Roger Pistola: "At the Manacor Jazz Festival, I saw one of the best concerts of my life."

PalmAfter the success of the first edition, the Manacor Jazz Festival returns with a program that includes big names in current music such as Salvador Sobral, Benji Habichuela and Caramelo de Cuba, Among many others, the Manacor natives Jorra Santiago and Roger Pistola will also perform as a duet on Saturday, September 27th, in the Plaza del Rector Rubí. Pistola, who says he saw one of the best concerts of his life at the first edition of the festival, held just under a year ago, acknowledges that his relationship with jazz has changed over the years. "Before completing the degree, I wasn't very interested in jazz; it made me sleepy. But studying helped me learn new skills and overcome my fear of improvisation," he says.

There are a whole series of prejudices surrounding jazz, such as misunderstandings or the fact that not everyone has a trained ear, which means some people still feel a certain fear of approaching it. Why do you think this happens?

— It's the same thing that happens with classical music, which from the moment it became elitist, dug its own grave. The word 'conservatory' itself says it all. Jazz is, by definition, a music based on improvisation and experimentation; it's not 'conservative.' And it was born in bars. from the slums, and therefore, it was the music of the people. And if it was the music of the people, it means it's suitable for everyone; it's not difficult to understand, nor do you need to have a golden ear. What happens is that when the upper class, with their "you wouldn't understand" airs, appropriated it, it became frozen in time. And anything that stops for too long stagnates and rots. At most, it becomes a museum piece. To quote Drexler: "The same cone, the songs, the birds, the alphabets / If you want something to die, leave it still".

And how can it be fought?

— I believe that the work of associations like s'Escat is very important, a self-managed and independent association that has been tirelessly offering, for several years and in a tireless manner, a regular and quality program, with concerts and jam sessions weekly. And with this, what they do is return jazz to its original function, they bring it closer to the people, to everyone. I know more than one person who had never been to a jazz concert, due to the same prejudice you mentioned, and thanks to the jam sessions The free sessions at S'Escat have changed his mindset, and he thinks, "Oh, but I really like this." Seeing musicians interact and communicate in a carefree manner is universal. It's not a privilege reserved for a select few. It's accessible to everyone. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Manacor Jazz Festival, in any case, is a commitment of the Manacor City Council. How do you see it?

— It arose as an initiative of s'Escat, who presented a project to hold the first Jazz festival in Manacor, and they would have had to be very short-sighted not to join—it could have happened. The first year, last year, was spectacular. Needless to say, they brought Maria Schneider, one of the best concerts of my life! And I've seen quite a few!

Who are the main influences that have influenced you in the world of jazz?

— The jazz that stretches me the most is the quietest, the most cool, the most pop. We're big fans of Chet Baker and Bill Evans, and, depending on the era, Miles and Mingus. But especially Brad Mehldau.

And all of this will surely be present in the performance you'll give with Jorra Santiago next Saturday, September 27, in the Plaza del Rector Rubí. How did you approach it?

— I don't know exactly what we'll do because we haven't met yet to rehearse. But I asked him if he could come with the double bass because I think it's necessary.

With Jorra Santiago, he forms a very solid duo, having participated in and promoted many projects together in recent years, like the Paul McCartney and John Lennon of Manacor. But who's who?

— I've always been more of a John Lennon fan, for his anti-establishment side. Jorra is more of a Scott Walker fan, straight up.

How do you currently assess Manacor's music scene, one of the most dynamic historically?

— In a moderate way. There are several groups. It's not the excitement of the 1990s, nor the inhospitable desert of the early 2000s.

Beyond Manacor, what do you think of the Mallorcan music scene?

— Look, I recently accompanied Mon Joan Tiquat to the semi-finals of the Pop-Rock competition in Palma. And I was pleasantly surprised to learn that as many as 96 different groups had entered. This proves that there are bands out there, there are many. You may like them more or less (I don't like them at all), but people who want to do things are always welcome. But what's really alarming is the lack of venues for concerts. There are fewer and fewer of them, and the few venues that remain are raining shit from all sides. It's a tragedy; it must be remedied.