Actor Interview - James Ross
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From the beginning, we knew that if we were going to make a Jazz movie, authenticity was a must. This meant no faking it. No shots of the musician's fingers not matching the music being played. We were after the real thing, and with that came the challenge of casting. We conducted a citywide search for a Jazz musician who could act, or an actor who could play. And for weeks, we found nothing. Believe it or not, I even considered rewriting the script altogether. But then we met James Ross. James was exactly who we were looking for, and his performance is integral to the success of the film. He embodies the central character Maliki -- a saxophonist from Jamaica Queens. His performance was equally good as an actor as a musician, and through his brilliance, our little Jazz movie lives. Lastly, The Sound of Southside is both a film and a novel. Please show your support for this project by ordering the novel here. If you send a screenshot of the order to grittyvibes@gmail.com, we'll share the film trailer with you months before the public. Tap in below!
1. LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING! HOW'D YOU GET INTO ACTING AND PLAYING THE SAX? WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR EARLY ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES?
I think it all started with my paternal grandfather. He was an accomplished pianist and would use any chance he had to instill in me the tools of musicianship. He taught me how to play piano and when I transitioned to alto saxophone, I am thankful for the couple of times that we played together at family gatherings. I was also very blessed to be a part of one of the best school music programs in NJ (South Brunswick School District), that recognized my talents as a singer and musician and were able to develop those talents. I can say the same thing for acting. My town's community theatre program was really something special that gave me all of the room and encouragement I needed to explore characters, work on my craft, and understand the importance of being a supportive castmate. Some of my most memorable roles growing up were The Cowardly Lion in the
Wizard of Oz, Tyrone in Fame, and Javert in Les Miserables just to name a few.
2. WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE AS AN ACTOR AT NYU? WOULD YOU SAY IT NURTURED YOU CREATIVELY?
NYU was an experience like no other. It was a true advantage to study drama in the cultural heart of theatre and it allowed me to take my place in one of the largest acting communities in the world. My training there really allowed me to know what it is to be an artist, to not simply imitate, but to generate something true from yourself and to understand that rules are meant to be broken, once you master them. Along with the top-notch training, I was also surrounded by immensely talented people and some of my former classmates are doing some amazing things in their careers currently, so they inspired and continue to inspire me to this day.
"I think it all started with my paternal grandfather. He was an accomplished pianist and would use any chance he had to instill in me the tools of musicianship"
James Ross by Landon White
3. YOU HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PART, BOTH AS AN ACTOR AND A MUSICIAN. WHAT WAS YOUR PREPARATION LIKE FOR THE ROLE?
If you've made it through 4 years of acting school, then you know it took doing your homework. That means research, going through the different emotional beats in a scene, and repetition in getting those lines down. I'm not from Jamaica, but I have family roots in that area, so I drew from those memories along with absorbing cultural content related to Queens. The central inspiration for my character was Nas. As far as the music, I've been playing the sax for over 20 years, so the muscle memory is always there. I will say it was quite a challenge memorizing a 6-minute pre performed solo by ear, but it was a challenge I relished. I'm fully confident I won't need sheet music the next time I'm tasked with a similar role or live performance.
4. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT PLAYING MALIKI?
Maliki is written with a good spirit. Even surrounded by chaos his heart is consistently in the right place. I believe there are 'Maliki's' all over the world who need our support to make their communities a safer, richer, and more vibrant place. And I think all of us can learn from Maliki in the way that he always listens to his heart in the end. Also after all these years playing the sax and acting, I never really imagined when I would marry the two talents on film. Acting and saxophone are at the core of who I am so I am truly grateful to share that part of my essence through Maliki.
Acting and saxophone are at the core of who I am so I am truly grateful to share that part of my essence through Maliki.
5. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH GOING FORWARD AS AN ACTOR?
As an actor it's still a dream of mine to work on Broadway and I know it's only a matter of time. I would love to tackle an American classic written by August Wilson or Tennessee Williams, along with modern giants like Susan-Lori Parks or Lin-Manuel Miranda. Anyone who knows me well has heard me say, "If I could spend the rest of my life between acting on Broadway and HBO original series, I would be a very happy man." That being said, in front of the camera (besides being in another Tyrel Hunt Joint) I would love to do a sci-fi/fantasy film. I think my physicality, training and presence would translate well in a film or tv show in that realm and the epicness of those types of projects just seem to be the most fun on set.