Meet John Lake

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful John Lake a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi John, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

While most people are very encouraging of a life in the arts, there have been occasional sad people that can’t help themselves from projecting their negativity. Starting out, I would say the greater issue was; “how would I remove any doubts about my future in this career?” Growing up in the midwest, it was relatively easier to “stand out” as a jazz composer/musician because the jazz scenes, while quite rich with great music and wonderful people, simply aren’t that crowded. When I arrived in New York 11 years ago, however, I became one in a sea of incredibly talented and accomplished artists. It’s much easier to doubt your future in that situation. And you’ll also find that in that environment, you’re not just comparing yourself to your immediate peer group, you’re looking at the entire lineage of artists that came before you, and trying to honor that legacy. Looking at my work, at that point, it quickly became clear that there was significant room for improvement, and a lot of work to do.

So, while I wouldn’t say there are haters or naysayers necessarily, the question becomes, what can I do to stand out in this crowd? And the answer is always the same: study, practice, and to continue creating. The best jazz musicians are truly in love with the music, first and foremost. It’s almost impossible to stagnate in your craft if every waking moment is spent listening, playing, or conceptualizing about your next project. When that’s done in a dense community of stellar musicians such as New York City, the results will come. Maybe not in the way you thought they would, but they will come.

There can still be a lot of negativity out there, sure. And I think everyone’s guilty of it from time to time – it’s a part of human nature. But I’ve seen people get really caught up in rivalries, real or imagined, and spend so much of their focus on these social constructs that exist around the music, that it detracts from their own musical development. Personally, I try not to give fuel to that negative energy, and instead keep the focus on the what’s important: the music itself, on positive connection with my cohort, and on the steady journey forward. It takes patience, grace, and good faith, but the reward is in the journey.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I think the greatest asset in my journey so far has been perseverance. My relationship to music has changed a lot over the years, from many years as a student, then transitioning to professional (but still working several day jobs), to a being a full-time professional musician for the last 10 years. And I’ve learned a lot about the industry in that time as well. Waves of both inspiration & discouragement; one day feeling like you’re on top of the world, only to feel completely lost and helpless the next. Not to mention, the trumpet itself is a tyrannical instrument, requiring constant maintenance of technique. But never once did I really consider quitting music. I simply can’t imagine doing anything else.

Two other things I’m still working on are patience and “letting go.” Sometimes opportunities in music can happen very quickly – you get a call on Tuesday to perform with Lauryn Hill that weekend, and there’s only one answer to that question (I said yes – we performed at the Global Citizen Festival in 2023). Other things can take much longer, like being a regular in Broadway pit orchestras, or being a top-call recording artist. And you really can’t control any of that at all. Which leads to “letting go.” All I can do is my best on any given day, and the rest isn’t up to me. I continue to work on my craft, to be a responsible professional, to treat each situation and person with the same respect that I hope to receive. And then you just have to wait for the universe to get back to you about your dreams. It’s actually quite liberating, in a way – all I have to do is focus on the music, because that’s really all I can do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://johnlakejazz.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/trumpetlake
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/johnlakejazz