It’s an incredible program. It’s Monday through Thursday, so I have time to go work on other ventures. And it’s very well supported. They’re building a theater now and we’re working on putting in a recording studio. I’ve got students in every grade, some learning band instruments, some percussion, some guitar, and then in my fourth grade group, I’ve got a rock band that’s amazing. They’ve even got a manager who goes around with the guys, like… [Rossy stands, arms out, shoulder high, mimicking a protective stance] protecting them. I mean, they’re great! They write their own songs, the bass player has all the facial expressions, and the singer, he holds the microphone like this. [Rossy demonstrates, pinky up, mike head down.]

Q. It sounds like you have a real passion for teaching.

A. Education is so important, not only for discipline, but for encouragement. I remember when I was first starting out in Humacao [Puerto Rico], my first instrument was the E-flat clarinet. My teacher, Herman Pena, saw something in me. A couple of years later, I was in a car accident that left my lips and teeth in a different position, and I couldn’t play the clarinet anymore. It was Herman Pena who steered me toward percussion, and later it was Herman Pena who gave me the encouragement to audition for the Conservatory.

Q. You received classical training at Pablo Casals’ Conservatory of Music in San Juan. How important has that been in your career?

A. You know, after just one year at the Conservatory, I was asked to join the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. I was very young, but they must have thought I could keep up. Since then, I have played so many styles, like with David Byrne and Brian Eno of Talking Heads, and Weather Report, which was definitely a learning experience. You always want to keep learning. A lot of percussionists out there today, they play congas and people call them percussionists. To me, to call yourself a percussionist, you should have to play tympanis, drums, cymbals, congas — anything you can strike and make a sound.

Q. So you see a real difference between “playing drums” and being a disciplined performer?

A. That’s been the main thing, my whole life: I like to paint pictures with my hands. You keep adding strokes of colors from things to
paint a picture. You can use anything — low end, high end, in any situation — as long as you know the color of the sound. Once I did a record using sugar packets as shakers, close to the microphones. But the thing is, you have to know the rules in order to break them. You need to have the discipline of studying eight hours a day, every day, for four years. When you train classically, it’s composition, theory, getting to the roots, so that when you play, you don’t just bang the drum, you make it sing. You can say something. And then it’s a pleasure. When you play you lose yourself. That’s being an honest player.