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008 Pedro Segundo – Jam Session Culture, Making Meaningful Connections, and Enjoying the Process

by tannerguss on November 4, 2019

Pedro Segundo – world renowned percussionist and sound wizard – joins Tanner Guss to discuss jam session culture, making meaningful connections, enjoying the process, and practicing positivity.

“You just have 4 beats to enjoy, repeatedly. Then you can start to add some sugar.”

Listen

Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Play • YouTube

Actionable Advice

  • Hit the positivity shed. Practice being positive! Just like music it takes regular work to cultivate a healthy outlook on yourself and your life.
  • “No gig is yours, so enjoy it while you’re there.” Don’t take it personally if you need to move on a gig. Thank them for the opportunity, and pass it on to someone else who deserves it!
  • “There is no such a thing as what not to do, or what to do. Just be yourself, enjoy the gig, say hello, say goodbye, and until next time.” This is probably the only advice on “networking” you’ll ever need.
  • Treat music making as a chance to meet the other person. It’s not really a conversation if you do all of the talking.
  • “It doesn’t have to be happy smiley all the time to be happy. Just be content.”

Coda Questions

  • What’s your go to feel good album? Peter Gabrielle’s So and Bernardo Sassetti Trio 
  • What’s the best advice about happiness you’ve received? Smile to your day.
  • Who’s a musician you know living a happy, healthy, and fulfilling career? Jamison Ross (see Ep. 005) and Leland Sklar 
  • What advice would you give to young musicians?Well done for choosing this path. If you’ve decided to do this it’s because you know you have something to say. Let your voice grow and be patient.
  • What is your purpose as a musician? To make people have a good time. For a couple hours let them be in the room with you and somehow forget about what’s going on. That’s kind of a naive way to look at it because not everyone is ready for that. Outside of music it’s to remind people that we need each other and you can’t do this alone.

Also Mentioned

  • Pedro Segundo: Newsletter, Instagram
  • Featured Track: Bandcamp
  • Ronnie Scott’s: Website
  • Judith Owen: Website
  • Leland Sklar: Facebook
  • Hot Clube De Portugal: Website
  • Guildhall School: Website
  • Stanton Moore: Website 
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