We recently connected with David Najera Gonzalez and have shared our conversation below.

David , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I have worked on so far was my debut EP as a bandleader, “Patos”. I had to learn to believe in myself in order to see it through. It took two years of work to have it recorded and a year and a half of post-production.
There are many memories I cherish: the introspective exploration to write the music, collaborating with dear friends and learning to overcome inevitable difficulties that come with leading a large band.

I began writing the songs in Mexico City, during the Covid-19 lockdown in March of 2020. I was privileged to have more time to myself during the pandemic than before. I realized that I had been very busy working on perfecting drumming and had neglected writing music for some years. I would spend whole afternoons playing guitar trying to figure out melody and harmony. Playing with my brother, we came up with the planting seed for “Give It a Chance”, the second song on the EP. It was later featured as “Song of The Day” in All About Jazz. Looking back on that time, I realize I was happy to be there with my family and I am thankful for my brother’s role in my musical development.

After the first 4 months of lockdown were done, I decided to travel back to New York to continue pursuing my music career. My close friends had just moved in together and were setting up a recording studio in their basement which was later named Liquid Sounds. It is now operating in a commercial space. During that whole year still in lockdown, we had a place to continue growing. “Form of Motion” was written collectively by layering ideas. Each person would record something and pass it on to the next until eventually we all got together to finish the piece. There is a music video for it available on YouTube. I wrote “Ceramic Bath” with the desire to improvise freely but at the same time follow a form. I wanted the song to be flexible and different every time it was played but still have a clear theme. This was achieved by having the melody player lead the pace of the song. The end of each melodic “sentence” had an improvisational space in between where new events could happen. It was always very fun to perform live. “Leaf” was written when I was isolated for 10 days after catching covid. I was naturally thinking of death and wanted to write a song that expressed the fear of not loving enough. I am very grateful for my life, and I was scared of not giving back the love that I have been given.

Venues started opening up in June 2021 and we were performing this music on a monthly basis. I was loving Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers at the time, and I wanted to have a band with similar instrumentation. I didn’t have friends who played trumpet or trombone, so I decided to have baritone, tenor and alto sax instead. I began trying to arrange the music for two vocalists, three saxophone players, guitar, bass and drums. This proved to be very difficult for me, but for better or worse, I was willing to stick to the format no matter what. Other difficulties were scheduling, paying the musicians and some people leaving the band. There were times that I felt discouraged, but I believed in this project and wanted to see it through.

In April of 2022 we began recording at Dimension 7o Studios. Rhythm section came first followed by saxophones and then vocals. We had a great time at D70 and I remember feeling convinced that everyone in the band had given their best to make the music happen. I edited the record myself; Steve Xia (engineer at D70) mixed it, and Julian Picado mastered it. The timeline stretched due to life’s unexpected turns and the EP was finally released on February 9th, 2024. It is available on all major streaming platforms. I learned that making records is a lot of hard work, but I became a better person, musician and composer through this experience. I am getting ready to go on tour and record my second album as a leader, this time with my trio, David Najera Gonzalez Trio.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Mexican drummer, composer and educator currently based in NYC. Since my childhood, a strong gravitation towards music has acted as a driving life force. I believe music is a source of energy and has a strong effect on a person’s consciousness. It brings together people that otherwise might not be able to inhabit the same space. Music can express deep emotions and has the power to change someone’s life. My main goal as a musician is to create beauty and I hope I can do the same as a person.

I began playing drums when I was 11 years old. My family moved from Mexico to Spain shortly after. I am grateful to have met other teenagers there who were into music as much as I was. I spent 5 years in Madrid learning and playing music constantly with friends that are now professional musicians or somehow have careers that relate to it. Around the age of 16 it became clear to me that I wanted to pursue music long-term and began seeking guidance from experienced mentors. At the age of 19 I moved to NYC and attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2021.

Upon graduating I formed Patos, an octet ensemble for which I composed and arranged music up to 2022. I recorded five arranged compositions at Dimension 70 studios that were released on streaming platforms on February 9th, 2024.
After working for a year as a bandleader, sideman and educator, I decided to pursue a master’s degree at Queens College. I was mentored by Dennis Mackrel, Antonio Hart, David Berkman, and Michael Mossman, graduating in 2024.

I am currently leading my trio, David Najera Gonzalez Trio. We are getting ready to tour in Mexico in December 2024 and record an album in the beginning of 2025. Apart from being a leader, I feel lucky to have performed with great musicians: Takuya Kuroda, Julia Chen, Matt Lavon, Cat Evers, John Gray, Sarah Anjali, Sebastían de Urquiza, Hina Oikawa, Nate Liebert, and Javier Madrazo.

I am also a co-owner of Liquid Sounds NYC, a unique, sound-isolated, and private music studio located in the center of the Bushwick/Ridgewood artist community at The Box Factory. We specialize in recording and producing music. As local musicians, we wanted to create a space that is easily accessible for any artist in the community of Brooklyn. It is a community unlike any other in the world, and the studio is deeply inspired by the camaraderie of the local scene. We hope to contribute to the musical spirit of the area by being a safe and supportive destination for collaboration amongst many.

Apart from performing, I am also an active educator. I am a faculty member at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in their Music Partners division. I have been teaching private drum-lessons for 4 years and drumming classes in public schools for 2 years. As a drummer and composer, I am profoundly moved by the creation of music. My love for sharing is greatly rewarded by teaching and passing on knowledge. One of my life aspirations is to give back what has been given to me through music. My past teachers, both in Mexico City and NY, have enriched my life in ways that continue to grow. Doing the same for a community of young and old musicians brings me nothing but joy.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

It is important to find ways to support artists directly. As a musician I know from experience that major streaming platforms barely pay independent artists from streams. It makes a huge difference when our audience buys the music directly. The major platforms have made it very easy to access and manage all our favorite music, which is great. We can support our favorite artists by going on their social media/website and contributing directly even if we’ll end up listening on a major streaming service for convenience.

Another way to support creatives is going to their shows and events. My main goal as an artist is to create beauty and share it with my audience. It is very comforting to see people at shows who are interested in facilitating the creation of further art.

Many musicians I know look to get hired for events. It is hard to make a living form art, so artists appreciate when they are hired and paid fairly (equal to their experience level). Some employers tend to undervalue music and pay musicians less than they deserve. A lot of us have many years of study and experience behind our craft and it is discouraging when that is disregarded.

Other ways of helping that don’t involve financial support are engaging through social media (giving them a follow or tagging them when we share their work helps them increase visibility), word of mouth recommendations, requesting for them to be interviewed as a guest in a podcast/publication (through social media or contact form) and signing up for their newsletter.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I believe music has been important for my well-being. When I was able to start playing, I remember feeling frustrated that I couldn’t play my favorite music right away. I eventually learned that it takes a lot of practice to be able to express yourself with an instrument. I like practicing but the best part of music for me has been playing with others and listening to music.

The first people I played with were my dad and brother, we would just jam without knowing any songs. At that point I understood that it takes presence, listening and restraint for music to flourish and that everyone has an important role in the band. Nowadays I really look to listen and support the band as my first priority. Moments when a band comes together and sounds like one have always amazed me.

Growing up I always enjoyed listening to music. My dad had large record collection, and we listened to many albums on our way to school every morning. When I got a bit older and my taste started differing from my dad and family members, I would listen to records on repeat. There was always something beautiful that moved me and inspired me to live. This feeling has continued to provide forward motion in my life.

I’ve had moments when my desire to play at a high level have caused me suffering. When I was younger, around 17, I had fear and anxiety of not making it into the music scene in New York. After initially getting over an emotionally debilitating stage, it continued to circle back to me for many years after that. Sometimes in short bursts, sometimes longer ones. I recently understood that if practice or creating is motivated by a feeling of fear, it is most likely not worth spending time on it for me. I stopped seeing being a recognized artist as the only goal worth attaining and instead strive to appreciate all the blessings around me. Everyday moments are very important to me and I cherish them deeply. This love is what I seek to channel through my music. Love and energy is what got me into music in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.davidnajeragonzalez.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidngmusic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnajgon/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidnajera7709
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5DpERIXr5Kja80EUFWlHo1

Image Credits

Laura Neves Penido (The Poubelle)