Artists:Markku

Markku

Jazz is a complex art form built on improvisational skills of the musician playing it. I have been in love with jazz ever since I was a little boy growing up in Finland living near the arctic circle. When I first heard it on the radio, I was immediately hooked on it. I listened to it when ever it was on tapping my toes to the music. I wanted to become a jazz musician!

Fifty some odd years later and several thousand miles away from where I was as a little boy, I have achieved my goal in becoming a jazz musician. I've played with countless bands, some rock, some country, but most of them jazz. Some were mediocre while others would just blow you away with their greatness. I've written hundreds of tunes but none of them have made gold for me but are still played to this day. Jazz is not quite like the pop scene where a new hit comes along almost weekly. Jazz tunes pretty much go round and round and never really die out like pop tunes. Jazz, the true art form, has been replaced by a more modern form which is a mix of pop and jazz, namely smooth jazz. I could have simply switched over to the more popular style, but there are so many smooth jazz artists today that they've become a dime a dozen. They don't need another!

A few years ago, since there was a need in help with the recovery efforts in disaster areas, I decided to get involved and joined a helping group working as independent contractors for the government. I traveled all over the Southern region of the U.S helping out whenever a disaster struck. I was even down in Louisiana in and around New Orleans right after Katrina. My physical well being has never been the same since I came back, so I'm unable to perform live anymore. There are of course good and bad days but I just deal with the cards that have been dealt to me. The key word in my case was independent contractor which meant that I received no health care benefits etc. Go at your own risk or provide your own health insurance. As a jazz musician with a family, I never made enough money to be able to buy health insurance, it was hard enough just to feed my kids and pay my bills, so it's always been out of reach for me. Today I'm too young for social security and too proud for welfare. More.