San Francisco Voice

One of the greatest things about music in San Francisco is that there is a diversity of genres here. If you want to hear a particular kind of music, you can find a band or musician that plays it and a venue that showcases it. We’re lucky in that. One of those genres is jazz; and one of those musicians is Marlina Teich. Not only does she play jazz in venues across the city, but she’s also the founder of an organization called Jazzheimer’s which brings this music to Alzheimer’s patients in and around San Francisco’s Western Addition. Learn more about this work and Marlina’s music from her in this interview that she did with San Fran Voice. We also have her CD and will be posting a review for you next week so keep an eye out.

What’s the inside story on your musical history? (The thing your bio doesn’t say … You know, the time that you sang for the first time and just KNEW it was what you wanted to do or the way that you struggled for years to find out exactly where your niche was.)

When I was a youngster (around 9 or 10) I started singing in talent shows on the boardwalk in Belmar, New Jersey. It didn’t matter how good you were, you got applause. There was an organ accompanist who played everything from Five Foot Two to The Doors! It was a lot of fun and it turned me on to a lot of jazz and showtunes at an early age. Also, I acted out the Beatles as a young child with some friends and I always picked George (wasn’t very aggressive to get Paul or John) but it worked for me because he was the lead guitarist and that’s what I wanted to be.

What can you tell us about Jazzzheimers – the inspiration for it and the way it has come to fruition?

Jazzheimers started recently. I have been volunteering at convalescent hospitals for over 15 years but mostly in the past three years since I retired from my day job teaching elementary school. I had been playing solo and since I’m a jazz musician I like to have a rhythm section which, of course, needed to get some compensation. I started by paying them out of pocket which had a pretty big hole in it to begin with ) So, I wrote a grant for $3,000 and got it in February of this year from the Samaritans’ Fund. We play at least four venues a month for Alzheimer’s and related dementias in and around the Western Addition of San Francisco.

We at Jazzheimers have just about used up the money and so I have written another grant and hopefully will get it. We currently have a link on the Mayor’s website. To find out more about Jazzheimers’ you can check out the website.

The difference between Jazzheimers and the Bread and Roses Organization (which is a wonderful incredible service) is we are a much smaller scale, focus on jazz, and pay our musicians a stipend. Often musicians waive the stipend. We try to use jazz musicians from the Fillmore District whenever possible and we have a strong affirmative action policy. When I first moved to SF, my husband and I lived in the Fillmore District.

If you had to sum up your sound, what would you say?

To sum up my sound would be challenging because I play guitar and sing. Some people say I remind them of Diana Krall (we both are multi instrumentalists and have deep voices). My guitar is similar to Kenny Burrell’s sound probably because I listen to him the most. I used to be more of a technician, a la George Benson, but my physical condition doesn’t afford me the luxury of practicing as much as I would like.

Do you have a favorite SF venue for seeing others perform their live work? And where do you like to perform in the city?

My favorite venue for seeing people is Pearls because I have been going there for over fifteen years. I have never played there but hope to at some point. I enjoyed playing at the Shanghai 1930s Jazz Club and the Cliff House when they had jazz. I’m traveling to the East Coast soon and hope to play a few venues when I am there.

You’re originally from NY and you’ve played around the world; so why does San Francisco stick?

I love San Francisco for its diversity and for its small town/big city feel. The people are great. I like to be around people who are open minded and heartfelt. SF has great food at affordable prices. But, I do miss New York and my family and old friends. Oh yeah, and the pizza!

Which spots in the city can you be found in when you’re just out and about?

I do breakfast at Joe’s Coffee Shop almost every morning. Becky is the best waitress in town – she keeps that coffee coming! And the food is great and low priced. I see other jazz musicians there during the week because everyone else is working their day jobs. I also hang out in North Beach a lot for the music, cafes, bookstores, and restaurants. Reminds me most of NY.

Do you have any favorite local musicians you think that other people here should know about?

Junius Simmons is my favorite musician here. He played with Earl Fatha Hines, Dizzy, and Dexter Gordon to name a few. Also used to back a lot of singers like Diana Washington and Etta James. He is a wonderful human being and a great influence. We have been friends for over twenty years and we have a group that plays with Ed Williams on bass and Ron Marabuto on drums. He is my mentor.

In a perfect situation, where do you want to be a year from now?

I want to be playing a jazz festival in Italy. I want my CD out in the stores. I want to still work with Alzheimer’s patients because I think I have a flair with them. I often talk to them individually and it’s amazing if you spend a few minutes with a patient how they come alive. It really doesn’t matter the words you exchange. It’s the feeling and the caring that they feel that makes them experience joy. It’s very gratifying. I really enjoy them.

If there was anything that you could make sure your fans knew, what would it be?

I would like them to know why I play music. I play jazz because it is the only idiom that I have found (I played rock, blues, you name it) that can honestly reflect what I’m feeling to the listener. I know classical can do that to an extent. I found with rock, I wasn’t feeling angry enough to play it anymore. With jazz, it goes through the whole spectrum of human feelings and when I play it, I want to be like a healer; I want to spread the feelings of release and happiness. Music heals the spirit of the player and the listener. It’s a communication of love.

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