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IF YOU GO
What: Gilbert Castellanos in concert
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Roosevelt High School Auditorium
Cost: $15, $12 for JazzFresno members and $7 for students
Details: (559) 253-5323
Gilbert Castellanos' credentials are great.
The jazz trumpeter plays with Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and the Anthony Wilson Nonet. He's done session work with Diana Krall, Michael Buble and Luis Miguel. He attended the Berklee College of Music and the California Institute of the Arts.
Yet it all can be traced back to one place: Roosevelt High School.
That's where he first learned his craft and where he'll play a special homecoming concert tonight, accompanied by his own quartet.
He'll perform at 7:30 p.m., preceded by a conversation-with-the-artist segment at 6:30 p.m.
Question: This is first time you've played out here since 2002, what made you want to come back and do it?
Answer: It's been awhile, yeah. And 2002 wasn't even with my group, it was with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and we played at the Tower Theatre.
I've been wanting to come back for years now to Fresno to play. It just hasn't been the right situation, or timing was off, but I'm really, really glad that JazzFresno, Joe Moore and the rest of the crew are bringing the group out. We're really excited to play for the people of Fresno. I cannot wait.
Out of everything you've done -- you've played with some big names, gone to some great schools and you're teaching -- what are you most proud of?
I'm just proud of the fact that I'm staying true to my music. I'm a purist when it comes to music ... The fact that I have stayed true to my music and stayed focused and that I'm still playing the music that I dreamed about playing when I was high school.
Give people just a general idea of what it is that your group does.
Right now, we're primarily focusing on original compositions by myself and the pianist, a great piano player from Yugoslavia, Mikan Zlatkovich. People are really going to be blown away by this guy; he's something special. It's an original sound, I've been put on the spot before where they've asked me to try to describe what kind of sound it is. The best way to describe it is post-
modern bebop with an Afro-Cuban influence.
Did you want to come back and play at Roosevelt? Obviously you could have played somewhere else. Was that a decision on your part?
No, it wasn't, really. If I had a say in it, I would have definitely picked Roosevelt. Things just kind of worked out in my favor. When we finally decided to do the concert, Joe Moore had told me it was going to be at Roosevelt, and that was perfect. It's like, I couldn't really ask for much more than that.
It really means a lot to me to come back to Roosevelt. If it wasn't for the program there that I went through, I probably wouldn't be where I'm at now.
I can honestly say that, because what I learned in high school as far as music was concerned is something that I can say 75% to 80% of this nation, in high schools, they don't have that program. They don't have a teacher like Steve Alcala -- who was a great teacher, by the way, and he definitely deserves a lot of the credit.
What do you think it's gonna be like, going back there now as a professional?
Oh man, it's gonna be weird. Just being around kids and doing the clinic with the kids, they're gonna make me feel so old.
What do you hope people get out of this show?
I just hope that they have a good time. We try to make it a very positive party environment, as far as the music. I just hope they came out with a big smile on their faces and enjoy the music.
The reporter can be reached at
mosegueda@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6479. Read his blog at
www.fresnobeehive.com.
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