Jeff Kazor (guitar/ukulele/vocals)
Leah Abramson (guitar/ukulele/harmonium/vocals)
Rose Sinclair (banjo/minstrel banjo/slide guitar)
Sophie Vitells (fiddle/vocals)
Charlie Rose (bass, etc)
Influences
The Watson Family, Gary Numan, Brian Eno, Hoyt Ming & His Pep Steppers, The Carter Family, Townes Van Zandt, Richard Buckner, The Go Betweens, Felt, Durutti Column, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Roscoe Holcomb, Carter Stanley, Fred McDowell, The Cure, Nathan Frasier & Frank Patterson, Tinarawen, David Sylvian, Arthur Pryor's Band, Tom Petty, Andy Iona, Sol Hoopii, Eddie Lund, Harold Budd, Nick Cave, Cocteau Twins, The Staple Singers, Dead Can Dance, Heidi Berry, Virginia Astley, Scott Walker, David J, Oumou Sangare
Sounds Like
Old Cow Died
Pretty Little Widow
We've been compared to everyone from The New Lost City Ramblers and The Pogues to Gillian Welch, Nick Cave and Tom Waits.
BRAND NEW RELEASE END OF JULY 2008 SHINING DARKNESS
Illuminating the shadows and exploring the alchemy of art and darkness, this new release by The Crooked Jades actualizes founder Jeff Kazor's dream of the first all-original Crooked Jades album. Recorded in Fantasy's famous Studio A by Bruce Kaphan and co-produced by Jeff and Bruce, Shining Darkness features the current lineup playing 19 original compositions from driving fiddle and banjo tunes to beautiful and haunting ballads, all with the usual inspired arrangements and eclectic instrumentation, including harmonium, bao (Vietnamese one-string box zither) and mbira in symphony with string-band standards fiddle, banjo, guitar, ukulele and arco bass.
Writes fRoots: "Grounded in tradition, old-time string band music and mountain blues but with open horizons that take them, subtly, to other parts of the planet, they have a haunting spookiness, an organic pulse, and most importantly a clear vision - (This is) a consistently startling and addictive album."
CROOKED JADES SONG IN NEW SEAN PENN FILM, INTO THE WILD
We are proud and excited to announce that Erik Pearson’s original tune “Fork and File” from the 2006 Crooked Jades CD “World’s on Fire” is part of the soundtrack for the amazing 2007 Sean Penn film “Into the Wild”.
Penn's fourth filmmaking effort, "Into the Wild," is his most accomplished yet, a sign that for all the accolades labeling him the finest actor of his generation, directing could be his real calling.
Adapted by Penn from Jon Krakauer's best-seller, "Into the Wild" combines grand American vistas with the heartbreaking real-life story of a fierce young idealist whose two-year trek of abstinent adventure ended in tragedy in Alaska.
Christopher McCandless was a rebellious spirit who came from a fairly privileged background yet was drawn to the ascetic tenets set forth by such writers as Leo Tolstoy, Jack London and Henry David Thoreau. He set off on his quest with an aim to repudiate material society and live on his own terms.
The Crooked Jades are on a mission to reinvent old-world music for a modern age, pushing boundaries and blurring categories with their fiery, soulful performances. Innovative, unpredictable and passionate, they bring their driving dance tunes and haunting ballads to rock clubs, festivals, traditional folk venues and concert halls across America and Europe.
Known for their rare and obscure repertoire, beautiful original compositions, inspired arrangements and eclectic, often vintage instrumentation, The Crooked Jades began with band leader/founder Jeff Kazor's vision to revive the dark and hypnotic sounds of pre-radio music. With this old-time foundation, the band has created the unique Crooked Jades sound by exploring the roots of Americana and interweaving the diverse musical influences of Europe and Africa. Filtering these old-world sounds with universal and ancient themes through a post-9/11 lens, they seek to make sense of the future.
A collective of West and East Coast pickers with equal parts attitude and respect, always led by Kazor, the band performs with a thrilling energy that has audiences on their feet dancing and critics comparing them to everyone from The New Lost City Ramblers and The Pogues to Gillian Welch, Nick Cave and Tom Waits.
The current lineup of the Crooked Jades is Jeff Kazor (vocals/guitar/ukulele), Leah Abramson (ukulele/guitar/harmonium/vocals), Sophie Vitells (fiddle/vocals), Charlie Rose (bass), and Rose Sinclair (banjo/minstrel banjo/slide guitar).
Adjunct members include Josh Rabie (fiddle/mandolin), Jennie Benford (mandolin/guitar) of Jim & Jennie & The Pinetops, Lisa Berman (slide/banjo) and Stephanie Prausnitz (fiddle) of The Stairwell Sisters, Megan Adie (bass), Tom Lucas (banjos), Erik Pearson (banjos, slide) and Adam Tanner (fiddle/mandolin).
The Crooked Jades have 6 critically-acclaimed CDs including the brand new "Shining Darkness" released end of July 2008.
US Booking, Management & Publicity: Kyra Baele/415 290-2650 kyrabaele@earthlink.net
Europe Booking: Music Contact/Rainer Zellner/zellner@musiccontact.com
UK Booking: Brookfield Knights/Loudon Temple bloodygreatpr@aol.com/www.brookfield-knights.com
Love the music---is that Rose peeking out from that video---don't know what we did before Rose! Come out east and visit us--get hold of them folks at Merlefest, Bristol's Rhythm and RootS
This month we mostly have Catie Curtis (with a Richard Thompson cover), Lindsay Fuller and The Cheap Dates (and who amongst us isn't?), Josh Fix with a track from the well-titled album This Town Is Starting To Make Me Angry and the rather lovely Red Rooster.
Four more little sonic gems for your August pleasure are now available on the site. Blitzen Trapper, Boulder Acoustic Society, Jay Brannan and The Wiyos. Yet another fine quartet even though we say so ourselves as picked them out.
We're visiting your page to say hello and invite you to join us in the Fiddle World.
You don't have to play the fiddle to be a member and it's free.
Please at least check it out: http://fiddleworld.ning.com
After you do, comment us back so we know you did. Thanks
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
Have a good weekend, xx Yoka
