Randy Weston discusses songwriting

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Randy Weston discusses musical inspiration

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Randy Weston discusses what he enjoys listening to

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Q: “How does the music come to you? Do you sit down to do it or does it come and then you sit down? Are you very dedicated in the working sense?”

A: “No, no, no. It's something that ... it's hard to explain. Each time it's so different. Sometimes I hear a rhythm I go to the piano and I fool around with that rhythm and something happens with that. Sometimes a melody can come into my head. Other times, I want to write something for a particular person like a Billy Strayhorn or Langston Hughes or something like that and I'll kind of think of their personality, you know, and how I would ... you know, what notes they represent, you know. Because see one of the things in Africa that's so beautiful, you learn about the healing musicians. You know, they say when you are ill, they look for your note, you know, and when they find your note, they get you back in tune with nature. So sometimes when I think of a particular person, I think of a certain note, you know.”