Oberlin Portrait: Andy Hunter

Trombonist Andy Hunter, who graduated in May 2002 with a bachelor of music degree in jazz performance and a bachelor of arts degree in East Asian studies, has studied trombone with renowned trombonist Robin Eubanks and Professor of Trombone James DeSano of the Cleveland Orchestra, and he has performed with such luminaries as Billy Hart, assistant professor of jazz percussion, and Marcus Belgrave, visiting professor of jazz trumpet.

Four days before graduation, Hunter won the 2002 Frank Rosolino Jazz Solo Competition sponsored by the International Trombone Association. With other accolades that include a 1997 Downbeat Music Award for Composition and designation as the top college soloist in the 2001 Detroit International Jazz Festival, Hunter's talents have hardly gone unnoticed.

But as his degrees from Oberlin indicate, he has interests beyond the horn.

Hunter's studies in Chinese language and literature have complemented his musical growth. In November 2001, He received a major grant from Oberlin Shansi to document the rise and development of the jazz scene in Taipei, Taiwan, and Shanghai, a winter-term project. He had spent a semester in Shanghai the previous year, performing four nights a week with some of the city's jazz groups.

Hunter views music and language -- two of his passions -- as ”similar, if not the same, beasts that just happen to have different lexicons.”

His way of interpreting how people use language and music to communicate is aptly suited to jazz; he equates music to the experience of life itself: ”Music is a culture of communication. This is especially true of jazz. You've got to be able to deal with the humanistic side of it. In many ways, music is a microcosm of life; you have to deal with your own personality, frustrations, and tensions.”

Hunter's current projects include a CD release, forthcoming in 2003; playing in Jerry Bruno's live studio band for the PAX television talk show “Live with David Lynch;” and membership in three popular area bands: the Dukes of Wail, Ernie Krivda's Fat Tuesday Big Band, and La Orquesta de Sammy DeLeon.

For more information about Hunter and his upcoming performances, visit his website at http://www.oberlin.edu/~ahunter/Web.html

A Conservatory Portrait Conversation with Andy Hunter:

What inspired you to become a musician? What keeps you inspired on discouraging days?

I don't really have a musical family; I just kind of fell into it. Other musicians have inspired me the most. When I was very young, my friend's uncle had a Dixieland jazz band that he and I used to imitate. I was blessed with a good ear and have always loved picking things up from recordings -- everything from Michael Jackson to great jazz.

The fact that I have another gig booked tomorrow and must practice is what keeps me inspired when discouraged. Having regular performances scheduled keeps me going.

What is the most memorable performance you've seen, and why?

There have been so many that have blown me away, but I tend to think that the most memorable performance is happening right now. We're actively involved in performance as we speak; jazz is a musical language, improvised in the same way that speech is improvised.

If you could perform with any musician, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you perform?

I'd love to perform with Billy Hart and Robin Eubanks again. John McLaughlin, because he is a well-rounded musician who explores different genres of music. Zakir Hussein, a tabla player, and Ravi Shankar. What would we perform? I look to McLaughlin's music as a great fusion of jazz and Indian classical music -- a direction my ears are leading me toward right now. I would want to perform with Orpheus and understand how he played the lyre; these things inspire my imagination as well.

If you could master another instrument, what would it be?

There are actually two. One is the piano, because each finger can almost be a separate entity, a separate line. Piano informs jazz playing like no other instrument in terms of harmonies and voicings, and how to play within and without chord changes. The other is the tabla. I'm fascinated with the rhythms of Indian classical music. This is my project now.

If you were not a musician, what other profession would you choose, and what profession would you definitely NOT choose?

I definitely would not be a businessman, although music requires good business sense. If I had another profession, I'd be a linguist or multi-language interpreter, and if I didn't spend all this time practicing, I'd spend it improving my Spanish and Japanese. I'd do something with international relations or linguistics, because I'm interested in people and communication.

What do you listen to for inspiration? What do you listen to in your free time?

Aren't they the same? I really enjoy checking out different folk music throughout the world, whether it be the folk music in China, Japan, and India that's captured my imagination for a long time, bluegrass in the United States, or gypsy music in the Balkans. Jazz comes from folk music, and that spurs my interest.

What do you like to read?

The last three years have been devoted primarily to Chinese literature, particularly T'ang Dynasty poetry. I used to like science fiction, including Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, and Isaac Asimov; Herman Hesse was another childhood favorite. More recently I've been checking out Kurt Vonnegut. I like to broaden my knowledge with reading.

What are three words that best describe you?

Fortunate, passionate, stubborn.

Editor's Note: Conservatory students interested in applying for Oberlin Shansi's In-Asia Study Grants may contact Yukiko Ebara by phone at ext. 8605 or by email at yukiko.ebara@oberlin.edu.