Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: My auntie played piano (Chopin et.al.), was always practicing. My grandparents had some accordion records. My mother was always singing or whistling some evergreens. Then I was in a boys’ marching band on drums, which did the trick when I went to boarding school at fourteen, so I was the only one in the school who qualified for beating the drum kit. Two years after, I was playing keyboards in a dancing band which did the rounds in the western part of Iceland.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Latin Faculty”?
A: I have no message, other than that we love latin rhythms, especially, bossanova and samba, but a lot of other musical styles as well, AC, Blues, Jazz. Latin Facukty is just a collective, or gathering, of my favourite musicians (incl. singers), that are willing to come to the studio and record my music.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: No one special at the moment that inspires me, except Brazilian songwriter, Ivan Lins, but he’s also from the past, as all the other artists that used to inspire me: The Animals, War, The Band, Steely Dan, Georgie Fame, Mose Allison, Horace Silver, Ramsey lewis, Herbie Hancock. It’s a long list, and the Brazilian composers; Lins, Jobim, Bonfá, Caymmi.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “So Nice.”?
A: Just fiddling about as usual, but the old bossanova tunes, Desafinado and Chega de Saudade, must have
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Mostly smooth, but there has been a harder edge in the past on JJ Soul Band’s albums
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “So Nice”?
A: Not at all. It came easily to me, I guess a half hour or so. All those key changes in the B-part surprised me a little, but, as usual, I thought. If the song is like this, it must have been intended (by who?).
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: No special message. I’m happy if some people can my music and enjoy it.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: None. Never thought about that.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Keep your day job, is the most common answer to this question. I did that, music was always a side job for me.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Be true to yourself.
