Beliefs About Jazz That Need to Die - Patrick Bartley

#bettersax #saxophone #patrickbartley
Jay Metcalf interviews saxophonist Patrick Bartley for a fascinating conversation about music and what it means to be an artist these days. ‪@PatrickBartleyMusic‬ Check out his KZbin channel for more.
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[@JPAIOMD]

I met Patrick Bartley by complete accident whilst visiting NYC on a holiday in May of 2018. Me and my friends heard a saxophone playing in a random bar on lower east side. I'd only just picked up the saxophone at the time and I asked my friends if I should approach him after playing, to get some advice. The guy said his name was Patrick, but never talked about himself or mentioned a shred of his talent. He only offered words of encouragement and to keep up the practice schedule I'd adopted. I only realised I'd spoken to Patrick Bartley Jr when I saw his face on an Adam Neely video a few months later! Funny how life works, eh. What an awesome guy.

[@xethanndonttryme6983]

Patrick Bartley right now is one of the most influential interesting artist there are in the game right now. I personally as well as many others have been inspired to play saxophone by him and this interview is such a blessing for anyone who is passionate about jazz 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@TheAaronRodgersTao]

It’s quite clear that Pat is a monstrously gifted Individual far beyond most mere mortals, coupled with an extremely positive and loving outlook on life and Dedication. I am a 39 year old male that had been playing sax for 28 years. I will probably never reach anywhere near to his level of proficiency and creativity, but I’m not gonna give up… I can’t. I just gotta keep going

[@devakari8347]

Broo Patrick is literally what got me into jazz. I've played since 5th grade (currently college freshman) but I never actually practiced lmao, just played in the school concert band till covid hit. Then, I started practicing my sax because I was bored, still, not jazz particularly, just technique, scales, etc. Basically a saxophonist with no purpose, untillllll After You've Gone dropped. That shit changed how I see music in general. The groove of the rhythm section and the sheer bliss of Pat's solo made me feel like, "I didn't know saxophone could do that". That's when I explored literally everything on the internet regarding him. Everything from J-Music Ensemble to Wynton Marsalis' Masterclass with Patrick as his student. I joined his discord and have been lucky enough to have a few conversations and play some video games with him. He's a fantastic and understanding individual with his own unique character, as a person, and on the sax. I really hope he inspires more and more people and becomes one of those cats studied 100 years from now. Pat, if you're reading this, thanks for inspiring me man!

[@livelovezeke]

real

[@filipkasprzyk9564]

Patrick has discord? Omg i have to join

[@jorymil]

Schools seem to emphasize music as _competition_ . Auditions for a certain chair number, marching band competitions, solo competitions, jazz competitions, orchestral competitions, competitions, competitions, competitions. It all ends when you leave school, so what's left? It's short-sighted and shallow. Who cares if you can't play higher than someone else, or if your tone is slightly bright? Can you find something in the music that inspires you to keep playing?

[@fitchyyboi]

This is a great comment.

[@qwertyuiop32935]

@@fitchyyboifor sure, well said.

[@AidanBrownSax]

This is great! I'm a private lesson teacher, and I always encourage my students to play what they like. I got into jazz through playing music I liked from Super Mario Bros. and Family Guy. Now that I'm in school for jazz, I'm still playing music that I like from Super Mario Bros. and Family Guy!

[@IanJacintoSax]

I used to have Eric Marienthal as my all-time favorite sax player for as long as I can remember. ...up until I watched Patrick Bartley's solo on "After You've Gone" and "Bob-Omb Battlefield" that is. Patrick is a killer player. He's like a mix of Cannonball Adderley, Gerald Albright and Masato Honda. Patrick evokes this feeling of being super modern but being able to exude a nostalgic aura, too. I feel like I can relate so much to Patrick: we're both 30 years old, have perfect pitch, loves anime and video game music, absolutely obsessed with anything saxophone-related. It's an absolute treat to be able to hear him speak, much less hear him WAIL on the sax. Would love to be able to be friends with this guy. Yo Pat, if you're ever in the Philippines hit me up! haha!

[@xxczerxx]

Yes I think that's reflected in what he listens to. I mean, on his channel you will find him 1) playing along to old Jelly Roll piano solos from the 1910s 2) Playing the solo in a Meshuggah song That kind of musical palette is VERY rare

[@DomPalombiMusic]

Eyy i know both of these guys! So dope to see friends chatting it up!!!

[@RussPaladino]

I 100% share Patrick’s outlook on music. I’ve always loved jazz, since I was a child, and played it, but I also love all of the other music that I’ve been exposed to in my life. If I didn’t play the other music, and bring some of that to my jazz, then I wouldn’t be authentically me. I do believe that a lot of players lose sight of this.

[@ViniciusRibeiro-sn8hu]

I Love this guy😍 Thank you for sharing this precious, sir

[@EricTorreborre]

Thank you for doing this interview!

[@marianlevy9232]

The best advice ever.. play what you love, love what you play and don’t compare yourself to others .. inspirational

[@brianmatthews232]

Great interview! Thanks, Love Patrick's playing and approach 🙂

[@myMusicHobby302]

Fascinating guy! What a great intellect and talent!

[@richardmason1163]

Patrick is why I started learning saxophone again - happened to see him play in a jazz club in Tokyo while visiting and was blown away. Bought a saxophone the moment I got home

[@Lamo2100]

Amazing Interview!! So Many jewels in this.

[@sidneiramalho]

Great discussion Jay. Most of us are in the position we are because teachers with more knowledge tell us what to do. I never had a teacher that asked me "what do you like to play?“ very interesting hear him saying about all those things.

[@michaelpedicinjr]

This young man is not only an incredibly talented saxophonist, but such a powerful voice and intellect about music.....all music.

[@RichardWong]

A great interview. I hadn’t heard of Patrick before this but what’s he’s saying here really speaks to me. I think back of when I was in high school and college, all those hours trying to play Charlie Parker over Jamey Aebersold tracks because that’s what I was told to do. That music was so foreign to me but I kept doing it because school felt like a challenge that I needed to do. Challenge to be the best sax player at school, etc… in the end I got burned out because I was not playing for the love of music. Now that I’ve rediscovered sax two decades later I don’t practice or play any of that anymore. I write and record my own music (rock music) because that’s what I love doing. Playing a 12 bar sax solo over palm muted power chords is a blast because that’s what I hear.

[@wilsonbamiseadeosun5727]

Patrick's ingenuity is absolutely amazing. Beautiful thinking and outlook on life and music. I love you bro. Thanks Jay for making all these available.

[@boots8619]

Changing the way I look at all art medium as a whole loving it

[@blindboyjonny]

I love his advice. My teacher told me I had to play scales and all 12 keys with little this and a little that and all I want to do is play music. I listen to my ears and found that it got me further than what a B-flat minor scale could possibly have given me. I’ll pick that stuff up later. Thanks again. 45:36

[@maxhoecker]

Thanks for introducing me to Patrick. I love his positive vibe and passion + he’s a fantastic player. Thanks for the reminder to play what you love. I’m a sax player, but a photographer too and one of the best lessons I’ve picked up from that is to never compare yourself to others, compare yourself to your past self.

[@joegaudette2494]

Another great interview Jay. Patrick’s message and vision are way ahead of his years. Amazing musician, amazing human. Hopefully a lot of folks will take these messages to heart. I believe he pretty much said it all… amen!

[@sardinha7917]

Patrick is revolutionary

[@AniketChaturvedi]

Thanks for this!

[@jenniferannison4390]

I SO look forward to your weekly Sunday video “drops”. Many thanks! 🎷

[@JazzDuets]

Amazingly deep conversation .Thanks for making this available

[@lordssideministries4062]

Love your channel! Life changing!

[@Sax4Him]

His philosophy about music and his approach to it is spot on, and really resonates with how I’ve approached it myself my whole life.

[@mustafa1name]

Really interesting hearing Patrick talk about where he came from and his illuminating perspectives on music, learning, performance, and life. Patrick has recently been playing with sensational Japanese bassist Juna Serita and the outstanding musicians around her: a fascinating and delightful collaboration

[@MARKLINMAN1]

Great interview Jay, I agree with Patrick, I actually listen to some rap because some rappers have this amazing cadence and off beat style that I kind of incorporate into my playing, weird but it works for me. This interview hit home for me. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼. Thank you.

[@alancash6420]

Thanks both of you for the interview. I definitely fall into the trap of comparing myself with other players, and technology has now given us an infinite supply of opportunities to do so unfavorably. I've nearly quit and sold my saxophone so many times! As such, I always appreciate Patrick's insightful pragmatism and his emphasis on "just love what you're playing and concentrate on that".

[@lyecats]

An inspiring interview, what am uplifting and positive message, I definitely needed to hear it and reflect on why I play and what I listen to. Thanks, Jay and big thanks to Patrick!!

[@jwalker7277]

This interview has changed my musicial life to a more better and fun direction...Thank you Patrick Bartley and Better sax!!!

[@janholena1515]

Absolutely brilliant, thank you! 👍👍

[@buddhismful]

Jay represents what it is to be a true teacher, every time he finds something or someone of interest or value to others, he shares. About methods, saxophones, people of interest...thanks Jay and Patrick.

[@iCrescendo]

I learn something new about music and life every time I hear him talk or play. Definitely watch his videos and tune in on his livestreams on KZbin and Twitch

[@RyanBridwell-wq9bo]

Thanks gentlemen! This is a very important lesson in music - and everything for that matter. So much can be gained from trusting and valuing yourself.

[@michaelparshall2379]

I really appreciate Patrick’s perspective on music. Back in the day I played every kind of music from classical, jazz, fusion, hip hop, folk and country. I night I was with a bandmate and we were listening to a jazz combo in LA and we got to talk with one of musicians on break and he told me that pop music sucked, country music sucked harder etc. ad nauseam. After the musician walked away my bandmate said, there goes another jazzhole. I couldn’t have agreed more.

[@qas2762]

I feel like jazz to some people serves as a gateway to loving music. When I got into playing I didn’t care about music much and when I did start listening to jazz, I kinda hated it. But then I started practicing more and just loving to play and I got that feeling Pat talked about with loving music. It just happened to start with jazz. Now I listen to everything bc I just love music. It’s like having a favorite restaurant and you only get one dish bc it’s your favorite but then you start exploring the menu to and find some good stuff there. Eventually you’ll just start exploring different restaurants, but you’ll still go to that first often bc it’s your favorite. You learn to appreciate it all.

[@jellewils3974]

Patrick's sound, versatility and bonechillingly beautiful solo's are a huge inspiration to me right now when playing alto

[@johnwhyte-venables2167]

Great interview, man worth listening to and well steered. Thought provoking messages too.

[@wyndhl8309]

Jay is as excellent an interviewer as he is a great organic jazz performer! Patrick is simply authentic and honest; a good alto saxophonist is he, also. Hope Pat picks up Japanese 🙏 Jay is now a French speaker ( Am I correct, Jay?) Thanks, gentlemen 🚹 👏 🙌 ❤️ 🙏

[@fuboshu6l760]

Nice discussion Jay. Positive is really important in every learning types which includes saxophone. Great Video, hope you can reach 400K subscribers soon!

[@statisfaction1709]

Thank you!!! It was a pleasure listening =)

[@phillc]

This is such an amazing interview and a masterclass on finding one's purpose. Really wholesome advice for young people and those struggling with career and purpose.

[@stangetz534]

Jay great interview. You let him lots of room to talk. I like how he speaks. From the heart.

[@bluerhythmboy]

These long form podcast interviews are great. Always a golden nugget even for me as an amateur. Jay, I would love to hear you interview an RnB or Soul sax player such as Sax Gordon....would be interesting to hear their approach to music and the saxophone

[@migsax]

Great interview Jay, thanks for hosting and posting this. I think 47:52-49:36 is a really valuable observation. Of course you have to be doing the work or what you're playing won't have substance or weight.

[@JaiPaiPai]

YEEEEESSSS!!!

[@MrApetape]

A really nice talk, thanks for this podcast. Was amazing to hear patricks philosophy!

[@normalizedaudio2481]

Better Sax is the king maker.

[@Victoria-qk3mu]

Awesome job ❤❤❤

[@Saxman33]

What an excellent interiew, an eye opener.

[@keitwilliamsmusic]

Hot damn, what a wonderful interview! Definitely making me rethink my "why" for being a musician. I need to just be in the moment and enjoy making music.

[@perrylc8812]

Some of my best memories are from the 70s sitting in a small club with live blues & jazz.

[@bro_liv]

Breath, live, and play your life. Such a great time that was, thank you!

[@djjohnnymedley9919]

Brilliant interview and a massive informational share!!!👏🏾✌🏾

[@Cygnus17106]

Hello Mr Metcalf, I recently received an Alto Burnin Mouthpiece and it sounds great. I really want it to keep that way and was wondering if you can take your time to create a video explaining how to take care of it, how to clean it, how to store it etc. If you could that I would be extremely grateful. I have been learning from your videos for a long time and I am excited for the future of the channel. Thank you! 🎷🎼🙏

[@birdlives829]

Wow also very inspired by his description of how he learned music and how others could learn. "People could have an easier time if they just hear what they like, and just try playing it." Simple but powerful advice!

[@colinburgess7728]

what else can you say about his After You've Gone solo? It is unique. It just flows out of him seemingly effortlessly, which is what wish I could do and probably other players too. it's fun, it's virtuoso, it's everything a solo should be. Hearing him talk, you can tell only he could play that Thanks for the opportunity to get to know such a dedicated guy

[@QuamonFowler]

This was a great interview! I feel the same way and teach my students to learn what they like! Music is an expression of the heart and soul but unfortunately, in most college jazz programs it’s so restrictive and controlling. I loved this message and yes, Patrick Barley is a problem on that saxophone!😅

[@reubenyahsrael346]

I’m a Systems Engineer computer. But always wanted to be able to express myself in music the block I see with myself is not being able to play what I hear 👂 and sometimes it feels as though I’m not focused enough to get there and it gets overwhelming just trying to gain what’s necessary to achieve this!

[@sat.chid.ananda]

38:00 - loved this whole point on how we learn

[@oscah_whisky]

Very eye-opening. I've become a decent player as a music major (which is good enough for me), but I'll never be great because I'm not playing what I love. Now I have bills to pay and have put too much into music to where I can continue to play and make some money here and there or sell all my stuff.😅

[@shaddjimenez4524]

His recording of Impressions with the Emmet Cohen trio at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival is one of my favorite recordings of all time

[@lordssideministries4062]

So many points Patrick made that are relevant… Two that I agreed with was playing music for its aesthetic value not to survive and make a living. His comment frees people from trying to create and have a mindset that is no longer valid. Not to say that art won’t create resources but the reality is that because of the availability of social media and people giving away the art the expression has become ubiquitous. Ultimately artists must have a purity sense that the art exploration process is the journey and that artists must stop looking at stops as the journey but embrace the path. I teach, play, work and try to get better every day. In my ministry the spiritual growth with the Lord is a process so this is the same process of self discovery and conquering old habits and hang ups and becoming what God intends… I also would like to mention Patrick’s admonition to listen. I think we would be surprised what Louis Armstrong listened to. Many would say that it was Jazz 24/7 but Pops was eclectic and varied his listening to include opera, and classical music. This is the same with Bird, Hawk, Branford Marsalis etc. I try to be open minded and listen to different styles and listen for as Will Durant says “The voice and finger of God”

[@PaulHirsh]

In my brief stint teaching saxophone I used to ask my beginning students what tune they really wanted to master. We would do this by the process of breaking down bigger problems into smaller ones. They would choose: the Simpsons theme, the Pink Panther, Mission Impossible, James Bond theme etc, all themes that don't lean on the major scale. So while they never got down to scales, they learned how to zero in on what they loved and figure out how to absorb it. Scales are for later. 🎉

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

I love Bartley's playing, his ideas seem to be endless. Such an inspiration. I do wish he had more energy however ;)

[@n.girigorie6241]

Take the fear away! Good line.

[@Hosewater2]

Pure quality

[@jeffreyestrella3023]

Really love and appreciate Patrick’s analogies! Favourite one was about eating chicken with different spices 😂 43:50

[@Adetunji168]

Very informative and profound .

[@marcobadilla8773]

"Se lo que quiero decir, solo tengo que descubrir como decirlo --- Intenta conseguir algo que decir primero y luego trabaja en eso --- Debes preguntarte si te gusta la música o simplemente conoces tus preferencias " Patrick Bartley Gracias a los dos

[@tricogaster]

Great, great, great interview!

[@tricogaster]

Very inspirational!

[@kwootamuckbear9294]

Right On! Everyone can’t be Eric Dolphy☮️🎶🎵🎷

[@nighttrane1]

"Something to listen to, not something to study"....NAILED IT!!

[@birdlives829]

Thought Patrick had some very insightful thoughts about the "economy" today for working musicians and how it has changed over the last several decades. And the demand for "functional" music and the skill set musicians needed for those more frequent kind of "middle class" gigs. It seems that technology has been a double-edged sword for musicians, whereby they can record, distribute, and even learn at a much lower cost that in the past, but they can also be replaced at a much lower cost by DJs or things like Spotify. I'm curious to hear more from Patrick to see if he discovers the way forward, since he is grappling so closely with this, and since he has most of his career still ahead of him.

[@directorytaliwag4100]

Pat is the greatest Sax man EVER. I want to hear him do hip hop.

[@jzgtr100]

39:48 "If you like something- copy it" Thank you, Patrick!

[@realfellaz]

The G.O.A.T. 💯🔥‼️

[@mchidley1]

Very wise words

[@stangetz534]

jay i wish he would have talked about the any clubs and jams in tokyo / japan.

[@pandagira7477]

Keren!!

[@lehajuhu226]

Hey, betterSax , I removed my oktave key System and my palmkeys it was a manic idea i had to do to become normal again. And it workedout great I sound better and play and intonate better simce that change. But I have some knowlege I wanna spread and like 0 audiance. If you want to help me and make a video about it i would be gratefull! In Kind regards Anselm Buchmann

[@lehajuhu226]

Pat, I love your playing and all the greats you keep in memory❤ and when i hear you talk i feel like i understand why i like you! Are you rastafa? (Some dumb people think its about weed wrong it can help with Meditation but to be medicine it needs to be natural grown (0,5to2,5 %thc) and not be cultivated and its almost impossible to find this today(socity cultivated it and and created a new dangerous drug(15٪ thc) but really its about "I jah man and peace!!"

[@levithewizard]

I love that pat is the millennial alto phenom AND he's out there repping VGM. In 20 years he will be looked at as one of the masters for the great VGM songbook

[@jazzbirdbecky]

❤❤

[@SsqueakyRat]

Man I could’ve used this advice before I left music school

[@jerrybrown66]

His basic message is to be your own player. Don't worry about conforming. And that's a good message for all areas of life.

[@kwootamuckbear9294]

Green mouthpiece…🤔👍🏾🎵🎶🎷

[@johnminkishere]

“What do you like?” is the best place to start with new players and to remember yourself why u play today. Professionals have to worry about paychecks. Artists strive to make the sound and feel they want

[@stfnmila]

he likes pac and bonethugs, it all makes sense now, expressive and with an umph like pac and flow of bone thugs

[@oldunclemick]

13:08 yep. People can go on about 10,000 hours but the people with natural aptitude will be further ahead if they also put in those hours. The best the rest of us can hope for is for them to get lazy.

[@wyattdorn6412]

I see that you get sent saxophones occasionally I was wondering if you could please send me a soprano saxophone curved, straight no preference because I am a freshman in highschool and having a hard time affording it. I have been watching you videos since I started band in 5 th grade and I look up to you and because of you I am now a hard core band kid😅

[@pelonete5000]

Jazz is a language , period!!!!! Anyone who wants to play something "fresh" or new will not be playing Jazz. Transcribing is the main thing.

[@Marc.22.]

I just realised now that Pat has perfect pitch 🤣

[@sonhale2522]

Didn't see him on any touhou album, weeb it up

[@Gabriel_Micah]

35:05 Me to a T

[@jellewils3974]

I was of the mind that I wanted to "sound like me", but, to be fair, I was probably unconciously copying stuff I've heard before. Might as well make that a concious process instead