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May 9, 2005
Interviewed by Susan Johnson

Think of a warm smile from a caring friend and that's the way you'll feel when you see Jonathan Butler in person. Think of a cool breeze on a warm beach and that's how you'll feel with his music. Having already sold more than a million records, Jonathan has just released his fifteenth album, Jonathan, to rave reviews. His first single, “Fire and Rain,” is already #14 on R&R and he's playing his way around the country with the Jazz Attack tour.

Smooth Views (SV): Your new CD, Jonathan, is an amazing compilation of beautiful original instrumental songs. Are the emotions that went into this record any different than your previous 14?
Jonathan Butler (JB): In a way, yes. You know, I was fortunate to be on the road on tour with Dave Koz. Being around Dave you can't help but sort of feel a lot of positive energy. It was so easy when I got off the road and Dave talked me into doing another smooth jazz record because I haven't… it's been almost three years, I think, since I've done one. So there was a lot of good feelings I had last summer making this record. A lot of good feelings. I think the songs were very easy. I didn't really have to dig too deep, you know, to make this music. And it was fun, a lot of fun. I was just in a very good space. And I wanted it to be happy.

SV: How did you decide to release “Fire and Rain” as the first single? It's already climbing the charts!
JB: I gotta give my manager some props on that! They've been planning this. It's interesting, you know this album is an album that I did with two vocals. I didn't really think that the vocals were going to get played, but I knew that “Fire and Rain” was one of the songs that I wanted to do on the album. There's another song on the record called, “Baby Love” which kind of is a very light, warm fun song and I was kind of pleasantly surprised when the record label and management decided… “You know what? We should put out “Fire and Rain.” And I'm really happy about that.

SV: Your daughter, Jodie, sings on several songs on Jonathan. Do your other daughters sing or play any instruments? Will Jodie appear with you at any of the Jazz Attack shows?
JB: They both sing. My daughter, Jodie, is the one that is… she's the kind of girl that's really taking it very seriously. She sings with me at church. She's in the Praise and Worship team, so she's pretty much really into this thing. She's growing leaps and bounds in front of me, and every day I hear her sing and I go… (deep sigh). And my oldest daughter, she didn't want to get into it. She's a beautiful singer, but she'd rather do fashion, so she's out at school studying fashion. Jodie won't be appearing at any Jazz Attack shows, but she'll come out and hang out with me and her mother. I really think Jodie is… as much as she loves singing, she knows I've got to keep her in school! She will come to local shows. She's not shy! She's not afraid [to get up on stage], you know. I've been using Jodie on various records. She's been doing background on most of the album with me. I'm beginning to feel very comfortable featuring Jodie on some of these. “Spirit of Our Nation” is a song I wrote for a 12-year-old boy from South Africa. I was working on his record, and somehow the project had to come to a grind, and he had to go back home. So we thought it would make a beautiful instrumental with just a little touch of vocal in it.

SV: You were a child in South Africa during some turbulent times. How has that affected who you have become?
JB: It is really... it's shaped me and fashioned me to be the kind of person I am today. I think South Africa is a place that I believe… I always tell my friends this… where there's great poverty, there's great spirit. I also came from a country where apartheid was very much the norm and you kind of had to deal with it on a daily basis. But I think all the struggles and all the obstacles… it's really what shaped me and made me the kind of person that I am. I mean, you kind of… I really do value life more, and I value my freedom and [don't] take it for granted. Not at all.

SV: Could you give us some thoughts on a few of the songs on Jonathan? “Precious Things”
JB: That sort of sums up the album for me. It's the simple things in life that I enjoy… sitting outside in the yard with my family in the morning and having coffee… in the afternoon, just looking out and looking over the hills and seeing the flowers bloom. To me, that's the “Precious Things.” It was such an easy title for me to come up with because that's really where I am in my life. I feel like I do care more about the simpler things.

SV: “Mandela Bay”
JB: It's my wife's favorite song. It's once again… it's an energy thing, it's a celebration. It's also celebrating this man and a city that, I believe, is going to be named Mandela Bay, which is where my wife comes from. She's from Port Elizabeth, and so Port Elizabeth is going to be changed… the name is going to be changed to Mandela Bay. It was pretty exciting for me when I heard about it!

SV: “For a Friend”
JB: That's sort of a joy and sad and also kind of happy situation. “For a Friend” is about my son's best friend's brother who died. The two brothers were in an accident, and the younger brother… the car overturned and he lost his brother. I was so moved for my son. I lived in Calabasas, and it's a very tight community. It was very sad. I went to my studio and sat in front of my keyboard and wrote this song for his friend. I wanted to let him know that I'm thinking about his friends. It's really… it has a bittersweet story for me.

SV: “Spirit of Our Nation”
JB: I co-wrote the song with an incredible songwriter named David Batteau. I was working on this record… this boy's name was Charleton, and it was just really that I wanted him to say something about his country. I thought since we're both South Africans and he reminded me of myself when I was his age. I just wanted him as a child to make the kind of appeal that is pure and say that we are in such a different place now in South Africa, you know, with HIV and poverty. There's different dynamics we're facing now in South Africa today. The children are really the ones we need to be addressing… and their future. So, I wanted to make an appeal. David and I wrote the song for him. The lyrics are absolutely amazing. It's just such an incredible lyric, and I wish I was able to do the whole thing, you know. But it's a message for perhaps one can say South Africa, but at the same time it's a message for everybody. It's a message I believe is for everyone. It may be on another CD. I'm working on another CD right now. Every day I'm picking up something and trying to get more songs for the next record already.

SV: Everyone has events that have shaped us and who we've become. Your beliefs and faith have remained a huge part of who you are. Jonathan feels spiritual even though it is considered smooth jazz. Is that a conscious effort or something that just permeates everything you do?
JB: I've got to be honest with you. I don't think about smooth jazz. I think about the season I'm in. I just let these things lead me instead of having this mind set that it has to fit the form… it has to fit an image. I can't think that way. It's almost like calling me a jazz musician. Sometimes I think that's not who I am. I'm just a musician making music and hopefully I can get my point across and my emotion across. That's really how I see it. I'm an artist, and I believe in saying things that are right for me. If I'm touched by things and events that happen in life… my wife and I say all the time… I think it's important for me at this point in my life to do the things that I love. This record is really… it's been real fun to make this kind of music. I'm really excited about what's going on.

SV: This past Friday evening, you played in DC for the Children's National Medical Center benefit. Which charities are close to your heart?
JB: The charity that's really, really close to my heart is Acres of Love, which I'm a part of. It's a South African-based organization that deals with abandoned HIV babies. I've been a part of it for awhile. That's very close to my heart. Whatever you become in the world, use it to help other people in the world. I think celebrities are given the title so they can use it for the greater good. Whatever we do, we have to keep on doing good for others.

SV: How did you get hooked up with Rendezvous Music?
JB: Being on tour with Dave Koz! (laughs) Spending time in hotel rooms talking, in the lobby area talking… I had just been dropped by Warner Bros. I was more thinking along the lines of pursuing my gospel music. That's all I was thinking about doing. So when the tour came about, Dave was like… would you like to do another record or are you thinking about it? I said, “You know, Dave, smooth jazz doesn't play vocals! I feel like I'm left in the dark here.” All of my earlier successes were vocals, and I felt like I was being misrepresented as a smooth jazz guitarist. And I thought… who came up with that? Wake up one morning and I decide to be a jazz guitarist? I sing at every concert. I sing at church. So why would I? I said, “Dave, I don't know.” But in the end, he won. He persuaded me! And it's cool because I love it! I love doing both. I'm not saying I don't want to do both, I'm just saying for me, I'm a singer first and then a guitar player.

SV: When you have time to relax with your family, what do you enjoy doing?
JB: I love swimming! I love sitting outside barbequing. I love spending time with my friends playing pool. I love all that kind of stuff. I love just hanging out with all my friends. Like yesterday, we had a great time. I was swimming until I don't know what time in the morning, but my chest is hurting today! And I love hiking! I'm also a DVD buff, so I can't wait until new movies come out so I can pretend I'm the first one that has it!

SV: Any final thoughts for your fans, Jonathan?
JB: Don't stop loving me. That's all I can say. I mean, I really appreciate them. I really appreciate everybody that comes out to see me. It's a wonderful feeling. A great feeling for me to know the fans love me and they're there. It's just great and I appreciate it.

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Discography
Click on the cover image to buy CD from Amazon
Jonathan
2005
(Rendezvous)
The Worship Project
2004
(Maranatha)
Surrender
2002
(Warner Bros)
The Ultimate Butler
2002
(Encoded Music)
The Source
2000
(Encoded Music)
Story of Life
1999
(Encoded Music)
Do You Love Me?
1997
(Encoded Music)
Head to Head
1994
(Polygram)
Best of Jonathan Butler
1993
(Jive)
Heal Our Land
1990
(Jive)
Deliverance
1990
(Jive)
Jonathan Butler
1990
(Jive)
More Than Friends
1988
(Jive)
Introducing Jonathan Butler
1986
(Jive)

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CD Reviews return to home page interviews CD Reviews Concert Reviews Perspectives - SmoothViews State of Mind Retrospectives - A Look Back at a Favorite CD On The Side - The Sidemen of Smooth Jazz On the Lighter Side - A Little Humor News - What's New in Smooth Jazz Links - A Guide to Smooth Jazz on the Web Contact Us About Us Website Design by Visible Image, LLC