DM: You have a very unique selection of instruments. The
cello is commonly associated with classical music. How do you
incorporate it into your genre of music?
AJ: Great question! I feel that the cello has a depth
that has not been explored in popular music. It actually has a lot to
do with the physics of the instrument. I see our present era in
music as kind of the "revenge of the guitar" - or was it the
Sith? For the longest time the lute and then later classical
guitar, while being easy to play and having an exquisite tone,
could not be heard in an orchestral setting. It was limited to
chamber settings and living room type listening environments,
while the violin family (including the cello), took center stage
with its projection, power, and soloistic capabilities. Then
with the advent of transducer and magnetic pickups the lowly
guitar was found to be the most easily amplifiable acoustic.
Soon with its relative ease of use and compositional
capabilities it soon found its way into the heart of mainstream
popular amplified music. So where does this leave our
prestigious cello, an instrument that no proper composer could
ignore its depth and soul? Absolutely in the dust. The cello as
it turns out and to a much lesser extent violin and bass, is one
of the most difficult instruments to amplify. The sound that we
commonly associate with the cello is a product of the entire
instrument which doesn't coalesce until you are about 5 feet
from the instrument. Micing the cello from this distance with a
loud ambient stage volume is just not possible due to feedback
concerns. Therefore most of what you get in popular music is a
close miced pinched and nasal sound from the cello. In fact most
listeners of popular music really don't have a concept of how
good a cello can really sound - excluding of course the
occasional Yo-Yo Ma fan. Only recently with the invention of
contact microphones, which are actually glued to the surface of
the instrument, have cellists been able to reasonably amplify
the sound of the cello without feedback concerns. I sincerely
hope that we are at
just the tip of the iceberg as far as the introduction of so
called classical instruments into pop music.
Given that history, we're happy to incorporate the old with the
new by merging the classical sounds of the cello with the more
"modern" (and easily amplifiable) sound of the acoustic guitar.
The two blend so well together. Our most recent addition to the
musical mix is the Australian didgeridoo. If you're not sure
what that is, come check out our show! We've also recently
thrown percussion/dumbek into the mix for an eclectic beat that
really rounds everything out. We've put together an interesting
and unique mix of instruments that allow us to bring together a
wide range of musical styles; from classical, to world, to folk, to Southern rock, etc.
It's often difficult to classify exactly what genre of music we fit into!
DM: Who do you consider the biggest influences on your musical
style?
AJ: I would have to say that our biggest influences are each
other. We all come from different musical backgrounds and styles
that make it easy - and interesting - to draw from each other. I
grew up in a house where classical music was played constantly
and I wasn't able to turn the channel on our stereo until I was
old enough reach it – somewhere about age 6. I then grew to love
Sting, the Beatles, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin,
Dave Matthews etc. and just about anybody else that was putting
significant thought into popular music. I also listen to as much
modern classical music as possible, Leonard Bernstein, John Tavener.
As far as cello is concerned,
my absolute idol is Pablo Casals. I feel he is the greatest
musician ever to hold a bow. Yo-Yo Ma has certainly influenced
me technically, although my favorite cello is a Montangnana
played by Ralph Kirshbaum, my favorite modern cellist. Our
distinctively different backgrounds, styles, and inspiration
allow us to create a distinct and unique sound; cello driven acoustic rock with a
Southern soul.
DM: You recently released your first album, Lucky if Easy. Is
there another album in the works and when can we expect it?
AJ: There sure is! Although Lucky If Easy took us 2 years to
complete, we're keeping up with our momentum and a new album is
already in the beginning stages. We've got a bunch of songs
ready to go and headed back into the studio this summer. We're
focusing even more on the craft of songwriting and further
exploring and testing the boundies of our style of popular
music.
DM: What should we expect/look out for when you perform?
AJ: You mean besides a great show? I guess, and feel, the we
represent the polar opposite of the current trends in the music
industry. We actually sing and play live and compose our own
songs. We try to break through different boundaries and try
things nobody else in the music industry has tried. I didn't
want to be limited to the traditional "sitting" style of cello
performance, so I invented a strap that allows me to walk around
with my cello, sing standing up, dance, etc. It makes for an energetic
and interesting show by
allowing me to walk into the crowd, jam with Kevin & Hoagy, etc.
We're always trying something new!
DM: Do you have any tour dates coming up that we should look out
for?
AJ: Right now we're out promoting the new album, but we've got a
lot of fun things in the works. We're currently touring around
the East doing a bunch of college shows and we're already
booking for next Spring and Summer. And keep an eye on our
website,
www.alfredjamesband.com for an upcoming TV appearance
and a big show announcement!
