My Interview with Composer, Jazz Pianist, & Instructor, Josh DiStefano

I had the pleasure of meeting Josh DiStefano through the Veterans in Residence – BunkerLabs – WeWork Partnership.  He is an accomplished Jazz Pianist, Teacher, Composer, and Arranger.

Check out his website for more information on this amazing musician/veteran entrepreneur!

www.joshdistefano.com

Or check at his latest project, theme music for the Podcast “Cohort W.”

My Interview with Josh DiStefano:

1. When was your first experience with music that you can remember?

My Mom is an accomplished pianist, and she used to play in the living room. My brother and I would listen and request our favorite tunes. I was especially fond of Scott Joplin.

2. Who has influenced, motivated, and inspired you in your music?

There’s a very involved question.

I’ve had so many fantastic mentors throughout the years it will be hard to choose just a few. My first piano teacher was Thom Teresi.  He taught me about the Blues, and encouraged me to explore my own interests. My time at Berklee was huge. Four years of total music immersion. Between the teachers, students and everything else. It was far more knowledge than I could hope to absorb at the time. But It opened my eyes to how much music was out there.

Once I was joined the Army, John Verner, Scott Headley & Andy Bourke were hugely influential on me as a young Soldier/musician. I was very green and they taught me how to be a professional gigging musician. Later in my career, working with Steve Mohacey was amazing and another period of musical growth. He encouraged my composing, and playing in his combo felt like musical finishing school. More recently, studying with Dean Schneider during Grad school was amazing, and a solid reminder that there is still so much I don’t know.

My life experiences are a huge part of my music. Getting married, becoming a parent, traveling the world, deploying to Iraq, playing in tons of different bands… anything I’ve seen or done that left an impression will eventually filter its’ way down into the music. And I feel very fortunate that I have experienced a lot.

Of course, I still get inspired by great music. But also, books, movies, art, etc… And I’m always on the lookout for the next thing that blows me away and gets the creative juices flowing.

3. What role has music played in your life?

Music has been a constant. As other things can ebb and flow, the music never does. My desire to play music/create music hasn’t changed since I began this journey. And the act of making music is fulfilling in a way that most other things are not.

4. When did you first realize that you wanted to focus on music?

When I was thinking about going to college. Music and swimming were my main interests. I still enjoy swimming, but it’s hardly an obsession like music.

5. When did you write your first composition?

At 14? I started writing music when I started learning to play. The two have always been connected for me.

6. Tell me about your compositional process.

I usually start with an idea: a groove, a melody, a chord progression, an emotion. I try and get that flushed out. Once it’s ready, I layer the other pieces on top, constantly tweaking and trying different variations until I’m satisfied. I do most of my work at the piano but will also sing ideas into the voice memos on my phone as they come to me.

7. Have you changed the way you teach and compose music during Covid19?

Everything I’ve done since Covid has been online. Which has had both advantages and disadvantages.

8. How has Covid19 changed your life?

Radically. I retired from the Army Band right as Covid reared up. I went from having a full-time job to being a stay-at-home parent for 3 kids. My respect and awe for stay-at-home parents have increased exponentially.

9. How did you feel when you published your first compositions?

When I released my CD, “Baghdad Blues,” I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.

10. Why do you write music, or do what you do in the field of music?

I write music because I love it. I love to collaborate with others to tell a story. I’ve been writing music for Podcasts and video games lately, and it’s so much fun. Music is just a different medium for conveying the same message, and that collaborative process of putting all the parts together to create something new is so exciting!

I also teach music because I love to see that spark in students, and I hope their journey will be as rewarding as mine has been.

11. Do you have a favorite genre or type of musical group to work with or write for?

Not really. I like variety, it keeps me from getting bored. Unless it’s music I’m going to be playing, then it’s usually under the Jazz umbrella – with lots of room for improvisation.

15. Do you use technology in your compositions, teaching, or business? If so, then how?

I teach lessons with Zoom. Notate music with Sibelius. And record with Logic.

16. Do you have any upcoming CDs or projects?

I’ve got a couple of long-term projects going on, but nothing coming up soon. That being said, I’m always open to new projects.

17. How do you promote your music?

Not well enough. One of the side effects of getting a regular paycheck in the Army was never having to hustle for my next gig. I would get paid either way. So now I’m trying to develop my networking and promotion skills. And since you’ve asked, I’ll plug a recent Podcast:https://youtu.be/R3Ge1MMKdk4

18. Do you have any advice for composers today?

As my Dad likes to say “There are many roads to Oz.” Not everybody will become the next John Williams or Hans Zimmer. But there are many ways to making a living in music. Don’t be afraid of unconventional choices, you never know where you might end up.

19. How did your decision to join the Army Band change you as a musician?

Joining the Army Band was the best musical decision I ever made. I didn’t join because I was super patriotic, this was the late 90’s and we weren’t at war. I just needed a job and a way to pay off my student loans.

Being in the Army Band both encouraged and required me to improve as a pianist, arranger, and composer. I was given all sorts of musical problems (many that I wouldn’t have chosen on my own) and had to find solutions. And through years of trial and error, I figured out what worked. Of course, being surrounded by great mentors and friends on similar journeys was extremely helpful. And this says nothing of the shared experiences, lifelong bonds formed, and feeling like I never had to grow up and get “a real job”. It was an amazing experience.

20. How do you want to be remembered?

As a good husband and father. A good friend who made people laugh. And if some of the music I’ve created made an impression on people, I would consider myself pretty lucky.