Jimmy Carpenter: Interview with a New Orleans Musical Traveler

Jimmy Carpenter is a New Orleans-based saxophonist. He is a member of Walter ‘Wolfman” Washington‘s band, The Roadmasters, Honey Island Swamp Band, Eric Lindell’s band, and the 101 Runners. His latest solo CD is called Toiling in Obscurity. Jimmy recently wrote in to discuss his early inspiration and how he approaches so many different styles of New Orleans music.

How old were you when you began playing saxophone?

I started in the summer after fourth grade, so I guess I was 10. I went to a summer school program with all kinds of creative activities, one of which was playing an instrument. My mom asked me if I’d like to play one, and I said immediately “saxophone.” I was really into it from the start. I liked to practice on the front porch, which I’m sure was not popular in the neighborhood. The first song I learned was “Mrs. Robinson,” which was on the radio. I think I knew by the time I was 12 that I wanted to be a horn player.

Do you remember the first saxophonist you heard?

My dad had a great Dave Brubeck album called “Jazz Red Hot and Cold.” It featured Paul Desmond of course, and I absolutely loved it, and still do. I love melody, the creation of melody and setting an emotional “scene,” and Desmond was a genius at that. Plus it had a sexy woman in a red dress stretched out on the piano in front of Dave…very interesting to a young kid. When I was a kid Boots Randolph had his own network TV, and he came out playing “Yackety Sax” with go go girls on each side. I thought that was very cool. Not many sax players have had their own TV show, or go go girls.

You’ve been based in many different cities around the country. What brought you to NOLA?

Besides the fact that New Orleans is the center of the musical universe? There is no other city with such a vibrant urban creative culture, where you can live in a beautiful funky old place, with huge trees and tropical colors, in an old house on an old street, instead of a tiny little apartment that’s $2,000 a month. And I toured all over the world with blues-based bands, guitar bands like Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers and Tinsley Ellis. Every where else it seems that guitar is king. New Orleans may be the last bastion of horn players on Earth. Don’t get me wrong, I have made a career out of knowing how to play with a guitar, and I love it. But there was a time when tenor players were the rock stars, and around here it still kind of feels like that. Sort of.

How does NOLA differ as a musical town from the other cities where you’ve been based?

I guess kind of answered that above, but to go further, this is really “the” musical town, no offense to the others. This is the place that everyone comes to, musicians and serious fans from all over the world. I thought about coming here from the time I was about 20 I guess. It took a long time, but I’m very happy I did and so thankful to be a part of what’s happening here. I wanted to raise the bar for myself, and the level of musicianship here is astounding. I’m honored to even walk around with the players here.

What advice would you give to young musicians?

It sounds cliche I know, but stay in school! When I was in music school I wasn’t really in the right place, and after a couple of years I was hanging out playing with various bands, and the gigging got in the way of school, although at the time I thought it was the other way around. So I left and started traveling and working. I wish now that I had stayed, and waited to hit the road. It will always be there, and the more you know the better player you’ll be. Also very important: we should all listen, listen to all kinds of music, check out as much as you can, and see how it works. I personally think that most American music comes from the blues, and if you don’t have an appreciation and understanding of the blues, your playing will lack a certain feel and depth. Chops are great, and you should have as much as you can get. But you also gotta have soul, and that comes from listening and feeling it, breaking it down to the roots, feeling the raw emotion of it. It is simplistic, but if Muddy Waters don’t move you, something’s wrong.

Like this interview? Check out this with Brian Stoltz, this one with Dave Malone of the Radiators, and this one with Jimmy Messa of the Subdudes.

Tagged as: Dave Brubeck, interview, Jimmy Carpenter, McClain Johnson, New Orleans music, Saxophone