"Take Five" Q&A with E.J. Strickland!

(We asked E.J. the top five questions you wanted to know!)

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently?

Audio Evolution for Android on Google Play. Its an audio recording app that you can use with a mic or midi. Makes pretty good live recordings.

Q2: What's your funniest or worst gig story?

One day, maybe 10 years ago or so, I remembered to bring everything (cymbals, clutch, etc.) except my damn stick bag to a gig in the west village w guitarist David Gilmore. I had to play the entire first set with my hands. LOL (It was actually kinda cool and refreshing.) In between sets, I ran to the Blue Note where Clark Terry Big Band was playing.  My pal Sylvia Cuenca was on drums. I passed a $5 bill to Helen Sung and told her to give it to Sylvia in exchange for a pair of drumsticks. She helped me out, and I finished the gig w a pair of her sticks. LOL

Q3: What's one concert you've attended that has had a lasting impact on your life?

The best live music experience I ever had was Stevie Wonder at Jazz Fest circa 2010 or so. It was raining hard that day, and everyone was wearing panchos over their clothes, rolled up their jeans and long pants, barefoot, and dancing in Congo Square listening to Stevie play all of his greatest hits from Innervisions, Talking Book, Music Of My Mind, Songs In The Key Of Life, you name it! I was dancing with my girlfriend at the time in the mud. I don't think I've ever had that much fun in my life.

Q4: What's a specific skill/exercise/technique that has taken your playing to the next level?

I wish I could be more specific, but getting better and better at "listening" has always taken my playing to the next level. The more I was able to understand what my bandmates are doing and understand how I can compliment that, the better my playing got and continues to get. Chops and stuff helped. But, what really helped was being able to apply those chops to the music in a tasteful way.

Q5: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self entering the music scene?

I would've told my younger self to get a masters degree immediately after I got my bachelors degree at The New School For Social Research. This is what I tell all young musicians that are in college or headed to college. Get your paper, not just a bachelor's degree. Grown folks advice. LOL