Meet Albert Ahlf

We recently connected with Albert Ahlf and have shared our conversation below.

Albert, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I got my resilience from constantly having to try and find myself growing up and not being entirely sure who I was until I started playing piano and learning to play jazz. Once that happened I was totally hooked and nothing could stop me. Growing up I was socially illiterate but once I started playing music in high school on a high level I started jamming with my peers and this led to incredibly satisfying friendships that I hadn’t known were possible prior to this. One of them being the great Sherjan Ahmad (Guitarist and Vocalist). I experienced numerous challenges throughout my teen years and college years and even throughout most of my 20s due to weak social skills and intense ADHD which affected and continues to affect at times my ability to find people to date as well as maintain a stable career. If it wasn’t for my ADHD I’d probably be much more financially secure and successful career wise at this point but the flip side is I also probably wouldn’t have the creative edge that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed possessing since embarking on my musical journey about 20 years ago (gasp). About 7 years ago I also started working a lot on my vocal technique and started singing more regularly at my gigs and performances while I was simultaneously accompanying myself on piano – at that point it was so easy because I had already been fully fluent in piano since I was in high school so it gives me a huge advantage as a singer who has virtuosic playing ability. I never have to worry about working with an accompanist who doesn’t know their shit. I can arrange on the fly as well which is incredibly satisfying. But back to resilience – I have had not choice but to be resilient, what are my other options? Lay down and whither away while I suffer at that thoughts of my own mortality and fleeting youth? Sure I’ve done that plenty of times but you always need to move forward.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My brand is pretty simple – I’m a musician that is always seeking to push boundaries while also maintaining a strong rooted-ness and foundation in the great traditions of American popular music that have come before. It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing may be part of that equation and indeed it is a strong part of my brand yet I also engage in folk rock endeavors and gospel. I like to make music that is fun and engaging yet reflective. If it makes you tap your foot then It’s working. Jazz, rock and roll, classical variations, smooth funky jazz, boogie woogie, and the king which is SWING. I like being an entertainer but also a serious Beethoven type when it feels right. Music is great and so is comedy! Intentionally acting awkward to strangers for a laugh is something I’ve also tried which will be put on youtube soon under the title “awkward AL”.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Hyperfocus on my craft as a pianist and composer, knowledge of music theory and melody construction and a mastering of tonal and atonal harmony. MY ADVICE: Be yourself and follow your PASSION. Do not give up under any circumstances. Even if you have to work a crap 9-5 job utilize your free time to work on your craft. Forget about dating – it isn’t even worth it anymore – love yourself and fuck the rest.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Thich Nhat Hahn has written some amazing stuff. In general I love how he approaches the idea of “Inter-being” – for example, the successful person can’t exist without the loser, the musician can’t exist without the mechanic. All is inter-dependent. Wild apples can’t exist without toxic waste. It’s important to be philosophical and contemplative. Live is mostly absurd and nonsensical. We have five senses and imagination for about 80 years and then we turn to dust. LIVE IT.

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