Terence Blanchard has made a contribution to jazz music for over 30 years.
Now, the jazz trumpeter and artistic director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance has bagged his second Grammy award in two years, making it his fifth Grammy of his career.
Blanchard won his latest award, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, for the song “Dancin’ 4 Chicken” from the album “Watts” by drummer Jeff “Train” Watts.
Blanchard spoke in Nunemaker Hall Thursday, Feb. 4, five days after receiving the award. Among the topics discussed was Blanchard’s work as artistic director in the Monk Institute, his work on composing film scores, and the experiences he has had working with the likes of director Spike Lee, jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and singer/performer Beyoncé.
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Basically that’s what happened to me,” he said during his talk after being asked about composing the score for director Spike Lee’s 1990 film, “Jungle Fever,” which marked his debut as a score composer and his work on all of Lee’s films since.
“Spike is very knowledgeable about music, even though he tries to pretend he’s not,” Blanchard said.
Blanchard is currently composing the score for the upcoming film, “Red Tails,” directed by Anthony Hemingway and produced by George Lucas. The movie is based on the first black combat pilots in the United States Army Corps, who fought in the Second World War.
He described the composing process and his intent to bring what he describes as the “African American essence” into the film.
“I really try to get to know the film,” he said. “I’m always very eager to get a copy of the film rather quickly.”
The audience reacted jovially to his account of working with a young Beyoncé Knowles on her first Pepsi Cola commercial.
“Beyoncé came into the studio and she was on it, man … I think sometimes people underestimate the level of talent that successful people have,” he said of the R&B singer and fellow Grammy award winner. “The funny part about the story was getting rid of the Coke cans before the Pepsi people arrived,” he added with a laugh.
Blanchard has been teaching students in the Monk Institute, formerly located in the University of Southern California, for 10 years.
“The first thing that I tell (my students) is that whatever they’re thinking is not necessarily wrong. I tell them to be comfortable with themselves,” he said. “Some of the earliest kids in the institute were ridiculed and now they’re admired. When you see talent, you need to recognize it for what it is — not fear it, not ignore it.”
Geenah Acevedo can be reached at [email protected]
