Saxophonist Charles McPherson is a living legend, a musician of the highest order. I’ve learned a lot by listening to him play (and speak!) over the years. When I got the chance to interview him as part of the Mingus100 Festival at the Stadtgarten in Köln, I was delighted! Since this happened in between sets, time was limited. Still, we managed to talk about lots of different topics like his time with Charles Mingus, the secret behind great art, the influence of Charlie Parker and his “linear sense of logic” and what he expects from his fellow musicians.

I’m so happy that this happened and that we got to do this in front of a live audience as well. Thank you Charles and thank you to my friends Denis Gäbel & Robert Landfermann for this opportunity!