Landon L. Rogers on “Land of Jazz”: How painting and synesthesia shaped his new Cool Jazz track. Read the full interview.
1 – How would you describe your new song to someone who hasn’t heard it yet? What emotions do you want to convey?
Land of Jazz is the opening track on “The Return of Cool” album. ‘Land of Jazz’ runs around 60bpm and for me is about pace and the interplay between intention and atmosphere. The vibraphone and the flugelhorn set the atmosphere and the guitar riffs reveal the intention or direction of the song. ‘Land of Jazz’ is a walk down the alley after sunset with a neon light glowing in the distance and a bounce in your step. It’s the gathering of energy for a night full of possibility.
2 – What was the main inspiration for the song? Can you share personal stories or influences that guided you?
I am traditionally a rock and roll artist, but for me, whether it’s a rock song, an acoustic track or a jazz composition, they all start internally, with vibration, and then I literally mirror that internal vibration or intent on an instrument. Many artists, and I’m one of them, have synesthesia or chromesthesia where sounds and emotions are linked with various concepts, colors, movements etc.
‘Land of Jazz’ is both a tone and a movement for me. It’s shaded blue and collected, and as a song, it’s a gathering breath, inhalation and then track 2, “A Canary Without a Suitcase” is the exhalation and it releases vibrant riffs and tones of red, green and teal.
With this jazz album I’ve been able to really explore the harmonics, the vibes, the feelings and not have to cram them into a verse/chorus structure like I typically do with a rock and roll composition and that has been a welcome reprieve.
3 – How did the song come about? Were there any collaborations?
I wrote the song while pondering a new painting one night when I was in my studio. The vibraphone melody of F-G#-A# kept drumming in my head so put in a loop and then immediately heard the flugelhorn B-A# and then the tension of the piano, the augmented second, F-A#. So instead of painting I sat down and wrote Land of Jazz instead!
4 – Which artists or experiences influenced your sound?
Being a slight synesthete, this song and this album were more influenced by the paintings I was undertaking at the time, so Land of Jazz was inspired by the post impressionism artists like Van Gogh and Matisse, Derain etc.
5 – Is there a particular moment related to the creation of the song that you remember with pleasure or satisfaction?
The tension of the piano at 1:43 and guitar at 1:52 and the resolution as the song winds down is the precipice for me, it encapsulated the song and the emotions I was feeling as I began work on the painting which inspired ‘Land of Jazz.’
6 – What emotions do you hope to convey to the public?
Short of stirring a debate on aeshetics, I feel that art is so subjective in all its mediums and in a world inundated with artists and releases and algorithms it’s easy to get complacent as consumers, and I’m not telling somebody that doesn’t like jazz music that they should force themselves to listen to it, what I’m advocating is for people to understand and respect the artists and the creative process, even if you may not be a particular fan of the genre.
Jazz is one of those rare genres where off-notes, key changes, tempo incongruence are part of the artistic expression, something that me be hard for computers or AI to emulate. The truth is that AI can make some real ear-candy, if we focus on the end result we’re goint to lose sight of something most non-artists ever think about, and that’s the creative process.
Artists like myself don’t create from the outside in, like computers or certain pop producers looking for another formulaic hit, we produce from the inside, out. That’s the process we need to value, to respect, because it’s that shared experience that sets us apart from not just AI, but from each other.
7 – What can we expect from the future? Do you have any news coming?
I have lots of new Rock&Roll music coming out this year and yes, more jazz tracks!
8 – What message would you like to give to those who follow you or discover you for the first time?
I’m an author and musician. I write literature and music that moves me. My art doesn’t encapsulate everythig I am, but it will give you a glimpse of what I’m about, and while my art is in some ways self-expression, it’s an expression of ideals or ideas that are universal and therefore when you hear my music or read my stories I hope you learn more about yourself than you do about me!
I believe in clean air, protecting the environment, and responsibility regarding the future of our planet, but I also like to have fun and I say ‘cowabunga’ more often than I should.
