JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD Source: Blues Kat Date: 06/2008 Writer: n/a

JASON RICCI

At a young age Jason Ricci has compiled a musical resume that most musicians don't achieve in a lifetime. Jason has won the Sonny Boy Blues Society Contest, The Mars Music National Harmonica Contest, The Muddy Waters Award and many other accolades. Ricci has been featured on television, as well as in various commercials, evening and morning news broadcasts, and on two episodes of Emeril Lagassi's show "Emeril Live." Jason has also gigged/toured or worked with Big Al and the Heavy Weights, Jimmy Lloyd Rea, Susan Tedeschi, Billy Gibson, Bobby Little, The Hounds, Nick Curran, Josh Smith, Enrico Crivellaro, Big Bad Smitty, Satan and Adam, Junior Kimbrough, Shawn Kellerman, and many more.

Jason Ricci is that rare individual that only comes along once in a generation — an artist with the unique ability to help shape and redefine the sound of his chosen instrument and forever change the course of music history. His style is varied and his influences far reaching, having spent countless hours absorbing everything from Sun Ra to Little Walter, the Rolling Stones to the Pixies, Lou Reed to Govt. Mule, and everything in between. The depth of his music criss-crosses the audible landscape leaving no stone unturned as he fully explores blues, jazz, funk, rock, punk, and even drawing inspiration from the current crop of jam bands, all while still retaining the stamp of his own inimitable style.

CENTERSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH JASON RICCI:

CENTERSTAGE:

What do you think about downloading music online?

JASON:

I’m all for it, both free and illegal. I think that the musicians primarily want people to hear their music, then get paid so they can keep making it… I think most people who download music end up or should end up buying the album later. That's the best case scenario: someone hears a tune or two for free, which otherwise they never would have, then proceeds to buy the rest of the music.

CENTERSTAGE:

What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?

JASON:

The fact that it’s physical exercise for me and it keeps me skinny.

CENTERSTAGE:

What excites you the most about music?

JASON:

Honesty, sincerity, improvisation and anything not contrived.

CENTERSTAGE:

What discourages you the most about music? What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?

JASON:

The business, crooks, drugs, egos etc... Odd time signatures or extra bars/beats, intonation some times... all those things that are hard later make them fun though, so nothing really, I guess....

CENTERSTAGE:

Tell us about the most exciting thing happening with your music right now or in the near future.

JASON:

Mostly it’s pretty fun to be doing some guest work on other people's albums and shows... Plus my band is getting famous independent of me which is exciting and gratifying too... My guitar player, Shawn Starski, is in this month's issue of Guitar Player Magazine listed as one of The Top Ten Hottest New Guitar Players... That's cool.

CENTERSTAGE:

What are you up to right now, music-wise? (Current or upcoming recordings, tours, extravaganzas, experiments, top-secret projects, etc).

JASON:

Right now we're still touring behind our last release, Rocket Number Nine. Because it’s still pretty new, we're not going to do another record till next year probably, and we have an immensely busy schedule for this summer, pretty much playing every day in a different city.

CENTERSTAGE:

Name the most unusual place you’ve ever played or made a recording. What made this place unusual and how did it effect the music?

JASON:

The most unusual place I ever played was probably the bathroom at my high school library. It was different, because there were toilets and urinals, the acoustics were good, but the overall effect was bad.

CENTERSTAGE:

In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music?

JASON:

Every place has different foods, architecture, people, accents, slang, musicians etc. Art certainly imitates life so all those things naturally seep into your craft. So I might write about them, or steal some licks or ideas from people around, or maybe it’s all just subconscious affectation. Everything matters.

CENTERSTAGE:

When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it?

JASON:

The last song I wrote was about this musician I’m luckily not playing with anymore. It was about people who are rude and doubt everything from God to good intentions. There’s too much beauty in the world for doubt of any kind.

CENTERSTAGE:

As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other people...and why do you think that is?

JASON:

It goes in phases... I’m definitely not buying as much music now as when I was 18... but two years ago I got really into classical music, and during that time I bought a ton of music... so again it goes in phases, probably just like everyone else.

CENTERSTAGE:

Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from yours?)

JASON:

I really like everything, any kind of music can hit me right at any given time as long as the artist means it and it comes from the heart. Again, lately, it’s been classical music, classical composers, and mostly violin concertos.

CENTERSTAGE:

Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?

JASON:

Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg (Violin) & Sibelius Violin Concerto Opus 47 D minor

CENTERSTAGE:

Name the one thing you want people to know about you and your music.

JASON:

I have excellent posture.