ANTHONY WARE PERFORMS THURSDAY MAY 10, 2012 @ MAKEDA 

NBJP: What living musician has influenced you most?

AW: That’s a hard question to answer.  I have a long list of mentors whose guidance has been irreplaceable to me.  The top three are Anthony Nelson, Bruce Williams and Radam Schwartz.

NBJP: What would you want to be if you weren’t a jazz musician?

AW: I’d like to think I would have either become a visual artist or a computer engineer.

NBJP: What is your greatest fear?

AW:  Others knowing more about me than myself.  That or the Knicks never win another championship.

NBJP: What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

AW: McDonald’s fish sandwich.

NBJP: Dogs, cats or other?

AW:  I think pets and I have agreed that we’re not good together.  I once had two turtles… one ran away.

NBJP: Who’s your favorite non-jazz composer?

AW: Stevie Wonder hands down.

NBJP: What instrument would you  like to be able to play?

AW: upright bass.

PLUS ONE: When did you know you wanted to be a jazz musician?

AW: In the winter of 1997 I was invited to a jazz workshop by my good friend Irwin Hall.  There I met Radam Schwartz, Anthony Nelson, Bruce Williams and a host of other young aspiring musicians that sounded great. That day I knew I needed the music.