JFJO: Tae, Tulsa and Time Off

By: Brian Bavosa

Reed Mathis by Ariel Mathis

In every aspect of his existence, it’s nearly impossible to not like Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis. His persona is intellectual, enthusiastic and extremely kid-like, much like his playing and stage antics, where he flashes a contagious Cheshire grin with eyes often closed, tossing his reddish-blond locks with reckless abandon.

Mathis and JFJO co-founder, Brian Haas‘ plan for 2007 and early ’08 was to take a year or so off and chill out in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As Mathis explains, things don’t always work out the way you plan, as is the case with JFJO’s latest release, Lil’ Tae Rides Again (released by Hyena Records on April 8).

“About a year and a half ago, Brian and I took six months off the road. We took a long break, and it was really good. We still played together almost every day, but then we went to our houses and stuff,” Mathis says with a hearty laugh. “We played locally a lot, which was like a fucking revelation! It had been ten years since I was part of my local music scene, so I got to know all of the new, awesome players, and was going to see my friends’ bands and sitting in. It had been so long. So, that was our plan, and finish up the Lil’ Tae record that had gone over so many waterfalls by that point we were amazed it hadn’t capsized.”

One such waterfall Lil’ Tae had to plunge over was the mutual realization that longtime drummer Jason Smart would be departing. His replacement would be 22-year old Josh Raymer. Mathis has nothing but positive accolades for both of them.

“Jason was the perfect drummer for Jacob Fred for those six years. All the drummers were exactly right for the time they were in the group. It was time for a new drummer. In Jacob Fred we don’t tell the music what to do, the music tells us what to do. That’s kind of our mission statement. The music told us that it was time for a new drummer. The music told Jason Smart that it was time for a new drummer. The music told us to make a change. The fact that it was during the process of making this record, it would be an accurate statement to say the record told us it was time for a new drummer, too,” offers Mathis. “We’re all listening to the same inner-voice. We’re all listening to the same muse. We’re all taking dictation from the mysterious Jacob Fred and he’s the one that brought this record about. He’s the one that brought this change about.”

Another unexpected hurdle was a call from some friends across the country. “We were going to mellow out. Then I got this crazy call from Tea Leaf Green, from out of the blue [to replace bassist Ben Chambers]. I was planning on staying home until Lil’ Tae came out in April. I thought I was going to be home for six months [laughs]. But, who can say no to Tea Leaf Green?”

When asked how he will balance his time between the two bands, he replies, “Jacob Fred has gone from six years ago doing 250 shows a year to last year doing like 50 or 60 shows. And all 60 of them were slamming! Fucking The Blue Note, the Fox Theatre, Yoshi’s. It’s like the hippest fucking rooms and great turnouts and killer music. So, JFJO has just scaled itself back, like we’ve pruned the bonsai tree to the point that there’s room for other shit. As far as it all shaking down and everybody getting what they need, that’s my fervent hope [laughs]. But, we’ve put ourselves in a position that we can do other stuff.”

He says that JFJO will be putting out another album or two later this year, and mentions he’s played on Marco Benevento‘s new album, Invisible Baby. Mathis’ “time off” has turned into a dizzying schedule that one has a hard time following. He sums things up by simply saying, “So, six months at home has turned into, ‘I don’t get to go home in 2008 [laughs].”

Continue reading for more on JFJO…

In Jacob Fred we don’t tell the music what to do, the music tells us what to do. That’s kind of our mission statement. The music told us that it was time for a new drummer… We’re all listening to the same inner-voice. We’re all listening to the same muse. We’re all taking dictation from the mysterious Jacob Fred and he’s the one that brought this record about. He’s the one that brought this change about. –Reed Mathis

Photo of JFJO by Zack Smith

The Tao of Tae

Lil’ Tae Rides Again is named after its mixer-producer, Tae Meyulks. More so than any other subject we cover, Mathis is busting at the seams when speaking of Meyulks.

“He’s like fucking Beethoven or something. He’s been a huge influence on us from day one. I’ve been trying to talk the guy into making a record with us for ten years, and he finally said okay. He’s one of the best musicians I’ve ever heard, and definitely one of the all-time great Oklahoma musicians,” says Mathis. “He’s like our age but fucking heavy.”

Meyulks’ presence leaps out of the stereo on Lil’ Tae and smudges your face with dark fingerprints, unmistakably his own. He is extremely interested in the theories of sleep deprivation and its psychedelic effects. In every way, shape and form, the album seems to be a soundtrack for his wild experimentation, with Mathis and company as his guinea pigs – on acid.

“This was an experience we needed to have. Tae completely took us through the looking glass. We were like babies in his arms,” Mathis says. “He’s a shaman for sure, like in the original sense of the word. He’s not going to pat your butt and tell you everything is okay. He might scare the shit out of you [laughs sinisterly]. And he might like it!”

Also adding to the spooky, haunting vibe of the album was where it was recorded, a place in downtown Tulsa simply known as “The Bricks.”

“It’s a freaky place for sure,” says Mathis. “There have been musicians using that building since long before my time. I remember being in middle-school, and some of the first times that I was lucky enough to be taken by older friends I went to see their older brothers’ bands. People were hanging out, listening to The Dead and smoking weed. You’re just like, ‘Oh, wow!’ I had those experiences in that building back in like 1990 [laughs].” A return to The Bricks influenced the new record with Meyulks adding inspired touches like morphing echoing cowboy boots into Raymer’s snare drum on “Carpool.” “It’s a very, very old, original warehouse, next to the original railroad that was here before this place was called Tulsa,” continues Mathis. “The brick street outside that gives the area its name is the original horse and buggy, brick street. It’s the only part of downtown Tulsa that has not been paved over, so, it’s really spooky. The building played a huge part and you can definitely hear it on the record.”

Four-Piece Fred

For the first time since their initial conception as an octet, JFJO will be something other than a trio on the Lil’ Tae tour. They will be a four-piece consisting of Mathis, Haas, Raymer and Peter Tomshany – a configuration Mathis hopes survives for the foreseeable future. “With this four-piece, we’ve got 15 instruments between the four of us for this show. It honestly sounds orchestral. The guy we’ve added is one of my biggest heroes on the planet,” says Mathis.

Mathis recalls being at a middle-school assembly where Tomshany played bass. “I can still see the solo he played as clearly as if it was this morning. It was like seeing Jimi Hendrix or something,” says Mathis. “I cannot overestimate this guy. He is literally one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever seen.”

Mathis has kept in touch with Tomshany since that fateful assembly, and last year played bass in a ten-piece band for Tomshany’s Indicator Activator, an album where Tomshany played all ten parts himself. “That’s Pete. He’s my personal, first rock star,” states Mathis.

JFJO will also be bringing “visual artist” Adam Skapple on tour with them to do live video mixing. “He’s been preparing images for each song, and he’s doing amazing shit. It’s like the psychedelic version of that Planet Earth series. I don’t want to give this away, but let’s just say we won’t be wearing normal clothes,” chuckles Mathis.

“We put the word ‘Odyssey’ in the band name and we’re stuck with it. It’s like be careful what you name something because you’re going to act it out. We’re on an adventure. And adventures make their own circumstances and solutions. We’re not really ‘by-the-book’ guys, so it takes whatever shape it takes. Our job is just to be glad to see it when it comes,” observes Mathis. “That’s what happens when you take a year off! If the audience has half as much fun as we’re having, it will be their favorite show of the year. Jeez, if the rehearsals are this much fun, I can’t imagine how much fun the shows are going to be. I might just explode.”

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is on tour now, dates available here…

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