Nils is by Gail Jhonson

NNils

How did you come to music as a child? I was always into music as long as I can remember. I took my first guitar lesson when it was offered in high school as an after school class. I was about 13 years old

Did you study music theory? I studied theory in Munich at a music school before I came to the US. Then at Guitar Institute in Hollywood. But then the real deep stuff I got at Dick Grove School of Music, where I went after guitar institute and studied Composition and Arrangement. There we covered everything I know about theory thus far in just the first week and kept going at that pace for a whole year. We were writing arrangements for big bands, small ensembles to Orchestras and had to conduct and perform them every week.

Do you compose music? If so, how many songs have you composed? Thinking back at my musical journey I was always a writer. I wrote songs when I was a teenager. I would plaything with my friends when we hung out, then when I joined a band we played covers as well as originals. As an artist I was always more interested in writing and performing original material as opposed to covers.

I have written hundreds of songs of which about 250 have been published, broadcasted and/or sold. What advice do you have for younger men and women entering the world of music? Find your own sound or musical voice.

If you are serious about making a living with music, approach it like a business. Be disciplined and organized. Don’t wait around for opportunities to knock on your door. You have to create them yourself

Tell our readers about your current project. I always have several projects I am working on. I am producing five artists: a rock singer, Ayline, and four contemporary jazz artists. I am writing, recording, and mixing. The record label just released the third single of my current CD Caught in the Groove. The first two singles went to #1 in the Billboard chart for Contemporary Jazz.

Do you have a publishing company with ASCAP or BMI? I am with ASCAP I just finished mixing and editing a live concert I recorded with my band, last fall. I will to release it as a pay-per-view event. I am supposed to go on tour with the guitar all-star band, Guitar G-Force, if the COVID situation permits.

Have you worked with women musicians? Are you aware of the challenges women face in the male-dominated music industry? I work with several female musicians. Clydene Jackson is regular member in my band on keyboards and vocals. I am also producing a rock artist, Ayline Artin, who’s band I joined as MD and guitarist. Further I work regularly with composer/artist Kathryn Bostic. We worked on scores for films like "Dear White People”, “Escape from Compton - the Michel’le story” and the Tony Morrison documentary to name a few.

I know that as a back female composer, my friend Kathryn has more challenges to deal with than a white male counterpart getting hired and not type cast. For musicians in a band, I can only go by my own experiences and there is no man who could do what Clydene does in my band.

When it comes to being an artist, I like to think that talent, looks, and work attitude are more important than gender. But I have to admit that looks are probably heavier weighted in a female artist then a man.

Nils is online at nilsmusic.com and nilsguitar.com. He hosts weekly shows on Facebook Live. Follow and Like Facebook.com/nilsguitar to watch live every Saturday at 6 p.m. PST. My YouTube channel is YouTube.com/ nilsguitar. It has live concert videos, official music videos and instructional and behind-the-scene material.

Please tune in every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. and follow/like at facebook.com/nilsguitar