I first met Bay Area pianist Julian Le on a gig two years ago, and something about his sound and the energy he creates through music never left me. It is rare to find a musician who seamlessly blends a classically-trained background with jazz sensibilities and a deep sense of what it means to be in the pocket. Versatility is one of Le’s best attributes, but somehow he’s also managed to master humility and balance as well. The combination of these qualities has made Julian Le somewhat of a fixture in the Los Angeles music scene.
Recently coming off a tour with Jhene Aiko, Lauryn Hill, and Nas, Le returned to LA to finish up his forthcoming album entitled The Journey, which features members of his LeJ Collective, including world-renowned Indian classical vocalist Aditya Prakash. Working with such a diverse array of artists, (including legendary guitarist Kenny Burrell) has provided Le with the foundation to build a distinct sound, uniquely his own. With two album release shows scheduled for September, Le is gearing up to make his footprint in contemporary music with an album that cannot be stuffed into any genre box.
I met up with Le at a sushi restaurant in Santa Monica to discuss his love of music and food, and to find out what exactly keeps him so centered amidst all the work he is doing.
When you first came to LA, coming from the Bay, what was your opening strategy to get into the scene?
I was just taking gigs left and right, didn’t really matter what it was. I didn’t even ask what type of music, I was just like I’m down, you know. It was that, and then always reminding myself to keep shedding [practicing]. I mean networking is one thing; people do get in that way, but eventually people are gonna be like, ‘you sound like crap, I don’t want to play with you anymore’. So its a combination of both.
Plus people always like playing with someone who is not only killin’ but has a good humble attitude as well.
Yeah, I feel like people forget to be just a chill person. I get sick of people who are constantly talking about trying to land a big gig in the music industry or just talking about gigging and other musicians in general. It’s like bro I’m chillin’ right now, can you talk about the beach or something. Find a balance, you know?
You went on tour with Nas and Lauryn Hill, playing for Jhene Aiko. What was the most difficult thing about that tour?
*laughs* Not spending all your per diem on stupid shit like shoes.
Really? Are you a shoe head?
Nah, It wasn’t until I went on this tour! But they [tour managers] made everything pretty easy. The only thing we didn’t have was a backline, but just remember—humble beginnings…I mean I didn’t really care, I’ll bring whatever to go on tour.
I know you love great food and great music, how do those two connect for you?
They’re both things that I enjoy, and I feel like I could explore each one forever. The possibilities are limitless, and I love spending time in the kitchen creating, just taking my time. It’s just something that brings me peace. That’s also why I swim almost everyday, it brings me peace.
So that’s what keeps you grounded?
Yeah, its just remembering that there are things other than just music.
I want to ask you about the LeJ KEYS collective (see above), because there are mad Bay Area people in there! You got Camille Ramirez and Hitomi Oba. Does it change the vibe to be able to play with so many cats from home?
Where they’re from doesn’t make as much of a difference. But also for some reason, Bay Area people tend to gravitate towards other people from the Bay, especially in SoCal. You can tell people have different personalities; I’m not going to say one is better than the other, but you can tell people act a little differently here [in LA].
How did the collective come about?
It started with the LeJ Trio, and then I realized I just wanted to start doing other stuff too. It just depends on what type of project I want to do. The group changes literally every time. I just get different people that I feel will sound good on the track.
I noticed you’ve been influenced by many different types of music. It’s really dope to hear them individually in your arrangements; do you do them all yourself?
I’m usually in charge of the instrumentals. My strength is not songwriting at all, so I leave that up to the vocalist. You tell me how you want to sing this, and I’ll work the band around what you’re doing.
So tell me about “The Journey”, your upcoming album.
It’s coming out at the end of June. I’m excited about it, I just got all the final artwork and will be printing it soon. I’m going to do a few release shows in September, when my band gets back. I’m trying to do a show in the Bay and one in LA too.
What’s the concept of the album?
It’s just all the different influences that have influenced me throughout the years.
Like parents on up?
Yeah, there is this one piece I do solo piano. It’s an original composition that has a lot of classical influences. My parents brought me up around that music, and Art Tatum too. Art Tatum is one of the first pianists that influenced me.
Being well versed in many styles really sets you apart from other cats.
As long as you get something out of the music, that’s all that really matters.
Visit Julian Le:
LEJKEYS.com
Twitter: @LeJKeys
Photos by Katherine Kim Tom.