What is UP With Alex Warshawsky?

“People hear about all these opportunities I’ve had, but I don’t feel like I’ve earned them.”

Alex Warshawsky, 16, Double Bass Player

Some of the opportunities Warshawsky refers to are studying with bassist Christian McBride, taking a master class (and then performing) with Chick Corea, and playing live on WBGO-FM with the Jazz House Kids Big Band.  He considers most of it luck – being in the right place, with the right people, at the right time.  But it takes more than that to get to Carnegie Hall.  Or, in the case of Chick Corea, South Orange Performing Arts Center.

“We played a gig at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in Lincoln Center – that’s the kind of club that people work years to play in.  I feel like I’m just really lucky, living in Montclair.  Christian McBride [Creative Director of Jazz House Kids] has so many connections and is able to bring these great people to come and teach us,” says Warshawsky.  Besides Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Esperanza Spalding have recently offered master classes to the group. 

Warshawsky started playing upright bass in middle school, in a Beginning Strings class.  “They asked me what instrument I wanted and I just picked the coolest one,” he says.  “I moved from there into taking Jazz classes, but I did it backwards.  In jazz, you’re supposed to have all the background in scales and arpeggios and then develop it into your own thing.  I didn’t have that.  I started learning that stuff afterwards.” 

Although he’s always set aside time for practicing, Warshawsky describes becoming “serious” about his music last summer after attending Birch Creek Music Camp.  “It’s on a dairy farm in The Middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin,” he says.  “The closest town has 500 people.  You’re in classes all day and your instructors are performing every night.  It’s hard to not be really into something when you immerse yourself in it that intensely.”

After Birch Creek he returned to do a camp session with Jazz House Kids.  “Christian McBride may be the greatest bass player in the world,” says Warshawsky.  “He has a commanding presence.  He’s very virtuosic.”

Warshawsky is drawn to the creativity and community of jazz in general and to the high value placed on the bass.  “Bass players get the most work,” he explains. ‘That’s the player that really holds it down.  Everyone always needs a bass player.”

As is the case with many kids, practicing seems unappealing at first.  “I dread it, but then it becomes fun once I start.”  Warshawsky tries to devote 2-3 hours to practicing in the summer months – an activity that consists not only of playing, but also listening and transcribing.  “You need to develop the relationship between your ear and your mind.  You feel really successful when you’re able to recreate what you hear and like.  The more you practice and progress, the more you can do that with more complex stuff.”

Warshawsky finds summertime an easy time to dedicate himself to playing. It’s more difficult to juggle academics, music and sports during the school year.  He says most of his friends don’t even know how involved he is with his music.  “Jazz isn’t something that often gets performed in front of my peers.  Lot’s of people who know me don’t know I play bass.  They don’t know that I was out at a gig until midnight.”

Alex’s FIVE FAVES:

Pizza: Enzo’s

Burger: Elevation Burger

Ice Cream: Marwan's Soft Serve ice cream truck

Book: The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway

Teacher: Mr. Pruksarnukal (Mr. P.) (Glenfield Social Studies teacher)

If you know a kid who is doing something fascinating and extraordinary, or quirky and unusual, please let us know.  We’re trying to find out: What’s UP with these kids. Shelley@Patch.com