An interview with one of Germany’s and Switzerland jazz guitarists Manfred Junker.
Talk about when you started to play guitar and what inspired you to play jazz guitar.
MJ: I started playing the guitar at the age of twelve and was fascinated by the instrument regardless of style. After changing to another teacher when I was fourteen I received instruction in classical guitar technique and through him, I got interested in improvisation (Rock, then also Jazz using the various Berklee books). Getting exposed to a lot of Jazz guitar albums by my teacher was what got me really addicted.
Talk about the things you appreciated most about your studies in Germany at St. Gallen and later at Berklee College in Boston.
MJ: The school in St. Gallen (which is in Switzerland) was a relatively small institution that in a way was perfect for me at that point. I was still pretty “green” when I started there and had to fill a lot of basic gaps and learn to play in jazz ensembles.
Four years of very intense shedding then somehow helped me get a big Berklee scholarship after auditioning in Paris (being a guitarist, male and white did not really meet Berklee’s policy of giving scholarships primarily to minorities, so I was overwhelmed and happy to get it and make the Berklee dream come true with the additional help of my parents and relatives).
Compared to the school in Switzerland, Berklee College was a whole different thing: lots of great musicians, ass-kicking rhythm sections, and an enormous energy that pushed me extremely (fueled by teachers like Hal Crook, Ed Tomassi, Jim Kelly, and Rick Peckham). It was so intense I don’t think there were a lot of nights when I slept seven hours!
To you, what are three of the most influential jazz guitar albums and why?
MJ: Choosing three albums is almost impossible regarding the wealth of styles and masters I have heard and continue to discover. So, I will stick to the three that made a huge impact on me and that I consider “classic “.
“Full House” by Wes Montgomery blew me away (and still does!). A more or less improvised session (Jimmy Cobb once told me he remembers a brief rehearsal in the afternoon right before the gig), the album shows Wes at his best. Flawless and inspired playing, building intensity through his signature way of single lines via octaves to chord solos, a brilliant swinging rhythm section…everything is so strong and sounds so fresh even by today’s standards, it cannot get any better in this style!
Then there is Jim Hall’s trio recording “Live!” that for me captures the essence of “modern” trio playing. Three master musicians interacting at the highest level; so much taste in pushing standards without sacrificing groove, form, and melodic content. And of course, Jim Hall…I don’t think any other guitarist influenced me more than him. I was so lucky to have heard him live numerous times and I can only recommend getting the extra CDs from the same week of playing that came out on ArtistShare a few years ago!
The third recording is Pat Metheny’s “Travels” which I bought when I was about sixteen. Of course, the band, the tunes, and naturally Metheny’s playing blew my mind. The tunes of this time in his career are not overly complex but there is always a great melody and group arrangement that, combined with virtuosic playing and a lot of energy, make them highly accessible and timeless Of course, that was just the beginning of a very long and still strong creative career.
I just realized that these three albums happen to be live recordings; I guess a live setting is the best situation for recording when everyone involved is relaxed and inspired and does not think too much about the microphones!
Tell us about your goals in making your most recent album Guitarists Only?
MJ: I like the idea of having a “topic” or headline for a recording and did CDs with tunes by Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Charlie Chaplin, Bill Evans, and Paul Simon.
For the duo album with Dani Solimine on 7-string guitar we chose to use only compositions by guitarists, covering a wide range from Django Reinhardt to Bill Frisell while still arranging these tunes to have a more or less consistent sound, I think we succeeded!
