New York Buzz

TM: You’re working on your second album now. How has your music evolved?

MG: This album will feature several original songs along with a handful of standards as well. The arrangements on this record are a lot more specific as Jon (Davis) and I have really honed in on a style in which we want to communicate these songs. “Take Me Anywhere” will introduce me as a writer.

TM: What is your favorite song to perform and why?

MG: The best part about music is that there is always a song to match how I am feeling and if there isn’t, now I can write one. From this album, I truly enjoy each track so much, but I suppose I am partial to “Take Me”, as it was the first song I ever wrote. This tune is special for me because the lyrics take me far beyond the feelings they describe.

TM: Are you influenced by any contemporary artists? If yes, who and why?

MG: I have been influenced by Steven Page, Jason Mraz, Mika, and Norah Jones (to name only a few). Steven and Jason for their lyrics, and Mika and Norah for their intimate approach and connection with how a song feels on the inside.

TM: Two months ago, I raised the question: what ever happened to jazz? One of the most popular musical genres of the past, I wondered whether jazz had become obsolete. What’s your take?

MG: I am not sure that I feel this has actually happened. “Popular music” is constantly growing and changing; combining existing styles (including jazz) to create new ones. Jazz & the standards repertoire have not been “popular music” since the 1950’s and demographically speaking, jazz has always been more popular among an older and more sophisticated crowd. In music, art and throughout society, we are always looking to create something new, but to do so, we are typically influenced by something old. So, I think people will always turn to jazz, either in its pure form or to inspire a new idea.

As the only true American Art form, I believe that Jazz will always prosper. It is so much more than music, it is part of our history and therefore our future as well.

TM: How do you make jazz accessible in today’s internet-obsessed culture?

MG: This is the biggest question in the music world today. I don’t believe there is a different overall approach for each genre. Based on the current trends, the internet is quickly becoming the sole distributor of music around the world. It is certainly the easiest for consumers and, in some ways, it is much easier for the artists as well. These days, it seems to be all about convenience. If the music is right in front of someone and they like it – they’ll buy it.