Smooth Jazz guitarist, Patrick Yandall, has been around since the early 80s.  So why haven’t you heard his name very much?  Well, It’s not easy as an independent artist to begin with, and in these crazy times recently, it’s not easy for any musician.  Patrick recently released his 9th CD, a feat not reached by many musicians.  His pure love of this music is what keeps him going.  His bright, sunny outlook is a joy to experience…and his guitar playing, well, is nothing short of brilliant.  Please take a moment to learn more about Patrick Yandall.  SmoothViews is pleased to feature him for the first time.

Smoothviews (SV):  Your name is out there, but you still remain under the radar for a lot of folks.  Let’s get some background on you.  You’re from Michigan, right?
Patrick Yandall (PY):  Yes, I’m from Bay City, Michigan.  Under the radar?  Seems like I’ve been stuck under the radar for a lot of years!  I’ve been doing this for so long, and I am still there. 

SV:  How did you get started in music? Were there other family musicians?
PY:  My Dad was a musician.  He played a whole bunch of different instruments.  He was in the Army band growing up, so there were always a bunch of instruments around our house…a saxophone, sometimes drums, an upright bass, and always guitars!  So, there was always an opportunity for me to pick up a guitar and start messing around with it when I was little.  That’s how I started. I was about six years old, but really started learning to play when I was about eight years old.  I never really took lessons.  I had a really good ear.  My brother had all these really cool rock albums and I started picking up on songs like “Stairway to Heaven.”  I started being able to play those at a very early age, but then started to study music in my high school years.  I learned how to read music from my band teacher.

SV:  I heard there was another instrument you played as a kid before settling on the guitar.
PY:  Well, I actually started on trumpet and played for about a year, but really just wanted to learn to play guitar.  There was more of an appeal to it and it’s the rock star thing, you know! (laughs)  I was thinking girls might like me better if I played something cool.  It worked!  I went to a Catholic School, so playing guitar was like the rebel thing. 

SV:  Were you like other young musicians starting out in a garage band?
PY:   Well, it’s actually funny.  I started playing around town in clubs in 9th grade.  These were clubs where you had to be 18 or older and I was playing with older guys.  They would make me wear a hat.  I could grow a mustache!  I needed to look older to play in these clubs and not get questioned too much!  Some of the clubs in upper Michigan had managers that would make me go outside on breaks and then come back in to play because they didn’t want to have someone come in and bust them with me playing.

SV:  Most guitar players reference George Benson or Wes Montgomery as influences.  Who would yours be?
PY:  Hendrix…My dad had me listen to Chet Atkins when I was young and that was a little over my head.  That’s why I started getting more into jazz.  I thought it actually takes some work to learn some of the things he was doing.  So, Chet Atkins, Benson.  I really started out learning rock, so the group, Yes.  Probably other bands like Pink Floyd…bands that were a little bit more progressive. 

SV:  You have put out your 9th CD.  Each one of your CDs has so much of you in it, especially reaching back to your family roots.  Is that your motivation?
PY:  Definitely.  Most of the songs I write about have to do with feelings that I have with family, definitely my immediate family.  My wife and my son have been my big inspiration for the last four albums.  My wife has been with me since I did my first one.  She’s probably been the most influential in my music with things we’ve gone through over the years.  The Latin influences really came out when I moved to San Diego.  I don’t think that would have been a part so much if I had stayed in Michigan. 

SV:  When almost no one, indie artist or well-known label artists, are getting airplay, how do you keep going and putting that music out there in these troubling times?  And by what means do you get the music out there?
PY:  I know what you mean, with all of those stations going down.  For staying motivated, I was doing this stuff, I mean, my first record came out in the early 90s.  So, it’s just something I’ve been doing.  I’ve been recording tracks for places like the Weather Channel and have my music playing on there.  I have always done the jazz Muzak that you hear in malls and other places.  I’ve been doing that since 1997.  So, people get to hear me in malls and airports.  And that’s been a good revenue stream and also keeps me writing.  A lot of that stuff I’ll rewrite and ends up on albums of mine.  Also with the internet, a lot of people I know are turning to the internet because there is more of a selection, more artists on there.  With Clear Channel, the playlist you were hearing on smooth jazz radio was so small.  You could count the number of artists played on your two hands.  So many artists have so much trouble breaking through on radio now.  When I first started, my first record label was Brainchild.  That’s where Russ Freeman started and they also had Kilauea. 

This album that I have out now, I’ve been using MySpace, ads in Smooth Jazz News, smoothjazz.com – that has really helped.  I’ve been trying to use the internet as much as possible to get the word out.  And ITunes.  Also CD Baby.  They’ve been great for indie artists, putting everyone on an even playing field. 

SV:  Let’s talk about the new CD, Laws of Groovity.  Great CD, and love the title.  This is getting great reviews.  How are you feeling about its reception by fans?
PY:  That’s funny because I just talked to Rick Gold from the Las Vegas jazz station.  He said he’s been following me since the first CD and that this is the best one ever!  The feedback has been really outstanding.  I was kind of unsure about this album because I’ve had such big names on some of my other albums, and on this one I did all by myself.  And I’m kind of getting a better reaction from this one!  Back in the day you had to have those other names to even get your foot in the door. 

SV:  The liner notes says you play all of the instruments on the CD.  Do you also incorporate music technology in your recordings?
PY:  I’ve always practiced bass guitar besides regular guitar, so the live bass on there is all me.  I wanted to give it a live feel.  One of the reviewers said that I did a good job making it feel like a live band interacting, and that was the feel I was going for.  You hear some of the smooth jazz out there, and sometimes you just think, wow, that all just sounds like a machine.  To me, there goes the jazz again.  And that’s not what jazz is all about.  When I interacted with my bass or guitar, or when I did some of the keyboard lines on it, I really wanted it to sound like the band was truly interacting.  That’s what I was shooting for on this album. 

SV:  You have almost always had all original songs or just a couple of covers on your CDs.  And your covers are always made to sound fresh and new, like “Always There” on the new CD.  How do you do it?
PY:  The reason I put that song on this album is because that is always my opening tune when I perform live.  I’ve always done it because my usual band, Kevin Flournoy, Nathan Brown and drummer, Tony Lee…we really rock out on it and people seem to love it.  I wanted to kind of put the version we play live on the CD.  That version is really a kickin’ version and a rock guitar sound.  I wanted to get that feel, that live feel.  I try to change up the covers I do.  Like I said before, I’ve done Muzak and I don’t want them sounding like that!  I never wanted any of my covers to be tired.  I want people to recognize it, but then say that’s a nice change to it.

SV:  You are based in San Diego and play clubs in that area.  Any dates in other places planned?
PY:  I would like to play other places if it were convenient to me playing there and I didn’t come home broke!  But I do play in and around San Diego a lot, like at Humphrey’s Backstage, and Spaghettini’s in Seal Beach, which I’m playing now about once a month.  I am also going out to Reno to play for the jazz station there as part of their Wednesday night concert series.  I am also going to Michigan in September.  I’d love to play the DC area!

SV:  Just as TV Guide puts out the “Best Shows No One Is Watching,” do you feel like you fall into a similar category in the music industry?
PY:  Probably, yeah.    You know, I’ve appeared in these magazines like Jazz Times…in fact they did an article on the best albums of the year when my album Samoa Soul was out, that had people like Herbie Hancock and Brian Culbertson in it and then me.  I was looking at it going like man, these people are touring and successful and I’m in there with them, so where’s my meatloaf in there?  I do feel that way sometimes.  I’ve always felt like I am still on that outer bubble.  All these other guys are coming along, like Euge Groove, and I’ve been doing this so long and they’re jumping in there and just taking off.  So many things have come close, but never come together, but I get great reviews!

SV:  What about you or your career do you feel warrants more attention?
PY:  One thing that I’ve gotten a lot of praise for over the years is simply my guitar playing.  To me that was the first thing I wanted to be really good at.  My writing came second.  But now I concentrate more on my song writing.  But I think my playing would warrant more attention than it’s gotten!

SV:  What do you do in your spare time?
PY:  Besides watching Drake  & Josh with my son?!  (laughs)  I’ve played tennis since I was young.  People used to say it was either a tennis racket or a guitar in my hand since I was young.  I play with my son. I’ve taught tennis during summers.  And I spend time with my family, playing football with my son.

SV:  Anything else to let our readers know about?
PY:  I’d like to play more festivals!  I’d like to come to every town and play festivals.  I’ve done some out on the West Coast, but not elsewhere.  So, call me!

SV:  Patrick, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us and let our readers get to know you a little better.
PY:  Well, thank you so much!  I appreciate it.

For more information, check out www.patrickyandall.com, CDBaby, or Patrick’s MySpace page.