3:50pm Friday 20th August 2010
Benet McLean, is one half of a pair of successful musical siblings. His brother Viv is a renowned classical pianist but Benet chose to follow a jazzier path.
He spoke to Will Gore ahead of a gig at The Bull’s Head about how he got into music, who inspires him and how he taught himself to play jazz.
Will Gore: What have you got planned for The Bull's Head show?
Benet McLean: Various selections from my first two albums, Cliches For Another Day and In The Land of Oo-Bla-Dee, as well as various jazz standards and favourite pieces.
WG: How did you make you first forays into music?
BM: I don’t remember this but apparently, when I was three years old, I used to beg my parents to buy me a violin. I must have heard one on the radio or TV. They were not musicians themselves but eventually they gave in. I don’t remember too much about it, but I remember I loved it. I also got into writing pieces of music very early on.
WG: Your brother Viv is a successful classical pianist – how did you end up following different musical paths?
BM: When we were growing up, my brother was the classical pianist and I was the classical violinist. Through my teen years though, although I was following the violin route practicing a lot and studying to be a concert violinist, I had discovered jazz, which had a concept very different from the classical music we studied. I was always composing and improvising too though so I think it was probably quite a natural thing to get more and more into jazz.
WG: Is the jazz scene in a healthy state at the moment?
BM: I find guys like Jason Yarde, Django Bates, Steve Williamson and even some of the younger guys now who are coming up really inspiring.
WG: What do you do when you are not playing music?
BM: Just simple things really, hanging out with friends, watching a good film, and trying to tidy up my place.
The Benet McLean Quartet, The Bull’s Head, Barnes, August 24, 8.30pm, £10, the bull shead.com/benetmclean. com
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