Chicago's Jimmy Pankow and the art of making pop that lasts.

By Rob Hochschild and Kevin Levesque
November 16, 2003

	Jimmy Pankow

For many listeners, the sound of the Chicago horn section was a groundbreaking revelation. The arrangements were tight, melodic, and memorable. But it was the hit songs that made the band famous and put the rock horn section on the map, eclipsing the popularity of another horn-based band, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Chicago's success continues through today, and they hold the distinction of being the only band with albums charting on the Billboard Top 200 in five consecutive decades. The man who wrote or arranged many of the hit songs, Chicago trombonist Jimmy Pankow, talked about the band's long-term success during a visit to Berklee last month.

"You have staying power if you are true to yourself," Pankow told students during a clinic in the Lawrence and Alma Berk Recital Hall. But he also talked about the responsibility of entertaining listeners, and underscored the importance of playing songs that are familiar to people who attend concerts.

Several of Pankow's compositions for Chicago became big hits, including "Colour My World," "Make Me Smile," and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day." Pankow said that songwriting has been one of the constants in his career, and he continues to write for the band today. He summed up his approach to writing with the statement, "Melody makes the music timeless." He also spoke of the disposability of some of today's pop music, saying that it won't last because it is nothing more than "grooves and refrains."

The Pankow clinic was sponsored by Berklee's Professional Writing Division and was arranged by assistant vice president for academic affairs Jay Kennedy. Pankow and his son Jonathan, a student drummer majoring in professional music at Berklee, met Kennedy on campus earlier this year. That meeting led to Pankow spending three days at Berklee in October. In addition to the clinic, he helped teach classes in contemporary writing and production, arranging, and jazz composition. Pankow also worked on an individual basis with four student arrangers, providing critical feedback on horn charts they wrote based on a tune from Chicago's just-released Christmas CD, "What's It Gonna Be, Santa?"

Berklee Brass Department chair Tom Plsek, also a trombonist, says he hopes Pankow will return to campus sometime to talk to brass players.

"The kind of playing he does goes unrecognized, but I've admired him for years," Plsek said. "I can't think of another trombone player in that genre with that kind of visibility, not only because of the playing, but because he does the writing really well. And he's part of the heartbeat of [Chicago]".

Pankow entertained students with stories from the band's 35-year career. Artists who opened for Chicago included Jimi Hendrix, who told Pankow he was a fan of the group, and Bruce Springsteen. He also talked about his passion for music production and technology and stated a belief that producers should develop their own voice. When asked about his favorite producers, he mentioned David Foster as someone who proved to be both a good producer and collaborator.

Pankow also cited Miles Davis's name at one point, in response to a student's question about famous musicians with style. "Style is everything. Style is the expression of the individual's soul."

While Pankow has for years exhibited some innate understanding of how to write mega-popular music, he returned often to the idea that musicians will do well if they follow their heart.

"If you're being true to your own voice, you cannot fail."

Berklee graphic designer Kevin Levesque is a bassist working in the North Shore area of Massachusetts.