Today I interviewed the bass player Jordan Scannella, now touring with Hamilton. We were both on bikes on the Silver Comet Trail north of Atlanta. He was ahead, then I passed him, and he stayed close. When we both passed a softball-sized turtle, he asked if turtles were a common sight around here, as he was passing me. I figured he was from out of town and started up a conversation -- once I'd caught up to him. Riding with him was very helpful for my average speed.
In truth, being a friendly guy, he was the one who asked most of the questions. From him, I learned something about the life of a musician traveling with a show. He's staying in a bed-and-breakfast close to the theatre and riding several times a week. When he goes to different places on the tour, he often hooks up with a cycling group to get to know the territory. Not all places are so hospitable as our Silver Comet; he told of unpenned, unleashed dogs. One time he outraced them, but another time they attacked on an uphill climb. In that situation, he got off the bike and put it between him and the dogs. His airhorn confused them. "They forgot what they were doing, and went away."
He was amazed by octagenarian jazz stars whom he saw at Piedmont Park last weekend during the Atlanta Jazz Festival. He theorized that musicians live longer than ordinary people because they keep playing -- "When you stop playing, your life is over," he said. I shared how playing piano in the pit orchestra for Sweeney Todd was the most intense living I've ever done -- and how I wished I'd discovered band when I was doing drama in high school.
About Hamilton, we said little. I told him how I'd known the music and went to find out what the visuals added. (See my article Hamilton on Mute.)
He does some teaching on Zoom these days, and misses in-person interaction, but he acknowledges some advantages in the remote learning.
While we did talk some about music and Broadway, I did not learn until I went online that he has recorded with groups including Jorscan and People's Champs. When conversation shifted to a new topic, I kept to myself a comment about a wonderful bike trail in Cincinnati, missing an opportunity for another connection, since that's his hometown and very dear to me (see Cincinnati on my virtual bike tour).
After I'd gone a bit over an hour, it was time for me to turn back while he explored land west. I told him I'd consider my Hamilton program to be virtually autographed, now.
In an
Interview on Bassmusicmagazine.com from 2018, he discusses his background, how he hustles to make a living as a musician in New York, and how he got involved with Hamilton. He's very enthusiastic about the show. Near the end of the interview, he explains how he actually plays several different basses to get the sounds required.... and how he has literally two seconds to switch from one instrument to another. He's grateful for the consistency of his Hamilton schedule, giving him time to compose. And -- it goes without saying -- to ride his bike.
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