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.