JAMES STRECKER: If you were asked for 50 words for an encyclopedia to summarize what you do, or have done in the arts, what would you say?
GLENN ANDERSON: I have been a musician and specifically a drummer for the past 40 years performing extensively in several genres of jazz as well as a myriad of different styles of music. I suppose I have a bit of a reputation in providing solid, sensitive rhythm section support for many vocalists.
JS: What important beliefs do you express through your work?
GA: That’s a big question! I think first and foremost, the belief in the concept of cooperation and working together, i.e., working together for a common goal of making great music and having a great time doing it in an environment whereby the artists feel “safe” to take a leap of faith to be their creative best during every performance.
JS: Name two people, living or dead, whom you admire a great deal and tell us why for each one.
GA: I’ll pick one living and one dead…first, musician/songwriter Steve Earle. I’m not a Steve Earle fanatic, however, I admire Steve the person as well as musician. He’s a person who’s experienced it all, to hell and back again with addiction issues, a stint in prison and yet he’s grown stronger and stronger as a person and as a songwriter. Earle is a person who has been and continues to be an activist, through his music and otherwise, on many social issues affecting the U.S. and the world despite criticisms from some and despite the fact his career could potentially be negatively affected by those in power.
The second person is no longer with us. That’s my father. He passed away nearly 30 years ago and yet continues to have a profound effect on my life as a musician, as a person and most importantly as a parent. He was an artist in his own way. He was a typesetter for 30 years, which is an almost obsolete form of printing rarely used today. He loved his gig and despite suffering with cancer continued to work until he simply couldn’t stand up any longer. The irony was that his cancer was a direct result of his printing artistry, namely benzene in the inks and working with molten lead every day. He introduced me to two of my passions, namely jazz music and the game of hockey.
JS: How have you changed since you began to do creative work?
GA: I was bitten by the creative “bug” back in elementary school and that’s a long time ago now. I started playing drums and taking lessons when I was 8 years old. I’m turning 58 this year so that’s 50 years of hopefully being creative in some way every day of my life. Fifty years is a long time, forty years of it working as a professional musician. We all change more than we probably know over the course of that length of time.
JS: What are your biggest challenges as a creative person?
GA: I think one of the biggest challenges as a musician in Toronto, Canada or anywhere for that matter is how to make a living doing what you love and continue to do that for a lifetime. Simply put, it isn’t easy and it isn’t getting easier for a variety of reasons. There’s been a profound change in the music “industry” and especially for the working musician. That’s what I am when it comes down to it … a working musician.
There are other challenges such as maintaining the physical conditioning to play an instrument as physical and sometimes challenging as the drums. That includes performance and lugging gear and equipment around as you get a little older.
Staying relevant and well known in the music scene can be another challenge for musicians or any creative person on the scene today.
JS: Please describe one turning point in your life.
GA: When I was in elementary school, a big band from Wexford Collegiate (now Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts) in Scarborough performed at my school one day and I was simply blown away hearing a big band live after hearing so many of them on the “stereo” as a kid at home. Long story shorter, I ended up attending Wexford as a result of that day and meeting musical director J. Ross Folkes who had a profound effect on me becoming a musician as a career choice and my development as a professional.
JS: What are the hardest things for an outsider to understand what you do?
GA: I think one of the hardest things is for folks to understand is the time and effort it takes for any artist to begin to achieve the skills and wherewithal to achieve some “success” and standing in the community, both artistic and otherwise.
JS: How and why did you begin to do creative work in the first place?
GA: As I mentioned, it was a combination of a number of people and circumstances which lead me to a career in music. My interest in music started with my elementary school teacher Mrs. Downs introducing me to vocal music and musical theatre, resulting in friends and I forming a “bad” band and my first performance playing just a snare drum in a school talent show. One of those persons responsible for me drumming was my drum teacher, Mr. Kelly Ross. He set me on the right path by insisting I become fluent in the basics of playing the drums. Besides that, I thought it was kind of cool that he not only taught but played in jazz groups when they were used in “strip joints” … I mean I was only a kid and that sounded pretty successful to me!
Why creative work? I’m sure how to answer that other than suggesting that, for me, it was something I innately knew I wanted to do from the time I was just a kid. I mean, I turned down accordion lessons because I wanted to play drums so badly! No disrespect to my friend and star accordionist Denis Keldie.
JS: What haven’t you attempted as yet, that you would like to do and please tell us why?
GA: Two of my musical drumming idols that had a profound effect on my playing style were none other than Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, two of the greatest drummers to drive a big band that ever lived. The concept of a “big band” or “stage band” appealed to me immediately as a kid and continues to do so. I’ve played in big bands all my life, but have never had the opportunity to lead and/or record a big band of my own. I suppose the facts that I’ve always been kept fairly busy with other folk’s projects and the incredibly high financial cost of a big band, have kept this a bit of a musical/professional dream.
JS: What are your most meaningful achievements?
GA: I’m going to assume you mean as a musician. Off the top, I’d say the fact that I’ve continued to work as musician in a city like Toronto for forty years now is an achievement. I suppose that says a lot in some ways…most folks don’t see the act of simply working as an achievement per se. It’s what we all have to do to live and thrive; however, when you’re “only as good as your last gig” you have to work hard, have an open mind and be young at heart in order to continue to be in demand by your peers all these years. I’m very blessed indeed. Poor, mind you, but blessed! Haha!
JS: What advice would give a young person who wants to do what you do?
GA: They call it the “music business” for a reason. There’s the music side of it, and then there’s the dreaded business side of it. I think the music side of it is obvious to younger musicians. They’ve already been bitten by the music bug so to speak and understand they are going to have to practice and work diligently on their craft and do so willingly every day. That being said, there’s many, many great musicians out there trying to make a living. Different musicians have different notions of success; however, I think it’s imperative that all musicians have an understanding of basic business skills and for those of us who do gigs of all descriptions, a sense of professionalism when working. Being a working musician is no different than running a small business and with that comes certain responsibilities to make that business viable in an incredibly competitive and changing music business.
On a less practical note, I would say surround yourself with positive influences, musical and otherwise. Of course, there will always be those who will be discouraging and some of those folks are doing so with what they feel are your best interests at heart. Follow your heart but don’t ignore your head either.
JS: Of what value are critics?
GA: I think that depends on whether the critic is evaluating “you” or someone else. What I mean by that is, we’re all human beings and I don’t know too many people who actually enjoy having their work criticized for all to read/see, but I have to admit that I’ve many a record review or critique of a performance in my lifetime. A positive aspect to critics is that they are bringing one’s work forward to the general public. The artist, though, has to keep criticism in perspective. I can remember reading two newspaper reviews of a performance I was involved with many years ago. While both were relatively positive, they had very different views of my performance within the group in question, as well as the group’s performance in general. Two critics. Two opinions.
Of course, with social media playing such a huge role in our lives, everyone is a critic!
JS: What do you ask of your audience?
GA: Show up!! Please show up!! For many reasons, the live music scene in Toronto has changed in many ways. People are busier than ever and in a city like Toronto have a multitude of choices when deciding how to spend their entertainment dollars and where to spend them. Folks don’t have to leave their living rooms to be entertained. Toronto is becoming increasingly affordable for only the “rich” and many people are simply trying to survive the cost of housing and transportation. I’m eternally grateful for the folks who continue to head out and choose live music as their choice of entertainment. We take a back seat to no other city in the world when it comes to the level of musicianship in the clubs and concert halls and I wish more people would get out and hear and see a live band because those of us over the age of 45 remember the joys of live music and a full venue.
JS: What specifically would you change about what goes on in the world and the arts?
GA: I would love to change the priority that live and recorded music and the arts has within our governments at all levels. Without getting into the gory details of the positive effects of music and the arts on a culture, not to mention the economy of a country or even a city, the arts and music need far more funding at every level, but especially within our educational systems from daycare through university and college.
JS: If you could relive one experience from your creative life, what would it be and why would you do so?
GA: In 2003 I recorded the first and only CD under my name called Glenn Anderson ‘Swingin’ the Blues’. I was very lucky to have some great players on it, some from as far away as New Orleans.
The recording venue had a beautiful grand piano that had just had a major overhaul and, unfortunately for our host, not to mention the session, the piano’s action did not take kindly to the work done on it, and our friend and a wonderful musician, pianist Bob George smiled and simply played on. We went ahead with the session and CD because, unfortunately, Bob passed away shortly after the session and there was no chance to head back into the studio. I would love to be able to do that session over for Bob’s sake. It was his last recording and I would have liked to have provided a better vehicle for his incredible playing. We all miss him.
JS: Tell us what it is like to be a figure, who is presented somehow in the media. What effect does this presence have on you?
GA: The role I play as a musician/drummer is, more often than not, a supportive one. For that reason, it is generally the person I am working for that is the focus of the media’s interest or criticism. In that circumstance, if I’m doing my job, I suppose I’m not drawing too much attention.
JS: Name two places you would like to visit, one you haven’t been to and one to experience again and briefly tell us why?
GA: Well, I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve been all over the world, but I’ve never been to New York City. There, I said it!! Haha! I know it’s sacrilege for anyone playing any kind of jazz not to have visited and/or studied in New York, but I haven’t. So, for obvious reasons, New York is on the list.
I visited and performed in Paris in 1977 with several bands while in high school and have never returned. Considering the history of the city, both musical and otherwise, I’d like to return for a visit and hopefully performance in Paris.
JS: Please tell us about one or more projects you have been working on, are preparing or recently completed. Why do they matter to you and why should they matter to us?
GA: One of the first genres of jazz I was exposed to was that of traditional or New Orleans jazz. I try not to use the word ‘Dixieland’ as it has a somewhat stereotyped connotation of loud music in striped vests and straw hats. Having played in many, many traditional jazz bands of note in Toronto I wanted to create a musical vehicle by which I could present traditional jazz alongside other musical traditions of New Orleans. In 2011, Toronto bassist Jack Zorawski and I invited singer/pianist Roberta Hunt (14 years with legendary trad jazz band Happy Pals) and acclaimed saxophonist Alison Young to form a band we called Red Hot Ramble. Trombonist Jamie Stager joined the band shortly thereafter. We’ve recorded two CDs, ‘Red Hot Ramble’ and ‘Some Swamp Stomp’ and are just now planning our third! We’re friends and musical colleagues and we’ve managed to weave the music of New Orleans through a Canadian musical perspective. It’s been a wonderful experience together that’s been evolving for over seven years now with no end in sight. There’s something still to be said for group of musicians getting together to create music live and doing so without reservation. I think there’s still some value in that.
JS: Let’s talk about the state of the arts in today’s society, including the forms in which you work. What specifically gives you hope and what specifically do you find depressing?
GA: Let’s start with the positive. There will always been a place in society for the arts. What role that plays often depends on where you’re talking about. When you live and perform the majority of your art in a major city like Toronto, one can often feel like the arts are being relegated to being a cultural afterthought. There is simply so much to do that a relatively unheralded club performance that’s happening might not necessarily be on everyone’s radars. Now take that performance to a smaller centre and it could be an extremely well-attended cultural event with a completely different significance to that immediate community. The value placed on the arts seems to vary from community to community throughout the country, but generally speaking if you’re willing to travel, there is still a real thirst for live music and the arts throughout Canada and I believe there always will be.
It gives me a great deal of hope to see the young and new musicians and artists that spring forth every year. While I have concerns about where all these amazing musicians are going to work and earn an actually living, all musicians and artists have this intangible tenacity for continuing to want to present meaningful art and music and somehow surviving.
On the not so positive side, I have a great deal of concern for what is happening to a city like Toronto in terms of uncontrollable growth that includes the endless destruction of neighbourhoods and communities where music was once heard in venue after venue. I’m concerned for the gentrification of the downtown core that once hosted the best and the brightest from the arts and music, but now presents endless rows of shoe stores, coffee shops and clothing stores that come and go with regularity, combined with rents so outrageously high that very few can afford the risk and finances of running a club that presents live music. Artists are being forced out of our cities to seek living space in communities where there is more affordable housing. While this creates new centres of artistic and musical expression, it is having a profound effect on the lives of musicians and artists. We live in a city that so desperately wants to be “world class” full of world class musicians yet those same musicians cannot park and unload their vehicles without getting a ticket. Musicians regularly work in a “pay what you can” scenario but this is hardly a living wage; we are not even covered by the latest minimum wage standards. That is the inherent risk of being involved in the arts. It is always a struggle for the vast majority of artists and it’s likely to continue on that way.
JS: Finally, what do you yourself find to be the most intriguing and/or surprising thing about you?
GA: I think the most surprising thing is that I’m still involved in playing music professionally. Despite having those moments of self-doubt and an everlasting love/hate relationship with the performing arts and the music world, I’m still here forty years later; playing drums and making great music with some of the most incredible musicians you’ll hear anywhere. Who’da thought?