At the risk of sounding elitist, jealous, or what have you, I have to say that there is a hell of a lot of music on Our Stage that is simply entered into categories it doesn’t belong in. For example, in the JVC Jazz Festival, Newport competition, of which we are entered as well, I ran across another hip-hop oriented band. I thought, “cool, we are not alone.” However, they are straight hip-hop, not one single element of jazz; no improvisation, no free rhythmic interpretation other than by the rapper. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE hip-hop and I actually think it is indeed today’s jazz. Jazz has always been protest music, music that goes against the grain, music that makes you work your ears a little, dig?

Maybe I am just an old fuddy-duddy at the age of 36, but when I entered Junkyard Empire into the JVC competition, I did it because the band basically is a jazz group. Even Brihanu, our rapper, routinely improvises choruses or drastically changes the rhythmic interpretation on gigs. We also improvise A LOT live. So while we definitely do not fit the standard – whatever that is exactly – of “jazz”, we clearly involve a tremendous amount of jazz into what we do.

This is where some folks might get pissed. All that Kenny G shit isn’t jazz either. It’s pop music played on instruments. However, as much as I hate to admit it, there is more jazz involved in most of the crappy “smooth jazz” out there than many of the entries I’ve heard on the JVC channel. And that is to say nothing of the R&B Soul singers who seem to think that just because they are a woman fronting a band, singing some bluesy (at times) licks, they are a “jazz” singer.

Does the word “jazz” mean anything at all in this country anymore? It’s so god damn frustrating. Jazz is an attitude, a way you approach life, and it is also the way one approaches the music they play. Improvisation, rhythmic variation, swing, and a certain level of avant-garde-ness in the sound is what makes something jazz or jazz-influenced. Am I wrong? If so, tell me why.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that I love what Our Stage is doing, but they evidently need to police the entries a little, because there are a lot of bands getting bumped down in competitions because they are having compete with bands that sound GREAT, but are not all applicable to the festival they are trying to play. Perhaps what we need to do is take that additional step of “flagging” bands who have clearly entered a competition just to be heard and really shouldn’t be in that particular competition. But do it honestly! There are many bands I have “flagged” for out of category, but have also tagged as a “favorite”.

Peace

Greetings people of our stage. We have come so close to the top ten in Minnesota, so many times, but we can’t seem to make the cut. Any ideas?

We think our music is pretty damn good, has a killer message, is relevant, appeals to a multitude of listeners because of our varied influences, and we are all solid musicians individually too. So we are wondering what gives. Most of the bands that made the top five last month are not really any better than us, just more nailed down; stylized; formulaic if you will. By no means am I saying that to dis any of them, because they are all great. Minnesota bands always are kick ass because Minnesotans don’t like music that isn’t good, period. I’m just saying that our music doesn’t fit neatly into any one category most of the time. Is that perhaps why we are having a hard time cutting through?

Well, anyway, please feel free to shoot us some commentary. We will do whatever it takes – aside of selling out in any way – to grab a spot at the 10K Lakes Festival and we need your help.

If you dig what we do, tell others!