We were lucky to catch up with Jonathan Fagan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jonathan, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
As a Jazz pianist, composer, producer and educator, my day-to-day presents a diverse variety of experiences and challenges. Some weeks, I find myself focused on leading jam sessions for the Medford Jazz Festival and composing arrangements to compliment poetry for “The Ally Project.” Other times, I immerse myself in teaching, playing weddings in a pop band, and performing in the pit for musicals.
Instead of dividing my attention, I have come to see that each situation presents common musical and personal lessons that I can apply to my next projects. Learning pop music has opened up rhythmic textures that come out in my Jazz playing, and musicals have certainly helped my reading and technique. My students constantly push me to more clearly express what I believe in, and introduce me to new artists. I have come to believe that there is always something to learn, and that each day is an opportunity to improve myself in some way. That philosophy keeps me motivated and allows my creativity to take on several forms depending on the setting.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I consider myself primarily a Jazz pianist, and I lead several of my own projects within the Greater Boston Area. In addition to regular performances with trios and collaborations with saxophonists and singers, I compose arrangements for a group called the “Ally Project,” which lies at the intersection of Jazz, poetry and social Justice. The quartet headlined the first Medford Jazz Festival, which I produced in 2020 from a local recording studio shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic began. Since then, the festival has been going strong, featuring renowned artists from around the city and receiving numerous city grants to engage diverse audiences. The festival is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating the heritage of local musicians at the historic West Medford Community Center. I consider the Festival the most personal project to date, representing my core belief that music can tell meaningful stories, and at times create significant social change. I look forward to its continued growth over the coming years, and to learning from world-class musicians who are now involved with it.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
As an educator, I often reflect on what I hope to pass onto my students, especially those who may someday become professional musicians.
On a personal level, I believe that curiosity, humility and self-motivation have allowed me to grow most. For me, the curiosity about new sounds, genres and artists propelled me to learn the most throughout my education, and ultimately attend music school. I attended every concert I could, including several outside of the jazz and classical piano department with the idea they contained unexpected lessons. I would advise any young artist to remain equally hungry for diverse experiences and knowledge, even when it doesn’t immediately seem relevant. The figurative “pieces” rarely fit together right away, but many skills and sensitivities combine in surprising ways further down the road. Staying humble and committed to constant growth allows things to come together in their own time.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
I often think back to my primary Jazz teacher in college, who was both an extraordinary pianist and a very unusual person, at least relative to other professors I had. Unlike everyone else, he knew almost no music theory, formal technical training, and academic knowledge. Despite those seeming deficiencies, he blew everyone else away with his constant creativity, honesty and passion, especially during performances. To him, music was a deeply personal process that relied more on deep listening, singing, and a commitment to finding one’s own way. While I consider myself much more “typical” in terms of style and approach, his embodiment of individuality forever changed my attitude about teaching and learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jonathanfaganmusic.com
- Facebook: Jonathan Fagan
- Youtube: Jonathan Fagan
- Other: My festival can be found at medfordjazzfestival.org
Image Credits
Mira Whiting Photography
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