B.D. Lenz: The Five & Live Interview

By: Dr. Matt Warnock

B.D. gets the crowd on its feet and into the Blues playing with Christine Martucci when she opened for Johnny Winter at the Stone Pony. Photo Credit: Bob DeJessa - Shore Images Photography

New Jersey based jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz is used to taking chances, as anyone who makes a living improvising would be. So it’s no surprise that his latest album, Five & Live, features Lenz and company on stage in a live situation, which is always a bit of a risk for any recording, and, alongside his originals, covering some very un-jazz like songs, such as Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and “Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2” by classic British rockers Pink Floyd.

Lenz also steers clear of tradition with his gear, as he’s a devoted Fender man who plays a Strat through a Deluxe, where others in his field would choose an archtop through a Polytone. What allows Lenz to take these risks and succeed is his playing. As a guitarist he defies tradition, but also defies genres as his lines and comping snake between jazz, funk, rock, pop and more during this exciting collection of 10 tracks, making him one of the most interesting young players on the modern jazz scene today.

While doing a live album, with such a diverse repertoire, poses risk, Lenz rises to the occasion, releasing an entertaining and engaging album that is sure to be included on this year’s “Best of” lists for jazz guitar.

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Matt Warnock: Why was the time right for you to record and release a live album?

B.D. Lenz: A number of factors all converged for the timing of this live album. First, it’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years. My live gigs sound a little different than my studio records and I wanted to capture that with this project. As well, the steady drumbeat from fans asking for it has been getting louder and louder, so it was time.

Coincidentally, I had an engineer friend, Steve Kelly, talk to me about recording some of my live gigs, which I couldn’t turn down. The label I had recorded my last four records with decided to take a break, but I didn’t want to break, and this was a record I could feasibly do on my own. I guess he stars aligned and everything came together at the right time and place to make it happen.

Matt: You feature a number of originals and a few covers on the record, one of which is the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2.” Why did you choose to cover a classic rock song on the album, what is it about this track that speaks to you and inspired you to record it?

B.D.: We do a number of cover tunes in our live set. My feeling on this is that we’re often playing to audiences that aren’t well versed in jazz. So, rather than playing a bunch of standards that they don’t know, I’m just as happy to play over pop and rock tunes that I love as much as any standard.

“Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2” is just a classic rock tune that everyone knows and serves as a great vehicle for improvisation, just as much as any Miles Davis tune does for instance. We’ve played it for years and got a great take of it on a festival gig here in NJ that is featured on the album.

Matt: You also play a great version of Stevie Wonder’s classic hit “Superstition.” Stevie’s career has spanned many genres and transformations. Are you drawn to his funk-soul period in the ‘70s, or do you like his early and later catalogue as well?

B.D.: As a kid I had, embarrassingly, barely heard of Stevie Wonder. So as an adult I going back and discovering his amazing music. In particular I’m really drawn to his ‘funk-soul’ era, Songs in the Key of Life, etc.

Matt: Do you feel that jazz musicians need to explore rock and pop songs to not only further their own repertoire, but to keep the music fresh and relevant to today’s audiences?

B.D.: It’s a great question, and one that I’ve had long discussions about with musician friends of mine. Of course it’s an individual choice, but I have strong feelings about this dilemma. I love gigs where there’s no expectations to play anything other than jazz standards, because I love that music.

But, I’ve found through years of playing hundreds and hundreds of gigs that, outside of fellow musicians and jazz buffs, the average listener has no understanding of say “All the Things You Are.” And how could they? Jazz musicians in the ‘30s to the ‘60s played pop songs or show tunes from their day, so why is it wrong for current musicians to do the same?

I grew up on “Another Brick in the Wall Pt.2” and it means something to me to play it. I didn’t grow up on “All The Things You Are.” I love playing it, but only because I’ve studied it as part of my job. A casual listener doesn’t have that background.

Of course, in doing the crossover kind of tunes we do, there’s a risk that the jazz community, musicians, critics and jazz buffs, will take you less seriously, and I’m sure that has occurred to some degree.

But it doesn’t bother me because I don’t feel at this point in my career that I have anything to prove to anyone. I’ve made plenty of albums of really obscure, highly intellectual music, but I much prefer to be playing clubs with people in them!

Photo Credit: Sanra Muldoon - Cloud Nine Photography

Matt: The album features a quintet with keys and saxophone. Do you prefer to play with a keyboard player in your group, as opposed to in a trio, or was this just the right instrumentation for this particular gig?

B.D.: I like different bands for different situations. For instance, I love doing small jazz trio gigs, they’re so much fun! But I also like bringing in my quintet for bigger gigs where we’re putting on more of a “show.”

This CD reflects that side of my gig, the bigger, fuller, festival band. However, it is in my future plans to do a jazz trio record someday. So many records, so little time.

Matt: Do you alter your harmonic playing when there’s a keyboardist in the group?

B.D.: Yes, you have to. Unfortunately, I’ve only learned this by listening back to past live recordings and hearing a really ugly cacophony between the guitar and the piano. So, not only do I comp a little simpler, with less alterations and substitutions, but I’ll even just lay out at times and let the pianist take care of the comping.

Matt: What guitars did you use on the album and do you have any plans for a new axe in the new year?

B.D.: I used a Stratocaster on the whole record. It’s the guitar I use when there’s a possibility things could get funky or rockin’, because I can play jazz on it and I can play Pink Floyd on it.

Unfortunately, I don’t see a new guitar in my future. I pretty much have what I need for right now, but if anyone out there in Guitar International land would like to contribute towards getting me a new axe I would never turn that down! [Laughs]

Matt: What amps are you using on the record and is your stage rig different from what you use in the studio?

B.D.: My studio rig depends on the kind of record I’m making. I’ve done some pop/rock sessions lately where I don’t even bring an amp because the studio has “Amplitube” software that’s so much less of a hassle than dragging in amps and micing them up.

But, on my jazz records I definitely want to bring in one of my amps. I really only have two different amps that I use on live gigs, my big rig is a Fender Deluxe, with two 12’s, and then I have a Penn amplifier, with one 10” speaker, that I use on small jazz gigs. This record was all Fender!

Matt: Now that the album is out and picking up steam, any plans for a tour to support the album?

B.D.: We’re always playing. I don’t differentiate between tours for records anymore because we’re constantly playing. But, we’re doing another tour of the UK in April and, hopefully, a bunch of festivals next Spring and Summer.

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