Hey there one & all its your old friend DJ Dizzy here & I'm back with another interview this time around enjoy
Intoduction: Award-winning Icelandic composer (and crime author!) Ingvi Thor Kormaksson has a new single 'So Nice' out with his band project Latin Faculty in three forms - English, Icelandic and Instrumental out now on all platforms.
How'd you get started in music?
I started playing drums in a boarding-school band. I'd had some
basic training in a boys' marching band, and some piano lessons as well.
I remember we did a lot of Kinks covers. Next winter I was in Reykjavik, and
bought an electric organ (Farfisa) and took private lessons in Jazz theory,
playing chords on piano along with my mentor grabbing whatever instrument
was handy to play the melody line. That winter set me going to start playing
in Dance and Rock bands on keyboard for the next twenty years. Lots of practice that way. When I quit that business I realised I didn't enjoy that stuff at all and turned to songwriting, and played in a Blues/Jazz ensemble (JJ Soul Band) for a while. The band made four albums filled with our own music. Besides that I made albums with various Icelandic singers, that my friends produced, always with versatile top-notch musicians. Lyrics were in Icelandic, but some of this stuff is found as instrumentals on an album called Instrumental Collection.
Who are your inspirations or influences?
First influences were from the beat-groups of UK; Kinks, Animals, Stones, Beatles, etc. Later came War and Steely Dan. Then as I delved more into Jazz-Fusion, it was Headhunters (with Herbie Hancock), the funky Ramsey Lewis Trio (from the early seventies). Brian Bennett drummer from the Shadows was also a big influence with his solo album, Change of Direction. Also the cool and soul jazz guys; Horace Silver, Lee Morgan and many more. Then, not least, is the Brazilian influence in all its splendour, the songwriters and the performers.
What advice would you offer aspiring performers?
I really do not have any advice as a performer, as I tended to stay in the background, but as a songwriter I have only one advice: stay true to yourself and what you stand for.
How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?
On the second album I did, I tried to do some stuff that I thought would be popular, with catastrophic results. That album is nowhere on music sites yet, and maybe never will. It's possible I'll look at it later, and see the bright spots.
But after that fiasco I decided that I would write only the music that popped up in my head in a natural way, even though it was very much possible that no one would like my endeavours at all. But usually music finds its way to people, if only few, who appreciate it.
Any new gigs or albums in the future?
I quit playing myself in public twenty years ago but occasionally lend a hand in a studio. Latin Faculty is a collective of musicians, friends and friends of friends, performing my music in the studio only, not elsewhere. So the music is only for recording and eventually being published on music sites. Maybe there'll be a few CDs made. I like CDs, which definitely must mean that I'm old! My current radio single 'So Nice' with Latin Faculty is out now in three forms - English, Icelandic and Instrumental - on all platforms via the HYRNJANDI imprint now.
