7 Questions for Jef B. of Evolutionary Jass Band (CIMTB Exclusive Interview)

Evolutionary Jass Band is working on a new album. It's going to be self released on vinyl. I got excited and asked Jef to fill out a questionnaire for CIMTB and here it is..

Ste. Goldie: How many musicians are in EJB right now? And will they all be on the record?
Jef Brown: There are 7 musicianers and we are all present.

Ste. Goldie: 3 minute pop jams? (sweet!)
Jef Brown: Yup, I wanted to challenge ourselves with limits. I like pop, allways have. I'd have to say Marisa really set the standard, she wrote songs that are under 2 minutes that say more than I can in ten. So much fun. If you listen to records from the thirties they had to wrap it up in 3 minutes or less so you really learn to economize. I myself failed miserably at my own test, but my contributions came out to be less than 5 minutes at least, better luck next time perhaps!

Ste. Goldie: Give us 3 words to describe your current experience recording EJB.
Jef Brown: Like A Dream!

Ste. Goldie: Where are you recording? Who's engineering etc.
Jef Brown: We are recording at The Steele Street Supper Club, which is Michaels dining room. I'm engineering it. It's all about working with what you got...

Ste. Goldie: Who are your favorite Portland musicians/bands right now?
Jef Brown: I dig Kusikia, and Cexfux. Davis Redford Triad is always tops! I don't really go out so much so I am not aware of what happens around me. It's a focused phase right now and my blinders are on. Seems to me though, so many bands are stuck on idealizing the 80's. I lived through those years and can't re-visit them, so I stay home....

Ste. Goldie: Did you see "No Country For Old Men?" and did you like it?
Jef Brown: No, not yet, but I will soon! I love Tommy Lee Jones, especially now that he looks as shitty and beautiful as he does!!!

Ste. Goldie: Your myspace headline is "Grieve and move on!!!!!" did someone die?
Jef Brown: No, it's about that 80's thing. Our culture has no devices for moving through experiences so as shitty as things are today, folks would rather make shallow 80's music with no real ties to that time, just like baby boomer's spend $20k on a guitar that reminds them of the time they saw Eric Clapton, got it on with a groupie and were happier. Today is full of opportunities to express yourself so why are so many of us stuck in the past? It's like we choose sleep over honesty dig? The Reagen years were horrible and the music made then reflected that brilliantly whether it was shitty-yuppie cocaine pop or some punk screaming about bashing Reagan's' brains in! I don't know where those voices are today, they seem to be too busy idealizing the past and making safe, ambiguous, pretty music that doesn't actually say anything. I guess it's safer that way but it's better to not make friends for your honesty than to be loved for trying to never make waves in my opinion. So that's what "grieve and move on!" means, get un-stuck!!!!!

photo of Fred (from Hazel) and Jef Brown taken August 17th, 2007 by me