Meet Jesse Simpson, multi-artist...
January will see a well deserved break for Ateliér 57 and its organisers. So instead of the concert you are now offered a special edition concentrating on Jesse Simpson, our host @ A57. For us, the visitors of the best jazz club in Prague, the one in Beroun, Jesse is of course a familiar face. But how many of you have really given it a thought about what’s happening inside the combined concert and workshop building? How many of you are aware that the cymbals that are produced inside “our” clubhouse are actually known all over the world? You never see any piles of cymbals lying around or stored in some corner @ A57, with the exception of the few that’s on the wall as a decoration one could never guess the purpose of the workshop. And the reason is obvious and clear, they are sold even before they are completely finished, and this without any sale of the week. That’s how well known and wanted they are in and outside the republic.
The need for some variety
My first idea about Jesse and his cymbals was a detailed description about how and why, until I came to realise that it would once again turn into a book that very few are interested in reading and most of all, even though I interview and spoken to Jesse about the making of the cymbals, my technical skills are not even close the standard where I could honestly write about the procedure of making a cymbal from scratch. So this will be a short summary about the drummer, pianist, A57 founder and cymbal-smith called Jesse, something to give you an idea of what’s going on and why some of us do what we are educated to do and how some of us do what they want = not fair 
Jesse has his masters in music, he is a know very good drummer who also plays the piano. He has performed with more than enough famous musicians, or they have performed with Jesse? My point being, why cymbals when he already had a living from the music? According to Jesse there was a need for some variety in the cymbal-making world, a need for unique sounds that he couldn’t find in mass produced contemporary cymbals, especially after the world famous cymbal-smith Roberto Spizzichino (10.1.1944-21.11.
Why cymbals?
According to Jesse, cymbals are the ones that dictate the sounds most, so it was only natural to start making your own, this to find that personal sound most musicians are looking for. And following Jesse when he takes that flat piece of bronze, that looks like any piece of leftover metal, he start hammering it with just his own touch and idea of what he wants, no measurements or anything else, and when in the end it really looks like a cymbal, a genuine, original handmade cymbal even I understands that if you want that personal sound, here’s where you find it. The hammering itself is where the cymbal gets its shape and it also enriches the sound, this all according to Jesse, of course! 
You really need to know what you are doing, Jesse being a drummer himself which helps since you have some sort of vision of what you want to achieve. When you are done with the hammering you move on to lathing the cymbal to be, among other things, it removes the rough outer layer. When you are done with the lathing you have something that actually looks like a cymbal. Using Jesse’s words “My cymbals add a little pizzazz to the mix. It’s just like putting spice on a food or something, You don’t want something that’s too plain, you don’t want something that’s too overly spiced.”
You really need to know what you are doing, Jesse being a drummer himself which helps since you have some sort of vision of what you want to achieve. When you are done with the hammering you move on to lathing the cymbal to be, among other things, it removes the rough outer layer. When you are done with the lathing you have something that actually looks like a cymbal. Using Jesse’s words “My cymbals add a little pizzazz to the mix. It’s just like putting spice on a food or something, You don’t want something that’s too plain, you don’t want something that’s too overly spiced.”
No schools, no tools
There are no schools to attend if you want to learn the noble art of a cymbal-smith. When Jesse started in 2012 he was almost alone in the handmade cymbal-smith market and with hard work, again being a drummer himself helped of course, he has gotten to where he is now in the line of cymbal making. According to Jesse the missing of an actual school, a place where to get trained has also had a negative effect on the cymbal industry, since anybody can after a few videos on the internet call himself (herself) a cymbal-smith. Personally I found that hard to believe but after login to the world wide web I have to admit that Jesse knows what he is talking about, the videos are all there, go and have a look if you have any doubt. With the absence of any kind of school there are also no tools to be found on the market. Jesse has from the start been forced to think about what he wants, how to get there and with what. You think of what do I need to fulfill this project, and then you make it! Hmmm…
Take a look at the pictures and hopefully you get a hint of what this is all about. As with many other handmade skills, this is more than admirable. This is also no drive-in industry, the making of one cymbal will take about a week before it’s ready.
Unlike my normal ways I’ll post a link here if you want to know some more: https://www.
February brings us back to normal life 😀
If you, just like me, are missing the monthly concerts at A57, don’t worry. Next month will take us back to normal life again. Sunday February 9th. @ A57 we will experience Darren Heinrich Organ Trio, starting at normal time 19.00. There you can ask Jesse more about the making of a cymbal if you have the interest. There you will also find the two other parts of A 57, Bara the better part of Jesse (sorry J.) and the absolutely adorable Stella the true boss in the family! 
If not before then see you there on the 9th. of February.
If not before then see you there on the 9th. of February. 
All the pictures here...
