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In the Pocket with Kyle Eastwood 

The car whirls around the curves of the hilly Los Angeles neighborhood as we make our way to meet musician Kyle Eastwood.

He greets us warmly, dressed casually in a dark blue Lacoste shirt, jeans and flip flops. He guides us into the house, through a room filled with instruments-a grand piano, numerous guitars, and sheets and sheets of scores. A pool table stands under green lanterns accompanied by a massive chocolate brown leather couch. In the distance a vast garden is visible through floor to ceiling windows, emphasizing the atmosphere of silence and solitude.Back from Glasgow to complete an upcoming film soundtrack before embarking on a summer tour with his jazz band in Europe, Eastwood is gracious and thoughtful the two hours we spend together. What we discover is transcribed below. An artist who aspires to inspire, Eastwood communicates through his compositions, emotions, and quiet manner, even while moving his fingers.

How did music come to be such an essential part of your life?
Kyle Eastwood: I started playing piano when I was really young. My parents are big jazz and blues fans. Besides the occasional Johnny Cash records, that was the kind of music I was hearing around the house. Then I started listening to the radio in the 70's. What initially got me interested was going to the Monterey Jazz Festival. I was seven or eight years old when my father took me there for the first time. It was close to [Carmel, California] where I grew up. Seeing the live performances gave me my first taste in music. I remember seeing the Count Basie Big Band, and being pretty impressed-it was the first time I had ever seen a big band. We were standing right on the side of the stage, and the drummer was playing close to us. My ear was initially drawn to the rhythm section.
From being an avid listener to becoming a professional player, how did the process take place? 

I had to learn a little of guitar in '82, a few chords, for a film of my dad's calledHonky-tonk Man. Afterwards he ended up giving me the instrument, and I played around with it. A couple years later, I had friends in high school who were musicians; they always needed a bass player, and someone loaned me an electric bass. I started teaching myself, started getting more and more serious about playing the bass, and took lessons. I briefly went to USCas a film student, but I was getting gigs, so I left that, and followed my passion for music.

What sparked the music for your new album, Metropolitan? 

We had just finished scoring Changeling.With my writing partner, Michael Stevens, we were in this house, actually. We spent a couple weeks writing on and off. It just sort of happened. A lot of musicians who are in my group in London and Paris. We went to London and rehearsed for a couple days, tightened up the arrangements, and recorded in Paris for four days right after.

Let's take a moment to speak about the musicians involved with this recording, like French drummer Manu Katche', Miles Davis's son, Erin Davis, along with Michael Stevens who co-produced. 
I've known Manu for a couple years; we get along really well, and we have similar tastes in music.
I met Erin at the Montreux Jazz Festival in '91, the last time Miles played there. I lived in Los Angeles and so did he. Erin's presence was as a sort of extra set of ears; he's like a musicologist, he was good to have in the studio. Michael has produced my last few albums. What do you hope Metropolitan evokes in listeners? 
I hope people will hear the influences of the different kinds of music. I try to bring something new each time. I hope they are touched by what they hear. I'm not interested in making music for musicians. I hope everyone finds something in it that speaks to them.

SOURCE:  All About Jazz