Pianist / composer Jon Gold released his album Bossa Of Possibility on the esteemed BluJazz Records back in 2012. 13 years later he returns with an album of all-new material called Chasing Echos. The less than common spelling of the album title notwithstanding, the 11-track / 65-minute CD is a positive joint production by Jon Gold and Brazilian-born, NYC-based Mauricio Zottarelli, the latter being a renowned drummer in the realms of Brazilian and Latin jazz.

The beauty of the album is the diversity and inspiration of music culled from the ranks of Brazilian and other exotic South American musical locales. As one would rightly construe, Zottarelli brings in a prevalent rhythmic backdrop. Composer and keyboardist Gold himself often draws from a diversity of regional Brazilian music yet he also sometimes makes his point with other eclectic and atmospheric influences like Stravinsky and Coltrane, to name just a couple.

American electric bass icon Mark Egan appears on a pair of tracks here and with a wide range of Brazilian musicians contributing to the album, there is also a string trio from war-torn Ukraine that rounds out Gold’s neo-classical side. The friendly, smooth jazz and otherwise easy-on-the-ears instrumental backdrop creates a fine offset to the more studied side of Chasing Echos. Essential listening for well-rounded jazz disciples and Brazilian music aficionados, Chasing Echos is a stylish return to form from Jon Gold.

 

RMR speaks to Jon Gold

RMR: Can you tell us where you were born and what era of music did you grow up in and where do you live these days? How did living and working in Brazil compare to the same in the States? Who were the artists that inspired you mostly to become a musician and who were your favorite composers and keyboardists and vocalists? Also were you influenced by rock and classical composers or mostly jazz?

JON GOLD: I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. My brother Jay was a big influence on me. He loved the blues and would play me hours of music by artists on labels like Arhoolie. As I started playing piano, he steered me into jazz; my first jazz Lp's were by Mose Allison, sort of a logical transition from blues, and Oscar Peterson. As such I never really listened to much of the rock music etc. of the time. However, it was when I heard Coltrane, and of course McCoy Tyner, that there was no going back! Interestingly, my brother went on to be a co-founder of the label which created the rock act Heart.

I was lucky to have had the chance to study and work some with tenor legend Joe Henderson, one of the kindest, generous and humble souls I have known. One of the greatest parts of that was many times going to the legendary Keystone Korner jazz club during the day with Joe and meet the artists playing that week. For a kid in high school, you can only imagine the feeling of meeting heroes like McCoy!

My time in Brazil was largely in Rio de Janeiro. I was lucky to have been offered a teaching position at the largest private university there (PUC-Rio). It was an exciting time in Brazil as they had just had their first elections since the dictatorship. But it was tough economically. Inflation was running around >150% per month. The currency would often change and there were literally people in supermarkets going from one end to the other raising prices all day long. It was especially difficult for the poorest classes. I value now having seen the hardships, and abject poverty, non-functioning government etc, which makes me now, in the political climate of the US shake my head with the lack of gratitude we have for what we have.

I was able to get to know several of my Brazilian music heroes; most notably AC Jobim and Hermeto Pascoal. Hermeto’s house was open to all to come to the daily rehearsal’s and play with the band. It was in a suburb of Rio that took 2.5 hours of buses to get to but worth every minute.

While I loved Rio, after marrying my “girl from Ipanema” and starting a family, we decided to move back to the States. I am now living about an hour and a half from NYC.

 

RMR: Tell us about releasing your 2025 album Chasing Echos. How did you team up with your co-producer Mauricio Zottarelli and what effect did that have on your choice of musicians and writing these tracks? What did Mauricio bring to the musical table so to speak?

JON GOLD: Mauricio Zottarelli and I have been recording together for over 15 years. I can’t say enough about Mauricio in every aspect of his life. His drumming always leaves me speechless. Such swing and drive, kicks and accents that “sharpen” the music come at you and yet on the more reflective tunes, absolute sensitivity added just the right amount to make the mood perfect.

Mauricio is also an amazing producer to work with. First, since he has worked, recorded and toured with some of the biggest names in music - Ivan Lins, Eliane Elias, Lee Ritenour, Hiromi, Paquito D’Rivera etc. - he knows so many great musicians to work with.

Secondly, we have an amazing working relationship and share so much mutual respect that it is such a pleasure when he makes suggestion to me or vice-versa that we come with a synergistic end result that I couldn’t have imagined. My music can be complicated rhythmically and Mauricio is a master at “deconstructing” the tunes so that we can make sense out them… and make good charts for the sideman. Certainly, this new CD would not have been possible without him. And, oh yeah, Mauricio, like Joe Henderson, is one the nicest, professional and humble person I have known!

It is interesting that you ask about how the musicians who play on the CD influenced the writing. This is very much the case. For example, two good examples are the vocalist Marina Marchi and bassist Jackson Lourenço. Marina is a rising star out of São Paulo who combines a beautiful voice with intense musicianship. So, I set out to write some tunes with her in mind. For example, the tribute to Sergio Mendes was only possible as I knew that Marina would bring that “sound” to the table. Jackson is a fearless bass player. He puts 1000% into every tune. While he has unbelievable chops, I would invite you to listen “Aeon Of Ages” where he plays the fretless with so much delicacy and charm. I often now write tunes with him in mind to play.

 

RMR: Most of the musicians on Chasing Echos are Brazilian but you also have American jazz-fusion icon Mark Egan on bass and French guitarist Fabrice Lacourt on guitar. Tell us about working with Mark and Fabrice and also how did you find all these great Brazilian musicians?

JON GOLD: Actually there are musicians on the CD from all over the globe, including Argentina, Ukraine, England and Venezuela. This is one of the great benefits of the internet. It is a great process how you meet one musician and they recommend others and you build up a network.

You mentioned the guitarist Fabrice. He is an absolute phenomenon – the tune “Chasing Echos” is not the kind of style I normally do. But Mauricio Zottarelli loved it and convinced me to record it. But it wasn’t until Fabrice recorded that I really loved it. His solo at the end is one most beautifully structured solos on guitar I have heard. Many of the musicians from Brazil were folks that Mauricio has toured and recorded with and as I mentioned one gets references to others.

We are lucky to have resources like Zoom that we can “meet” and get to know each other… luckily, I speak Portuguese also! I am honored to have Mark Egan bring his immense talents to two of the tunes. He shows clearly why he is the legend he is. Such mastery and taste that only comes with talent mixed with immense experience!

 

RMR: Tell us something more about your travels and living in Brazil. When did this fascination with Brazilian music start for you? For me it was the albums Tide and Wave from Jobim on CTI records in the mid to later 1970s. What are your favorite Brazilian music albums and composers? Was Milton Nascimento a big influence?

JON GOLD: Like I mentioned, growing up I was a post-bop player. One day a friend brought me the album Native Dancer with Wayne Shorter and Milton Nascimento. I was floored! I had never heard music like that – especially vocals like that by Milton. That began my “fever”. I also was deeply moved by the music of Ivan Lins – never imagining that “pop” music could be so rich and complex. That inspired me to begin studying Portuguese so I could understand the lyrics. With time I became fascinated by the music of Egberto Gismonti and Hermeto Pascoal.

You mention Jobim. I have come to know his career well. You would be hard pressed to find a more well-rounded musician or more creative composer. We know his “hits” but he has had his hand in so many styles and endeavors. He was a really nice guy too! While Brazil has had a big influence on me I would like to believe that I do not ever intend to make “Brazilian” music. I can’t! I would like to believe that over time, that influence has become a part of the fabric of my overall sound.

 

RMR: When did you musical studies begin in earnest? Do you remember your first keyboard and/or piano and what keyboards do you mainly feature and play on Chasing Echos and do you play other instruments too or keyboards only?

JON GOLD: I started playing piano at around 12 years. I studied classical music with Francisco de Hoya who was a student of Bartok. Great, great teacher who insisted on musicality of anything played, including scales, and also got me playing very contemporary music. From there I was lucky to go a high school with a rich music program and a jazz music director who was a great jazz trombonist. I still have a review of a show by Herb Wong of the San Francisco Chronicle, when I was 16, with Joe Henderson who called me “little McCoy”. At the time I was thrilled!

I compose with a single keyboard but have a nice library of sounds to work with. This is such a great time to compose in as one can quickly get an idea of what any instrument might sound like before recording. One of my greatest joys in the process now is arranging – especially orchestral instrumentation. This is an art in itself that I have worked hard on. For example, it is interesting if you have a string section in a tune that sounds so beautiful in the mix but then isolate it, it can sound completely bizarre on its own!

I don’t really play other instruments, although when I was very young my brother taught to play some blues rhythm guitar and it is fun every once in a while to pick it up. When I was in high school, from time-to-time I’d play “hooky” with a guitarist friend of mine and we’d got to Union Square in San Francisco and play blues and hopefully make our bus fare home.

 

RMR: Being that your music is so atmospheric, how about movie soundtracks? What are your favorite movie soundtracks and soundtrack composers?

JON GOLD: Wow. Thanks for noticing that about my music. Yes indeed I have been working on synch music quite a bit. They can be found on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@jongoldmusic1). I am also finishing my first CD of “classical” music. That is classical in the sense that it is has no improvisations. One of my pieces was recently recorded by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Martenka conducting. The recording was co-produced with Latin Grammy winner Pablo Aslan: https://jongold.bandcamp.com/track/adagio-with-the-czech-national-symphony-orchestra-pre-release

I very excited about this new side to my career! I am a big fan of Lalo Schifrin, Michel Legrand and Burt Bacharach. In general, I love that period of film music from the 1960’s. Such a great mix of classic sounds with a touch of pop.

 

RMR: What are you plans as far as writing and recording and producing new music and performing concerts for 2025 and 2026?

JON GOLD: I am excited to announce that Mauricio Zottarelli and I are just putting the final touches on a whole new CD of all original compositions that will be called Anahí. It will be sent to the legendary Dave Darlington for mixing and mastering in NYC next week.

Again, there is a wide range of groups from trios to full orchestra. This was a big project to put together with over 25 musicians. I am excited to have the Grammy winning Zach Brock on violin. It features a tribute to Ivan Lins with the exciting Argentinian vocalist Juan Lucangioli.

I am also finishing a CD that is a throwback to my post-bop roots and is something of a tribute to my heroes. There are tributes tunes to people like Gary Bartz, Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson. These tunes are exciting for me as I worked hard not to imitate them but demonstrate how their influence got woven into my style. Thanks for the opportunity to answer your insightful questions!