TOPAZ MAKES YOU STAND UP AND LISTEN!

Much like the semi-precious stone, saxophonist Topaz, of the self-named band, is a man of many colors. Creating waves with energetic performances throughout New York City venues, the Velour Recording artist recently released “Listen!” - the follow up to the critically acclaimed debut “The Shrine”.

Catching up with Topaz at a local Middle Eastern restaurant proved not only to be an informative experience, but an entertaining one as well. Describing himself as “introverted but social,” Topaz is an enigmatic, yet completely charismatic individual that can be as complex and as fun as the music that he creates.

For those that have seen him on stage donning his trademark cowboy hat, it should come as no surprise that the man behind the sophisticated music hails from Texas.

“I was born in Austin, but I spent most of my childhood on a farm in the country,” Topaz says of his youth. “Growing up in Austin was great; when I was like in third or fourth grade, my mom used to take me down to the Sixth Street strip where all the music is, and that is kinda how I got into the sax, going down there when I was a little kid to check out the music.”

Ironically despite the locality in which he was raised, musically speaking the young musician never leaned towards the music for which that region of the country is best known.

“I always listened to a lot of jazz [when I was younger].... a lot of live music.... I never listened to a lot of pop music, I think because of my parents.... they had really good taste in music; jazz, classical, middle eastern.”

Though he actually began his music career playing the violin, he switched to sax having been inspired by Texan saxophonist Kirk Whalum. His options being washing dishes or practicing the sax, Topaz made music his future setting off on his own to attend the magnet high school, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, in Washington DC.

“D.C. was great- I had a little band there from tenth grade through twelfth. We would jam out every Friday night at this little coffee house, playing, like, improvisational jazz and funk,” explains Topaz, smiling at the memory, “A lot of Deadheads would come and dance around and write poetry to the music.”

From there Topaz moved to New York City to attend NYU, and that is when things started to pick up for the talented saxophonist. Forming Future Freedom Ensemble in 1997, a band that combined live jazz with a DJ, they attracted the attention of director Kris Isacsson, who commissioned them to score and appear in his short film “Man About Town,” winner of the Best Short Film Award at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.

Consisting partially of former members of Future Freedom Ensemble, the band Topaz formed in 1998 with Topaz on tenor sax, Squantch on trombone and didgeridoo, Ethan White on Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes, Ernesto Abreau on percussion, Phelim White on drums, Tewar on guitar, sitar and viola, and until recently, Justin Wallace (of ulu) on bass. Hitting stages in New York City venues such as Baby Jupiter, Tonic, the Izzy Bar and the Bowery Ballroom, Topaz has shared the stage with the likes of Charlie Hunter, Rueben Wilson, DJ Logic and Galactic.

Going to a Topaz show is a party onto itself. Catching the band recently at the hip club Tonic, the band immediately started laying down tight jazz funk grooves that had shoulders moving and heads nodding. Midway through the set, at the command of Topaz, chairs were cleared from the front of the stage, and it was dance party USA `a la Topaz jazz-funk. When he not pouring out flirty, fun, psychedelic tunes out of his tax, Topaz is one of the most animated and entertaining musicians around, as he claps and dances, reveling in the music his band is creating all the while grinning ear to ear. An engaging band leader, a talented musician and a great line alongside of him is proving to be the formula for success as New Yorkers are eating up what Topaz has to offer.

As far as the origins of the name, one might be lead to believe that Topaz is a bit egotistical, perhaps vain, even. Lest you begin to subscribe to this theory, believe you me, of all things that could be said about the boyishly handsome musician, egotistical is perhaps the last word that would come to mind in describing him.

“I think I definitely did it because it is unique name; I don’t necessarily know if it is good band name, but it is definitely a unique name,” he explains, and then adds laughing, “I do have to say I surprise people when I introduce myself like ‘Hi, I am Topaz,’ and they are like, ‘Nooooo, what’s your name?’.”

With the release of Listen!, a seven track CD filled with smooth jazz and rich textures, the band plans to take their show on the road in the fall in support of the new album. With a show as lively and entertaining as a Topaz show, this is one band for which music enthusiasts ought to be scouring the listings. As if anyone of us needs additional encouragement to see a fantastic show, Topaz offers this as additional incentive:

“The best thing about music is that you get to express yourself all the time in a different language.... something higher than language.. I like the way it makes me feel [as a listener], and I like the fact that hopefully I can make other people feel that way as well.”

With the newfound popularity the band has been experiencing, it is safe to say, people are feeling it, Topaz, and loving every minute of it, too. For more information on upcoming tour dates or to purchase Listen! online, check out the official site for Velour Recordings or www.topazmusic.com.

Kristin Ciccone
JamBase New York

More MP3s

Walkabout (5.7 MB)

The Shrine (5.9 MB)

All Photos By Adam Foley - www.adamfoley.com