{"id":17720,"date":"2017-10-06T00:04:02","date_gmt":"2017-10-06T07:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/?p=17720"},"modified":"2017-10-06T00:08:06","modified_gmt":"2017-10-06T07:08:06","slug":"video-web-exclusive-interview-mallet-jason-malletman-taylor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2017\/10\/video-web-exclusive-interview-mallet-jason-malletman-taylor\/","title":{"rendered":"Video &#038; Web-Exclusive Interview MALLET \/ JASON \u201cMALLETMAN\u201d TAYLOR"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17730\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-8.jpg\" alt=\"Mallet-8\" width=\"660\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-8.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-8-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/h1>\n<h1>Video Feature &amp; Web-Exclusive Interview<br \/>\nMusician:\u00a0 <strong>MALLET \/ JASON \u201cMALLETMAN\u201d TAYLOR<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>Video:\u00a0 <strong>Flying Home (with Bernard \u201cPretty\u201d Purdie)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MYjoC5pU8BU\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>MALLET \/ JASON \u201cMALLETMAN\u201d TAYLOR Web-Exclusive Interview<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>with\u00a0<em>M Music &amp; Musicians<\/em>\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jason \u201cMalletman\u201d Taylor is a master of the vibraphone. Mallet, as he is known to most of the musicians he\u2019s played with, is the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 of the incomparable Lionel Hampton. Mallet continues in that tradition, and explores new boundaries with his own music on the new EP <em>It\u2019s a Groove<\/em>, produced by Eric \u201cE-Bass\u201d Johnson. He brings a combination of funk, R&amp;B and jazz with appearances by George Clinton, Tony Terry, Devone \u201cDa-vine Tuch\u201d Allison and others.<\/p>\n<p>At age 12, Mallet started playing the drums, and was soon introduced to Lionel Hampton\u2019s music. He became dedicated to mastering the vibes just like Hampton on the xylophone, and soon fell in love with the vibraphone. He toured the U.S. and Europe with Hampton and his 18-piece band. Mallet also lived with Hampton\u2014and gained priceless personal training and experience.<\/p>\n<p>Mallet, a Yamaha artist and clinician, presents music clinics and master classes throughout the United States at schools, colleges, music stores and churches. He uses Mike Balter Mallets, Dream Cymbals, and AKG mics and headphones. Mike Balter honored Mallet with his very own signature mallets\u2014that he carries around with him all the time in his Reunion Blues Gig Bags and Cases.<\/p>\n<p>Mallet will be on the west coast for a special in-store appearance at a unique record store in Torrance, CA called P.M. Sounds\u2014this Saturday, October 7, 2017 from 2 PM \u2013 4 PM. Owner Erving Johnson is one of the nicest and most knowledgeable musicologists who specializes in vinyl.<\/p>\n<p>We talked with Mallet about the importance of learning from a master like Lionel Hampton, and continuing that tradition for a new generation.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17729\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-7.jpg\" alt=\"Mallet-7\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-7.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-7-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why is the Vibraphone so special to you?<\/strong><br \/>\nTo me the vibraphone is the most beautiful-looking and beautiful-sounding instrument in the world\u2014especially when it\u2019s played correctly. It\u2019s the instrument that speaks to me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How did the album <em>It\u2019s a Groove<\/em> evolve?<\/strong><br \/>\nR&amp;B music was placed into my soul in the early 70s. One of my blessings came true where I got signed to George Clinton and Steve Washington\u2019s label TFL. We recorded and mastered two songs, and they ended up being locked in the vault, for legal reasons, back in the early 90s. After that I released <em>Live at Mallet\u2019s Place<\/em>, under Mallet Records [project MR-008A], back in 2005. I just got lost in the whole world of\u2014how do I continue? I went to my prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Devone \u201cDa-Vine Tuch\u201d Allison to help get all my recordings out. With all the sad news happening in the world, I felt that after 12 years of no releases, it was time for some good vibes to hit the market.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17728\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-6.jpg\" alt=\"Mallet-6\" width=\"660\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-6.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-6-300x190.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>How did you get this amazing cast of guests on this album?<\/strong><br \/>\nIf you put your best foot forward and stay humble, it can always happen. Let\u2019s face it: I listened to the <em>best<\/em>. I\u2019ve been around the <em>best<\/em>. I tried to learn from the <em>best<\/em>. I\u2019ve performed with the <em>best<\/em>. So I asked the <em>best<\/em>, if you support my quest\u2014I will do the <em>rest<\/em>. (<em>Laughs<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which track are you so thankful made it onto this recording?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy original entitled \u201cYou.\u201d I feel it\u2019s a complete song and I am so happy that my good friend and two-time Soul Train Music Awards vocalist Tony Terry sang the cut for me<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s the biggest lesson you learned from playing with Lionel Hampton?<\/strong><br \/>\nTo make sure I play the vibraphone well, hit the stage as a complete package\u2014and to be a good entertainer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you consider yourself a songwriter or a composer?<\/strong><br \/>\nI would say more of a songwriter. I think I do what most songwriters do. Grab onto sad days, happy days and unusual situations in everyday life\u2014then figure out how to place it into sounds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who inspired you compose music?<\/strong><br \/>\nSongs by the greats\u2014like Erroll Garner\u2019s \u201cMisty,\u201d Lionel Hampton\u2019s \u201cHamp\u2019s Boogie Woogie,\u201d Lionel Richie\u2019s \u201cStill,\u201d Earth Wind &amp; Fire\u2019s \u201cAfter the Love Has Gone\u201d [written by David Foster, Jay Graydon and Bill Champlin], Carole King\u2019s \u201c(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman\u201d [co-written with Gerry Goffin], and \u201cYour Song\u201d by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17727\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-4-with-Lionel-Hampton.jpg\" alt=\"Mallet-4 - with Lionel Hampton\" width=\"640\" height=\"478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-4-with-Lionel-Hampton.jpg 640w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-4-with-Lionel-Hampton-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What instruments and equipment can you not live without?<\/strong><br \/>\nI must have my Yamaha YV-3400 and YV-3910 vibes. Yamaha is my voice. It\u2019s a blessing to be a part of the Yamaha family. I do percussion clinics and demonstrations for schools, churches and colleges. I\u2019ve been with them for 26 years. John Wittmann at Yamaha is like a big brother to me, along with Troy Wollwage. And I can\u2019t do much as a mallet player without my Mike Balter Mallets signature mallet collection. I use a Korg T3 workstation keyboard\u2014thanks to my brother-in-law Richie Albert. I am an ambassador of AKG Harman microphones and headphones\u2014the best sound ever. I endorse Dream Cymbals and use their 16\u2019\u2019 energy crash for excitement on stage. Mandatory to all of this\u2014I endorse Reunion Blues stick bags. I carry my mallets seven days a week. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) Seriously\u2014I have them with me <em>all <\/em>the time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who are the Top 5 Musicians\u00a0who inspired you to become a Musician?<\/strong><br \/>\nLionel Hampton, James Brown, Earth Wind and Fire, George Benson, Ohio Players.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Top 5 favorite albums of all time?<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Lionel<\/em> (1983) \u2013 Lionel Hampton<br \/>\n<em>Breezin\u2019<\/em> (1976) \u2013 George Benson<br \/>\n<em>Fire<\/em> (1974) \u2013 Ohio Players<br \/>\n<em>Shout! (Shout It Out)<\/em> (1978) \u2013 B.T. Express<br \/>\n<em>Greatest Hits<\/em> (1966) \u2013 The Temptations<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17726\" style=\"width: 670px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17726\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17726\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-3-with-Devon-Allison-Photo-credit-Keith-Major.jpg\" alt=\"Mallet with Devon Allison - Photo credit Keith Major\" width=\"660\" height=\"515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-3-with-Devon-Allison-Photo-credit-Keith-Major.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-3-with-Devon-Allison-Photo-credit-Keith-Major-300x234.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17726\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mallet with Devon Allison &#8211; Photo credit Keith Major<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>What Performing Rights Organization are you with?<\/strong><br \/>\nI am a songwriter with BMI. I get paid, and my songs get placed with other great songwriters and publishers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A \u201cpinch me\u201d moment where you thought, \u201c<em>Wow, this is really happening to me!<\/em>\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\nI have had a few. More recently, in 2010 I was asked to play at the NJ Hall of Fame Awards. Les Paul\u2019s son Rusty Paul asked me to play vibes in his All-Star Band. It\u2019s on YouTube. I got to play with Ace Frehley (Kiss), Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Robert Randolph (Family Band) and Rusty Paul. I felt like this day officially made me an entertainer. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) When I got off stage, actress Susan Sarandon said, \u201cHey Malletman, not bad.\u201d That was a pinch me moment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you remember the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio?<\/strong><br \/>\nYes. I was signed with Trebb Records in upstate NY, listening to K-104 in Beacon, NY and they played both my songs \u201cSunkist Vibes\u201d and \u201cLook.\u201d I was in my living room\u2014alone. I tried to call <em>everyone<\/em> local, with <em>no<\/em> results. (<em>Laughs<\/em>) They were all at work. It was a kind of validation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best advice someone has given you.<\/strong><br \/>\nOn a bus in Switzerland, Dizzy Gillespie told me, \u201cGo ahead man, and play with everybody.<br \/>\nIt doesn\u2019t have to be just jazz. Look at me, I played on Stevie Wonder\u2019s album.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17725\" style=\"width: 670px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17725\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17725\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-2-Photo-credit-Keith-Major.jpg\" alt=\"Photo credit Keith Major\" width=\"660\" height=\"879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-2-Photo-credit-Keith-Major.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-2-Photo-credit-Keith-Major-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-2-Photo-credit-Keith-Major-300x399.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17725\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo credit Keith Major<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Best advice you\u2019d like to give upcoming musicians.<\/strong><br \/>\nSomeone told me: Be the best you can be. Everything that you\u2019re going through is just preparing you for what you asked for. So I say: persevere\u2014keep doing it. <em>Never<\/em> give up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s next?<\/strong><br \/>\nI\u2019m doing promotional tour dates for the new CD, <em>It\u2019s a Groove<\/em>, including California this weekend\u2014where I\u2019m presenting a Master Class clinic at Murrieta Mesa High School on October 6. It\u2019s great to teach kids. I think it\u2019s important to continue the tradition of passing on this music to a new generation. I will also do a few in-store appearances including Old Town Records in Temecula, CA (Friday, Oct 6 from 5 PM to 6:30 PM0, and another one at a unique record store in Torrance, CA called P.M. Sounds\u2014this Saturday, October 7, 2017 from 2 PM \u2013 4 PM. And then \u2026 more tour dates.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where can your new fans stay updated?<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.malletsplace.com\">www.malletsplace.com<\/a><br \/>\nInstagram: jmalletsplace<br \/>\nFacebook: Jason \u201cMalletman\u201d Taylor<br \/>\nSongs on: iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon.com<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17724\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-5-album-cover.jpg\" alt=\"Mallet-5 - album cover\" width=\"660\" height=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-5-album-cover.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-5-album-cover-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Mallet-5-album-cover-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Video Feature &amp; Web-Exclusive Interview Musician:\u00a0 MALLET \/ JASON \u201cMALLETMAN\u201d TAYLOR Video:\u00a0 Flying Home (with Bernard \u201cPretty\u201d Purdie) MALLET \/ JASON \u201cMALLETMAN\u201d TAYLOR Web-Exclusive Interview with\u00a0M Music &amp; Musicians\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David Jason \u201cMalletman\u201d Taylor is a master of the vibraphone. Mallet, as he is known to most of the musicians he\u2019s played with, is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17722,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7725],"tags":[4265,5097,9921,5793,9924,9922,9923,6034,9925,9926,9927,9928,9929,9930,6775,8128,5879,9931,9932,5736,8143,9933,9934,9935,9936,9937,7931,1063,1383,9938,9939,9940,3990,9941,9942,2633,8465,7222,9943,8155,8935,9944,3823,9945,9946,9947,9948,9949,4260,9950,9951,2728,9952,9953,9954,9955,10161,7566,9956,9957,9958,9959,3010,9960,9961,9962,7978,9963,9964,9965,9966,9967,9968,9969,3203,9971,9972,9970,9973,2283,9975,9976,9974,9977,8724,9978,5372,9979,9980,9981,9982,8615,9983,9984,9985,9986,9987,2591,9988,9989,9990],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17720"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17720"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17731,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17720\/revisions\/17731"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}