Jar-e
(Exotic Recordings)
Keyboardist, composer, bandleader and soulman Jon Reid, a/k/a Jar-e, hails from the western North Carolina mountain climes of Asheville, but his heart also belongs, in part at least, to the world - specifically, Mexico, Greece, Cuba and Britain, countries that comprised his recent travels and subsequently inspired a number of the songs on Chicas Malas. In the past, much of his work has incorporated samples, but for this, his third full-length for Exotic Recordings, the full-band sound is lush, organic and darkly seductive, as befits its general theme ("bad girls"; check the record sleeve).
Blessed with an extraordinary set of pipes that conjures at times a young Stevie Wonder, Jar-e essays his musical travelogue from multiple vantage points. The jabbing horns and undulating rhythms of "Casa Believe," for example, have a distinctive bossa nova feel, but keep your ears peeled for some unexpected psychedelia bum-rushing the guitar break. "The Pedestrian," though samba-flavored and powered by south-of-the-border horn flourishes, has an easy-going vintage soul vibe. "3 Leaf" - speaking of soul - builds upon a foundation of Fender Rhodes and bluesy guitar, building in intensity until it's a booty-shaking gospelized throwdown. A jaunty reggae lilt informs the lyrically reflective "Rosary," while the elegantly swinging, Spanish-language "Lorca" incorporates lines originally penned by Federico Garcia Lorca, the legendary Spanish poet/playwright who's been namechecked over the years by everyone from Ginsberg and Bukowski to Tim Buckley, the Clash and the Pogues. And the upbeat "An Idea" hearkens back to the hearts-on-sleeves heyday of ‘70s sunshine pop (you'll definitely hear overtones of Sanford & Townsend's hit "Smoke From a Distant Fire" in it) - talk about a travelogue!
Yet as pointed out above, Jar-e calls Appalachia home, and regional influences still peek through from time to time in his music. "Safe to Say," in particular, with its gentle pedal steel murmurs, stately horn charts and waltz-time rhythms, conjures the loneliness of the long-distance lover amid sonic images of wandering through mossy forests and alongside meandering streams. It's one of the album's most striking numbers, in fact, ripe for plucking by some film music supervisor looking to inject a moment of pure, unselfconscious passion into a key scene. Hollywood, are you listening?
Jar-e, who recently toured with fellow Ashevillians Toubab Krewe, is part of a talented, incestuous pool of Asheville artists who frequently grace each other's recordings and perform live together. Here, for example, Jar-e cohorts Angi West and Stephanie Morgan (frontwoman for stephaniesĭd) provide backup vocals. And two members of Saint Bernadette - Meredith DiMenna on vocal, Keith "Touch" Saunders on production - appear as well, the northeast-based band having long-established roots in the Asheville area. Indeed, with his instrumental and vocal gifts and his gregarious personality, Jar-e's become a kind of go-to guy on the local scene. But more important, perhaps, considering the world-class quality (pun possibly intended) of Chicas Malas, is the inspiration he continues to provide for peers and up-and-comers alike.
Standout Tracks: "3 Leaf," "Casa Believe," "Safe to Say" FRED MILLS
