麻豆约拍

Xhosa Cole (saxophone)

Describe the whole 麻豆约拍 Young Jazz Musician experience in three words...

Unexpected, uplifting, fantastic.

Why did you enter?

I had never really considered it before, as my expectation from having seen it on TV was that there were very few people from my financial and cultural background on the show and that I wouldn’t be able to achieve that kind of level of musicianship before I was well above the age limit. During the summer of 2018 when I was 20, I was with some friends who were music students chatting between classes with one of their teachers Mark Hodgson, and we got on to the subject of the 麻豆约拍YJM 2018. I then found out after looking into it online that I was within the age restriction by almost exactly one month and that the deadline was the following day. So I dug out some footage of me playing and entered the competition with a ‘let’s see what will happen’ type approach.

What were you expecting? How did that compare to the actual experience?

I honestly don’t know what I was expecting. I had quite a strong sense when the show was on telly and I was younger that this was so far from what I could realistically achieve within the time frame that it had not crossed my mind too much. When we had this conversation about the competition I’d changed and grown a lot as a person and as a player so I guess there was some sense of wanting to embrace the challenge and see just how far the work I’d put in over the past few years could take me.

In terms of the format of the competition itself, I think I came in feeling blessed to be a part of the experience. If I did have a goal it was to get to the final. It was a huge honour to represent and be represented on such a huge platform and so I found the whole process to be more of a celebration. There was an amazing team of people from the young musicians to Gwilym and the band through to all the amazing staff at the 麻豆约拍. I think we’re lucky on the jazz side of things in this context, because the music that each contestant brings to the table is so varied and diverse, there’s less of a feeling of competition or being measured. For us it was just a great hang and a celebration of young talent in the UK.

Bearing in mind that there can only be one winner, what are the other benefits that make it worth entering?

As I said earlier I never came into the competition wanting to win. Of course there were times in the run up where I’d consider what would happen if I did win, what that would feel like, but ultimately for me it always has been so much more to me than that. To be considered in this calibre of musicians is a huge honour and is completely humbling, so the competition aspect, and therefore the winning, means very little when compared to the celebration of young British talent which is what this is all about. The competition is a great way to challenge yourself, throw your name into the hat and see what it drives you to do and how it drives you to play.

How hard is the whole experience? Is it fun?

At the foundation of this music there is the idea that with every challenge comes the opportunity for growth. That’s why we challenge ourselves in the practice room and that's why we get up at jam sessions and that’s why I entered the competition. I knew that regardless of the outcome the process would be one of great learning and development. Of course there were extremely nerve wracking moments and many, many hours put away practising in preparation for the different stages, but these challenges are nothing but blessings considering the lessons we learn from them. I would say that one of the biggest challenges with a competition like this is maintaining a strong sense of direction throughout the process. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the pressure of the moment and the deadlines but the journey of pursuing jazz music is so much more than any one performance. This is a lifetime commitment, so in the approach to the competition and after the competition it’s important to maintain vigilance on the bigger picture and keep striving to move forward.

Was it nerve wracking? What was your scariest moment?

For me personally the semi-finals were the most nerve wracking. If I had a goal it was to represent and be represented on that platform, as I’d not seen anyone like me in that position before. In that way the stakes were very high for me. After that, once I’d found out I was going to be at the final it was a celebration, lots of hard work practising but a celebration nonetheless.

What was it like, dealing with TV cameras and interviews?

I’m probably a bit of a diva. I’m the youngest of three, so have always fought for a bit of attention. I think the key when dealing with big lights and cameras and all that is to focus on the person you’re speaking to. I want to talk to people, not cameras, and I think that's why I get away with it. It’s best to have a strong sense of who you are and always try to get as close to that as possible because that's what makes you great on and off camera. There was a funny moment in the dress run where an automated camera down by my shoes shot across the stage and made me jump pahaha!

What was it like, working with Gwilym and the trio (and the trio at the semi-finals)?

What a great band! I always hear over and over again that the best way to get better is to play with people that are better than you. For me I’ve always sought out these opportunities and in some ways this was no different. Gwilym in particular is a phenomenal musician, no doubt. His ears are phenomenal and he opens up a dialogue within the music and also frames whatever you play so beautifully. Likewise for the band in the semis [Huw Warren, Steve Watts, Rod Youngs]. It was great to play with those guys and it’s been nice to share the band stand with a couple of them since.

How did it feel to get to play your own music at the final?

As most people know because I say it over and over again I’m a Brummie and proud. The original that I brought to the final was a tune called ‘Moving Ladywood’. It’s the title track from a suite of music that I wrote for a Birmingham-based project called For-Wards and celebrates the Ladywood Ward, where I was born and went to school and had my very first saxophone lessons. To be able to bring this side of myself to a national platform and to share the spirit of Birmingham was a great treat. I love this tune, honestly it feels like home for me, that's why I opened with it. It was an emotional experience as I dedicated it to the late great Andy Hamilton, an amazing Caribbean via Birmingham saxophonist, community music pioneer and one of the pillars of the jazz scene in Birmingham.

When you finished your set at the Final, were you happy with it? Did you think you had a chance of winning the competition?

I wasn’t worried about any of that. I hadn’t made a complete fool of myself so I was happy to just chill out backstage and grab a hot chocolate. With anything like this, be it exams or performances, the hard work comes before - not in the moment. If you’ve put the time in you’ve got nothing to worry about or regret because you did your part.

What was it like, that moment when you heard your name announced as the winner?

I was completely spaced out. As you can probably tell from the show it hit me like a ton of bricks. I will say, honestly, the level of musicianship on the night was through the roof - and it was a pretty high ceiling if I remember rightly. I had and still have so much respect for the talent of all the people who played on that night. In particular for me I love the music that Fergus plays, maybe it’s because we share some Scottish ancestry, but I find that he’s got a level of technical prowess and musical sincerity that I admire so much and that inspires me to be a better musician. I love all the guys though, Reuben was amazing, I had the pleasure of being in a dressing room next door to him and just before he went on I turned my lights off, lay down and listened to him improvise - really improvise, what a genius. Seth is groove to another level, he embodies groove and he is so tasteful with his approach to playing, truly another level of musicianship. James Owston’s got a special place in my heart. I have learnt so much from James over the years we spent together in Brum. His work ethic is unparalleled and it shows in his constant transformation as a player. In January and February we did a tour of the UK and blimey he was stealing the show from the back of the stage - honestly. Sorry what was the question again? Oh yeah - pure ecstasy.

What was the atmosphere like amongst the competitors through the competition?

We had such a great hang. It was a great mix of characters and because we all make such different music we were all just looking forward to hearing each other play. I knew James, Seth and Fergus before but met Reuben for the first time. We had good jokes and fun times.

What would you say to someone who couldn’t decide whether or not to enter this year? Would you recommend it?

Just go for it, what have you got to lose? You, yes you reading this now - go enter. Push yourself, challenge where you think you are. You never know, two years down the line you could be sitting at home typing away into a computer reminiscing about one of the best experiences of your life. All you have to do is take the leap.

And what advice would you give to anyone who’s entering?

Look after the music and the music will look after you. The music comes first, it has to come first. Anyone making this music is in a privileged position to be standing on the shoulders of some of the world's greatest ever pioneers. This music is so much bigger than any one performance, recording or competition. Keep that in mind. Work for the sake of moving yourself forward and don’t compromise for what you think people want to hear. Have confidence in who you are and what you like and move in that direction! Listen to loads of music, read and understand where this music has come from and put the hours away, on your own and with people shedding and making music.

Do you feel that your experience of the Jazz Award changed you as a musician and a person? How?

As I said before, to be on the stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race, oh sorry 麻豆约拍YJM always seemed like an impossibility to me, and then it happened. It proved to me the power of consistency, sincerity and patience. As someone that had a bit of a hit and miss relationship with institutionalised music education I found validation through the competition. Not only that, but recognition for all the amazing community driven arts programs and individuals that have helped get me to the place that I am.

What difference has it made to your career?

The best way to describe the effects of the competition is that it’s put my career into fast forward. I’ve been fortunate to have so many amazing opportunities since the final - too many to list. I heard the quote ‘When the elevator to success fails, you take the stairs’ and this quote summarises the story for me in a weird way. At the competition I was waiting at the elevator door to see if it would take me onwards and upward, and as luck would have it, it did. But believe me I’m aiming upwards and if it did break down I would be straight onto those stairs. In fact I’m on them now slowly getting myself together musically and personally so that wherever the road does lead I’m confident that when I get there I will be the person and player that I want to be.