I will tell you up front that I am an unabashed Peter White fan. If the guitarist is not my favorite smooth-jazz artist, he certainly ranks in the top five. There are a number of reasons for that – predominantly musical, of course, but some personal ones as well.
The musical elements are evident enough to anyone whose spent time with such White albums as “Promenade” (1993), “Caravan of Dreams” (1996), “Perfect Moment” (1998) and “Glow” (2001). White consistently blends supple rhythms and ingratiating melodies with a warm and expressive guitar style. His original tunes have strong hooks and harmonies and his taste in covers is impressive. Whether you’re driving through the California countryside or trying to unwind after a difficult, urban day, White’s music can be positively therapeutic.
The personal side of the equation was explained, at least in part, in an earlier posting. I have interviewed White a couple of times and have always come away impressed by his warmth and wit. He comes across as a genuinely decent guy who loves playing for his audience and, in turn, truly appreciates them.
That audience is going to be happy to hear that White has a new album, “Good Day.” Due for release Tuesday, it follows the covers collection “Playing Favorites” (2006) and is White’s first disc of new material since “Confidential” (2004).
The spirit of the music is captured in the cover image of White, his guitar in his lap, sitting atop a fence in what looks to be a truly bucolic setting, say, Sonoma County. Here’s what White had to say about composing songs and his early years on the road and in the studio with Scottish singer-songwriter Al Stewart. Check out that duo in the vintage clip below.
Question: "Good Day" is your first album you’ve written in five years. Walk us through your composing process. Songs start with a melody, a guitar riff, an emotion? How do they take shape in the studio?
White: The songs that I write hardly ever start with a melody. Usually it's just me playing chords on a keyboard with a drum beat for accompaniment. The title song … was actually started by my friend Michael Egizi, who probably came up with it while ... noodling on a keyboard with a drum beat for accompaniment.
In that case, I liked the sound of the track and played guitar over the top of it and had the melody in a few minutes. Other songs come from a feeling or riding a bike or driving. Usually, the melody is the last thing, almost an afterthought, like icing on a well-baked cake. I don't know if anyone else writes like this – it might be quite unusual.
I have written songs in the back of a taxi, when a repeated phrase (riff) will come to me, like “Promenade” on my third CD. When you hear the intro on most songs I have written, you are invariably hearing in real time how the song first came to me. Then comes the melody. That's why I hardly ever play guitar on the intro to my songs – I want you to hear the music the way I first heard it.
In the studio, I either play everything myself or I bring in my favorite musicians, like Phillipe Saisse on keyboard and Simon Phillips on drums. Then I let them do what they do best and will only offer a suggestion as a last resort. I let them play the way they feel it and if something needs changing, it can often be done with computer editing later. This way, I don't inhibit the flow when they are playing and being creative.
Question: There is an entire school of smooth jazz based around nylon-string classical guitars, the leading practitioners of which include yourself, Marc Antoine, Greg Carmichael. How did you, personally, settle on that instrument as opposed to steel-string acoustic or just electric guitar?
White: I didn't realize there was a school of nylon-string guitar players in smooth jazz – I thought it was more like a rarefied atmosphere. You have named two others, both friends of mine, and there is also my great idol, Earl Klugh. And that is about it over a 30-year period! The list is really quite short.
I really didn't choose the nylon string guitar – it chose me. I started playing with Al Stewart's band in 1975 as a keyboard player; he didn't know I could play the guitar. When he did find out, he decided to try me out on a song called "On the Border” on his "Year of the Cat" album. He wanted a Spanish-guitar sound and when I told him that I didn't have one, he gave me his.
That song became a big part of his show and became the only thing that I was remembered for. No one remembered anything I did on the keyboard – just the nylon-string guitar, which I played for one song. So that became my main instrument and everyone who heard me play it would encourage me to record a CD of nylon-string guitar music. So I did. I still enjoy playing keyboards, however and do so on most of my CDs – accordion as well!
Question: "Say Goodnight" on the new album is a tip of the hat to your days with Al. As you look back, what did you gain from that experience, not only musically but in terms of what it takes to thrive in the music business?
White: I learned a hell of a lot from Al – how to construct a song, how to construct a show, how to talk to the audience, how to adapt constantly. We started out with a big band in the ‘70s and ended up as a duo in the ‘90s. It was out of necessity but we hardly ever stopped working.
Showmanship was key and Al would delight in hiring musicians who were dynamic performers, never once worrying about being upstaged. He would write great songs and then present them in a way that was true to the recording, but with added drama for the live show.
So how to thrive in the music business? There are two answers to this question. Pick the one that applies to you...
As a musician, learn to be versatile. If I was just a guitar player, I would never had got the job with Al Stewart (he already had a guitar player) and I would never have come from a small town in England to tour America at the age of 20 and play on a millions-selling album by the time I was 22. It changed my life.
As an artist, it's very simple. Record a song that no one can resist. You will work forever.
NEXT: Recent under-the-radar CDs you don't want to miss.
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