Ben Shankland, pianist & composer

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

The first people to inspire my love for music were of course my parents. Their encouragement and support throughout my journey so far has been endless. On the practical side of things, the many brilliant tutors and mentors I’ve been lucky enough to learn from over the years were the people who inspired me to work on honing my craft. But overall, my biggest source of inspiration is the music itself – I’m always chasing that incomparable feeling of listening to something that resonates with you in a way nothing else can.

Who or what have been the most significant influences on your musical life and career?

I think the standout influence on my playing has to be Fred Hersch: to me he is the modern example of complete piano mastery. But there are many – some musicians who I’ve been really influenced by recently are Sullivan Fortner, Ethan Iverson and Cecile McLorin Salvant. I also love visual art, and often draw influence from paintings. The musicians I collaborate with are also a very important influence.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

My career is still in its early stages, and so a constant challenge I find myself thinking about is the idea of finding my own voice. With so much amazing music in the world, these days all so easily accessible, I think it can be really difficult to feel like you are expressing something personal when you play, especially in an improvisatory context, and not just imitating someone else. 

Of which performances/recordings are you most proud?

I’m proud of the performances my trio are giving at the moment – it’s really fulfilling to see the impact your original music has on audiences. A particular set of performances I feel deeply proud of, though, were my performances of Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra last year. It’s always been a dream of mine to play as a soloist with orchestra, and I was lucky enough to have that happen. 

What do you do offstage that provides inspiration on stage?

I find a great deal of inspiration in experiencing the work of other artists. I try to see all kinds of other musicians play as much as possible, as well as other kinds of artists. I also think a big factor in having ‘inspiration’ on stage is actually just having enough energy and inspiration in life generally. For me that can mean enjoying all sorts of the simple things in life – spending time with friends and family, enjoying a nice meal, or watching TV.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

These days I find trying to measure success in clear or objective ways a fairly futile endeavour. The way I look at it links to the challenge I talked about earlier, in that I feel successful when I’ve managed to express something personal and truly connect with the musicians I’m playing with. Sometimes I finish a gig and there’s a feeling that I managed to build a really strong connection with the other musicians and the audience. For me that is the feeling of success.

What advice would you give to young or aspiring musicians?

I would say to have an open mind. I think this is one of the best traits to have as a musician and person – as soon as you close things off or put yourself in a box it can only limit you. I also think listening to as much music as possible is really important, especially live where possible. But the bottom line is always just to go for it! The joy playing music brings is like nothing else.

What’s the one thing we’re not talking about in the music industry which you really feel we should be?

When I read this one issue immediately came to mind, but it’s actually something I wish we could not talk about as much – genre. We see it within the jazz world all the time, with a sense of needing to label the kind of jazz we’re playing and fit neatly into said label, then in the divide between jazz and classical music, and then more broadly in the divide between these ‘art’ musics and more popular styles. I think that this can cause barriers to listeners accessing different styles of music as they have preconceived ideas of what they do and don’t like. But it also has an impact on musicians – people can be less likely to play a different style or with someone else who usually plays in a certain style or write music in a certain way, and I think the concept as a whole poses a risk of limiting creativity. 

What next? Where would you like to be in 10 years time?

Making music with other people. I’m not really too concerned with what form this takes, but I’d like to think of it involving me writing more music and working with those who have become my favourite collaborators.

What is your present state of mind?

I’m very grateful for where I am at the moment, and excited for everything that is still to come.

Ben Shankland performs at Cafe Yukari in Kew, west London, on Wednesday 3 April. Find out more / book tickets

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benshankland.co.uk