He joined one of late night television’s most famous house bands almost a decade ago, and lucky for him (albeit luckier for us), that band was already established as being forward-thinking and legendary in the realm of hip-hop, rap, and soul.
The Roots are lucky to have such an incredibly savvy trumpet player on board with them. Dave Guy, as a trumpeter and an all-around artist, lets rhythm and creativity flow in all he does, including with the group every night during The Tonight Show. He decided to record his own solo project recently to keep those creative juices flowing, and so his first full-length album is on the way, and named after his daughter.
Ruby, the album, was recorded last year during the writer’s strike when Guy had a bit more time on his hands. Come September 20, it’ll be ready for the world to listen to.
These songs, in their all-instrumental nature, capture the sounds of the late sixties and early seventies with their bustling jazz and soul scenes. It captivated us immediately and it hones in on an incredible time in music. Dave Guy himself was born in 1978, so he was heavily influenced by the early nineties and its own popular genres and rising scenes – particularly hip-hop. He couldn’t help but mesh the classic eras together to create his style of music. Bands like De la Soul shaped him, and their peers, too. Guy fell in love with all of them. “I remember being in Washington Square Park and seeing Tribe Called Quest in a deli. It was a beautiful time in hip-hop,” he told us.
The Aquarian sat down with Dave Guy to talk pop culture, this new solo album, and hip-hop as a whole.
Why release your first LP now, and why call it Ruby?
The album is named after my daughter. She’s an incredible being, her energy is incredible, and she has given me such joy and inspiration. She’s two years old now. It felt right and made sense to name my first project after her.
Life is normally hectic with everything from the Roots and The Tonight Show, but I recorded it during the writer’s strike. Normally I am very busy, but it made sense, and it was a natural, organic process to make the album during the time off last year. I was not so intent on making an album, but the creativity was there when I got in the studio and it was a perfect time to do it. It had a lot to do with the timing more than anything else.
What is it about your record label, Big Crown Records, that appealed to you?
I mean… that’s family to me. Leon Michels (co-founder of the label) is a great friend of mine; I have known him and played with him since I was 14 years old. He is the brains behind Norah Jones’ last album and Clairo’s last record. I also played with him in Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. I love the label because of the direction they are going in. It’s not so pure in one sense. They’re trying to push the boundaries and just do different things; everything they put out is so cool. To me, it’s a comfort zone, because it’s really close friends of mine, so I trust them with my first project. It’s a family friendly zone and affair. I know they have my back. This project is a precious thing to me, too.
Are you in tune or follow popular culture whether playing in The Roots or when putting together this album?
I am in tune because I have a 14-year-old and an 11-year-old. We listen to the radio, so they’re into the Kendrick [Lamar] and Drake battle. Also, we are on The Tonight Show every day, so we hear the most popular stuff that’s coming out. You can’t help but be in tune with ‘right now.’ It’s important to be relevant with what’s happening. My influences were from 40 and 50 years ago when creating this project, though.
Did you ever feel like adding any vocals to the project?
This was very specifically an instrumental record. I wanted this to be a 98% instrumental for sure. It was intended to be an instrumental album.
Why the trumpet?
I started playing it in junior high school. My initial teacher forced me to play the clarinet, but I wanted to play the trumpet. He got fired soon after that and then the new teacher let me choose trumpet. It felt more natural to play the trumpet than clarinet to me.
What did you learn from playing with Sharon and The Dap-Kings, The Roots, and Amy Winehouse?
A level of professionalism. Showing up every day, having a good attitude, being able to create, and be in the moment. Be open to the situation that you’re in. With Sharon, she taught me so much, from being on the road to grinding it out. It was the experience of being with those people and being on stage for those hours that you can’t recreate. It’s a priceless thing, especially with Sharon – she was like a big sister to me. I learned so much from her. I can’t help but tear up when I hear her songs. It’s the energy that you bring and the energy you get back.
How did New York City shape your aesthetics and values?
Growing up at the time I did, it was a beautiful time for hip-hop in the nineties with De la Soul and Tribe Called Quest. That is what I grew up on. It was a great moment for hip-hop. Growing up on hip-hop then playing more jazz when I played the trumpet, and then moving into the soul movement… I felt like it was all intertwined. I feel like we captured that with the album, too.
What do you want fans to take away from Ruby?
I didn’t want to have it sound like bands I’ve been on earlier in my career. When I made the record, I thought of trumpet player Donald Byrd and wanted to have that vibe on it. It was an organic experience creating it with my friends. I am proud of it.
The album cover reminds me of The Roots’ Phrenology a bit.
The album cover is another amazing side of the record that I’m super proud of. My friend Derrick Adams is a visual artist with who I am lucky to be really close friends with, and I asked him to do the cover. He painted it off the cuff. It adds so much to the whole project.
What is next for you?
I’m not doing so much touring, but I am doing a show on September 26 at The Sultan Room. I want to do some shows here and there, but I am very busy with The Roots and The Tonight Show.
Speaking of The Roots, what’s the status of the band?
We toured all summer. We toured with Arrested Development, Digable Planets, and The Pharcyde. We have some more shows in October, then we are headed to Australia for the holidays. We are always grinding.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO RUBY, THE DEBUT LP FROM DAVE GUY, BEGINNING FRIDAY, 9/20! FOLLOW DAVE ON INSTAGRAM TO KEEP UP WITH HIS HAPPENINGS, AND THE ROOTS, TOO!
