Justo Almario is one of today’s most respected Musicians. He was born in Colombia, from a musical family. At an early age, he decided to devote his life to playing wind instruments. During his teenage years, he was already quickly becoming a popular musician in his native land. Seeking a grater understanding of Music, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts and attended Berkeley College of Music, graduating in 1971. He was quickly solicited by many artists and groups, making a name for himself as a Latin-Jazz and Jazz-Fusion standard. His musical credits include such artists as Mongo Santamaria, Ron Kenoly, Jennifer Lopez, Abraham Laboriel Sr., Poncho Sanchez, Tommy Walker, and Marcos Vidal, among others. He is an admired and accomplished musician who is continually sought-after.

Please, tell me a bit about your early background?
I was born in Colombia. My parents were musicians. At an early age, I began learning Clarinet, and from there, the Saxophone. When I was 11 years old, a family member brought over a recording by Cannonball Adderly. From that time, my love for Jazz was born. Years later I moved to Boston and attended Berkeley.

What was something that made the difference when you got your start in the (Latin) Music Business?
Music plays a part in our lives, more than we know. We hear music everywhere; in an elevator or the doctor’s waiting room. Music is also a spiritual language. Some are unfamiliar with that. When I became a Christian in 1981, music became spiritual to me. I understood that my music had a spiritual aspect to it. That made a difference in the way I do music.

What where some of the difficulties you had to face when you began in your musical profession?
Music is not only a business, when you have the desire. Many times, you will receive a work offer and the person will back off. Or you may be contracted and then the person backs off, or even goes out off business. (Laughs) I remember in Colombia playing for four hours and then getting asked to play two more. All wanted to do is go home, but I could not.

Traveling is also a factor. After flying to Miami for four hours, you find out your flight to Puerto Rico has been canceled, and all you can do is wait for the next one. Or getting to a destination and finding out the entire event was cancelled. When the economy goes down, musicians suffer also. After September 11, work has been harder to obtain. If you have a strong desire to play, you are willing to endure all of this and more.

If you could somehow remake the Recording Industry what would it be like?
My hope is that one day people could do the business of music justly and with integrity. We have merging companies, giving all the control to some executives who do not know the true processes of creating music. Instead they have come up with a “formula” to make a pop hit (even in the Christian Recoding Industry), and thus having the audience believe certain pop artists are the peak.

You are highly successful. Have you accomplished all your musical goals?
Music is never ending. I have many things yet to do and to accomplish. I love to compose, but I actually need the time and money to do it. I want to compose a Latin Orchestra Work. I want to be more mature in my instrument, I value tone quality and continue to work on it.
LA is a grate place to live because of all the talent in the city. When you go listen to music and hear a young sax player playing better than you, all you want to do is go home and practice. (Laughs)

Given your professional experience, where do you see the Music Business in the next ten years?
In Jazz and Latin Music, we are experiencing a “retro movement”. A movement that is more acoustic than the electronic which has been big in the past. The youth are more attracted to this acoustic move. People want to hear real instruments (drum set, sax, congas/bongos etc…) in Latin Music instead of a computerized accompaniment. When you listen to a Mozart composition you hear wonderful music, originally played, with primitive instruments. I believe this movement is a positive one that will bring to listeners back an essence in music.

Thank You, Mr. Almario