No Luck For "Artist of the Month" Jonathan Butler Just Good Decisions
July 1, 2005 - Jonathan Butler does not believe in luck. "I think we must make good decisions in life and thankfully we're more discerning when we get older and blessed as we go along," says the guitarist. He told Smooth Jazz Now that we all make our own luck "If you keep doing good things and being a great person it works out," says Butler who is our "Artist of the Month" for July. Growing up the youngest of twelve children under the grips of Apartheid in South Africa Butler made a conscious decision a long time ago to make the best of every situation, "I live my life celebrating everyday and every moment because there's been too much pain," says Butler. "It's a conscious decision to say in spite of what I've been through in my life, in spite of how I grew up and all those obstacles that I've gone through I've still been given this incredible gift which is music which takes me to a whole other place." Butler's new CD simply titled "Jonathan" is his first on Rendezvous Records and features the hit remake of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain." Read our new interview with Jonathan Butler. - by John Beaudin

Jonathan Butler - Hi John, how are you man?

John - It's all good. You have been making me smile from the beginning with that positive music, what's in your drinks man?

Jonathan - (Laughing)

John - I know you've gone through a lot in your life, I know where you came from and you know some people can go through that and end up being pretty damn negative. Was it a conscious decision for you to look at the positive side of life?

Jonathan - I live my life celebrating everyday and every moment because there's been too much pain. It's a conscious decision to say in spite of what I've been through in my life, in spite of how I grew up and all those obstacles that I've gone through I've still been given this incredible gift which is music which takes me to a whole other place. So yes, it was a conscious thing every single day. It's now a part of who I am so I don't have to really think about it anymore I guess. You know John, I don't want to live my life in the past because I was given this awesome gift of music and I believe it's there to set people free. It has certainly set me free. That's it man, it's the way I want to live.

John - You know as I listened to the first track "Rio" from the "Jonathan" album my first thought was my man is back I've already got a smile on my face. I love that vocalize style which that song has and I think vocalize is a great bridge for people.

Jonathan - When I wrote "Rio" it just came out that way. The vocal melody and the guitar were starring me in the face. I felt it so I did it. It was the way for me to go.

John - A little Rick Braun in there didn't hurt at all.

Jonathan - I know man, I love that guy. I've just been on the summer tour with him. He's such a great guy and he's positive and funny and a great trumpet player man. I think he's really underrated, he's a great improviser on the trumpet.

John - The tune "Ten Degrees South" makes me want to grab the suntan lotion.

John - You are both very positive and driven people, you two are kindred spirits on that level that's for sure. I'm not surprised you two get along.

Jonathan - You know what, working with Dave is just really easy. For me it's always starting with the guitar and coming up with these melodies. During the process I really didn't want to think too hard. Whatever I heard I just did it immediately and like you said it's full of life. They all have very simple melodies and I think that's really the key for something that people can enjoy.

John - The last time I talked to Dave Koz a few months ago he was telling me about signing you and he spoke like a man who just won the lottery. He was pumped about you.

Jonathan - It's good people. The entire Rendezvous label is filled with great people who believe in great causes, it's just not music but about lifting people up as well. Tonight I'm going to a benefit that Dave's going to be playing at with Wayman Tisdale. I've had such an easy time making this CD. Sometimes you know you can tell when an artist is in a weird space and the experience is very different.

John - Well, one of the owners of Rendezvous is one of my radio heroes and he's been featured with an interview on this site and then you also have Hyman Katz in there and Dave Koz, that's pretty good company.

Jonathan - It's really an amazing team and the decision for me to sign with Rendezvous was easy and remember I haven't had anything out in Smooth Jazz since "Surrender" so it's been three years or so for me.

John - When I heard that you'd covered the James Taylor song "Fire and Rain" my first thought was is he nuts that's sacred territory but you took the tune to Jonathan Butler land, you added a few new tricks to it.

Jonathan - I've been in love with James Taylor's music and stories forever and you know everyone out there has done so many Stevie Wonder covers, I meant there are so many covers being done. "Fire and Rain" is a song that I would sit and play for myself or my friends at a barbeque and when I played it we would start reminiscing about things.

John - Are you being metaphoric? Did you really play it before?

John - I notice that you inflect a little different than James does and of course you add juicy guitar licks in some new places. Did you have to put a lot of thought into your version?

Jonathan - I had to think a little bit about the guitar approach because James is such a great guitar player and when he composes and writes songs the guitar is such an incredible part of everything he does so I had to think about what I was going to do and how I would even approach this song. First I just started playing it and fooling around until something really stuck with me and I just went along with that.

John - I always run into people who don't realize how much of a good picker he is.

Jonathan - Oh yeah, me too. I first fell in love with James Taylor with Carol King and "You've got a Friend.' It's an amazing journey for me because these are just people who have really inspired me through the years to become a writer and tell stories whether it's on the guitar or just singing. So James Taylor to me is just an amazing guy and I was so happy to be able to do that song and to hear people really receive it is gratifying. I'm now doing it live on stage also so it's kind of fun.

John - Let me go out on a limb Jonathan and let me tell you what I think you believe in.

Jonathan - (laughing) ok.

John - I don't believe in luck and I don't think you believe in luck.

Jonathan - (laughing) No, I'm not a fan of luck either.

John - In life we make decisions, as we get older hopefully we are more discerning and we work hard and those decisions are good, coupled with hard work and spirit, then we'll be ok.

Jonathan - I do agree with you there. I don't believe in luck. I don't buy into that. I think we must make good decisions in life and thankfully we're more discerning when we get older and blessed as we go along. If you keep doing good things and being a great person it works out. I'm a great friend, a father and I've been recording since I was twelve.

John - Man you started so young.

Jonathan - Well, you know it's funny I used to make a secret promise to myself that I would never be without a recording contract because I was so in love with making records. I just loved the process and of course I loved hearing myself on the radio (laughing). As a kid I just loved hearing myself on the radio. (laughing)

John - (laughing) Hey, If you get sick of that I'll worry about you.

Jonathan - (laughing) I think you're right it's all about decisions you make. We all have to make them so we might as well be discerning about what's going on.

John - Speaking of positive things and good decisions, I know you were just at the R&R convention last weekend in Cleveland and you spoke of the Acres of Love Foundation.

Jonathan - It's something that so dear to my heart. It's an organization that's founded by South Africans that now life in California. Basically Acres of Love adopts abandoned HIV babies in South Africa from as early as 18 months and up. We adopt these kids from around the world and we raise money to buy homes and each house has ten kids with medical staff, with volunteers and each child has its own medical anti HIV medicines that they take three times a day. The stories are incredible about these young kids. These babies are abandoned and some are picked up in dumpsters, in bushes and they are just left for dead so these babes are part of Acres of Love. So we want to help these babies who have been abandoned by their mothers when the mothers find out they have AIDS. These kids just get left on doorsteps and in cars. When I met with Ryan Audagnotti and his wife Gerda the founders of Acres of Love we got really close and involved. We do a series of benefits that we hold ever year. My vision now is to bring it more into the mainstream through the music industry. Rendezvous has been tremendous in showing their support for Acres of Love.