Creating Sonic Landscapes With David Becker

JGT Podcast: Jazz Guitar Today’s Bob Bakert talks to guitarist David Becker about his unique compositions and performances.

The photo above by Gene Steinman Photography

Bob Bakert: David Becker is one of those few guitarists who is known as much for his composition as he is for his playing.  David’s music can be very ethereal almost spiritual inspiring us by creating sonic landscapes of places we of a certain era will never travel to… but, David takes us there anyway.  Make no mistake David has studied and knows the Canon of jazz, bop, etc. He is such a cool guy, a deep thinker, and a generous person.  The reviews of his newest project are “stellar” and his live performances are not to be missed…

We at Jazz Guitar Today are proud to make David Becker our cover story this month…

INTRODUCTION TO PLANETS LIVE

by David Becker

Musicians and composers from the very beginning have always attempted to create visuals through their music. Because music is something we cannot see or touch, it is the sonics of the music which invoke the mental images that affect the listener most. PLANETS has become a much larger combination of sound and visualization than I could have ever imagined possible.

From very early on in my musical development, I always associated the sonics of music with visuals. For instance, the first piece of music that I remember listening to on a regular basis at age 5 was Edvard Grieg’s Concerto in A Minor. Although I did not know the nuts and bolts of music, I associated the major passages with a snowcapped crest of a mountain painting my parents had hanging on the wall and the minor passages were the dark ridge next to that mountain.

Some have described PLANETS as a celestial musical odyssey aboard a transcendent spacecraft of sound where captivating projections of the cosmos merge seamlessly with my improvised and composed music and I would agree with that analogy, but it is actually much more than that. The inception came about when I was asked by SPACE CHANNEL to improvise pieces for each Planet. This was filmed in an empty theater without me seeing any visual content. All I had to work with was the name of the Planet and a few facts about its makeup. Everything I played was on the fly.

Having performed PLANETS for a large number of people now all over the globe, I have had a chance to see and hear the reaction in real time. The musical side of things allows me to juxtapose the sonic elements or musical dialects that I love as a music fan. Many of the concerts I have done so far have been filmed and I am always humbled by the enormity of this project. For me it is the ultimate gig as I get to do exactly the things I love to do in music. The show itself is NOT exclusively “Outer Space” or musically atmospheric in nature. I have integrated many elements that relate to the music I love to play which have connections to the Cosmos. I am constantly working on improving and expanding the presentation.

As my good friend in New Zealand remarked, “It’s not a solo Jazz guitar concert”! Although there are sections where I do play solo guitar, there are others where I can create more of an orchestral vibe all emanating from my Heritage DB guitar.
I do use loop pedals, but everything is performed live and there is a lot of improvisation involved as several of the pieces are not any set length. It is a great challenge and with the diversity of musical dialects, it makes it a very unique musical experience for me and the audience. I am often not aware of the videos behind me while performing, but and when I do get a glimpse of them, I am so grateful to be a sum of the parts that make PLANETS what it has become.

Audio-Only Interview:

GRAVITATIONALLY BOUND is the title track and lead-off single from critically acclaimed, Grammy/Emmy nominated guitarist and composer, David Becker’s 20th recording.

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