They teach it in Interviewing 101: find common ground with your subject. But when your subject is rich, famous, plump and happy Jack Black, that might be tricky. Do your homework and there, in the details of his 2006 wedding to cellist Tanya Haden, is the hook.
“You know, the toughest interview I've ever had was with your father-in-law."
Black takes the bait. His father-in-law? The legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden . You need to bone up on your jazz before talking to Charlie Haden. Otherwise, he has you for lunch. Superficial “that time you worked with Pat Metheny" questions won't do.
“Man, don't just bring your Metheny game to a Charlie Haden interview," Black laughs. “Believe me, I did some research, too. Are you kidding me? I wanted to marry his daughter. I watched all 10 hours of that Ken Burns jazz documentary. But I'm still a novice. I know better than to broach the subject."
The homework pays off
Black got the girl, and now they have two kids. And when Haden, who just turned 71, cut a CD of the traditional folk music he was raised on, a “Charlie Haden with Family" CD, guess whom he got to sing?
“Fare thee well, Ol' Joe Clark, fare thee well I saaaaay," the singing half of Tenacious D belts out. “Fare thee well, OLD Joe Clark. I'm goin' way to staaaaay.' A bluegrass standard, a classic. I've never sung that style before, but I felt I was channeling my own hickory-flavored ancestors for that."
The CD will be out at the end of the month, Black says, just in time for Black's 39th birthday.
“You know, the toughest interview I've ever had was with your father-in-law."
Black takes the bait. His father-in-law? The legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden . You need to bone up on your jazz before talking to Charlie Haden. Otherwise, he has you for lunch. Superficial “that time you worked with Pat Metheny" questions won't do.
“Man, don't just bring your Metheny game to a Charlie Haden interview," Black laughs. “Believe me, I did some research, too. Are you kidding me? I wanted to marry his daughter. I watched all 10 hours of that Ken Burns jazz documentary. But I'm still a novice. I know better than to broach the subject."
The homework pays off
Black got the girl, and now they have two kids. And when Haden, who just turned 71, cut a CD of the traditional folk music he was raised on, a “Charlie Haden with Family" CD, guess whom he got to sing?
“Fare thee well, Ol' Joe Clark, fare thee well I saaaaay," the singing half of Tenacious D belts out. “Fare thee well, OLD Joe Clark. I'm goin' way to staaaaay.' A bluegrass standard, a classic. I've never sung that style before, but I felt I was channeling my own hickory-flavored ancestors for that."
The CD will be out at the end of the month, Black says, just in time for Black's 39th birthday.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
