Jam Central Station 10.31.09: Matisyahu
Posted by Jeff Modzelewski on 10.31.2009
Blending reggae, hip hop, and rap with his strong faith, Matisyahu brings a new take on traditional Jamaican music.
Welcome back to a spoooooky edition of Jam Central Station! Hope you're all having a great Halloween. I especially hope the ladies are getting their sexy costumes ready to go for tonight! I'll be spending the time taking my son to the Halloween stuff at the zoo (he's a little too young to know what's going on) before doing a whole lot of nothing later on. Oh well, such is life. I'm glad you could drop by to see what's going on in the jam world this week. We'll start, as always, with this week's headliner!
The phrases "reggae, hip-hop, and rock" don't appear to mix well with "Orthodox Hasidic Jew." At very least, a reggae performer dressed in a black suit with a full Jewish beard and a yarmulke would seem like some sort of joke. However, Matisyahu is no joke. He's as serious about his music as he is about his faith, and he's found a way to combine the two that has earned him Top 40 hits, a Grammy nomination, and a home on the jam-band tour circuit. Since he burst onto the jam band scene in 2005 and into popular music in 2006, Matisyahu has been recording and touring across the world.
The journey from Matthew Miller to Matisyahu is a fascinating one. Born in Pennsylvania and raised in a Reconstructionist Jewish household in New York, Matisyahu's upbringing was not quite traditional. He was a Deadhead by the time he was a teenager, and he dropped out of high school to follow Phish. He lived the lifestyle of a hippie on the road for months before returning to White Plains. At 17, his parents convinced him to go to an alternative school in Oregon. The plan didn't sober Matisyahu up (he talked in an interview about taking "mushroom tea" before performing as MC Truth in Oregon.) He was already beginning to incorporate his strong faith into his music, however, going so far as to perform wrapped in an Israeli flag.
He returned to New York at 19, and continued to explore both his faith and music. He began attending a synagogue that nurtured his musical ambitions. He also began exploring a strict sect of Judaism called Hasidism. This tradition of Judaism calls for strict adherence to Jewish law, including observing the Sabbath, a kosher diet, and clothing. Matisyahu had a history of rebellion in his younger years, but the structure and rules of a Hasidic lifestyle appealed to him. He adopted to the lifestyle quickly, despite the apparent conflict between his faith and his music.
Adopting a strict faith didn't slow Matisyahu down, however. After performing in a Jewish band in New York, he began performing as a solo artist. He signed with a label that promotes Jewish artists in 2004, and released his debut album Shake Off the Dust…Arise. As a Jewish artist on a Jewish label, Matisyahu didn't attract much attention. He released Live at Stubbs early in 2005. He was having some success playing clubs, but hadn't garnered any real national attention. That changed in 2005, when Trey Anastasio invited Matisyahu to appear during his Bonnaroo set. This immediately jumpstarted the career of Matisyahu. The exposure of playing at Bonnaroo, and as a guest of Trey's on top of that, gave Matisyahu instant musical credibility.
Coming off of his Bonnaroo appearance, Matisyahu continued touring in earnest, this time to larger audiences. The exposure of his guest spot in Trey's set got his foot in the door, but his unique sound, his obvious talent, and his positive mention drew fans in. His sets were often high-energy affairs designed to get the crowd dancing and having a good time. Despite his appearance, his music was straight from Jamaica, with just enough rock and hip-hop mixed in to give it a modern feel. Along with touring, Matisyahu returned to the studio to record Youth, his first release for Epic Records. The album, released in March 2006, made an immediate splash on ITunes and hit #4 on Billboard. The live version of "King Without a Crown" rose up the modern rock charts, and Matisyahu played his own set at the 2006 Bonnaroo Festival. By the end of the year, Youth was 3rd in Billboards Top Reggae Albums of 2006, and Live at Stubbs was 2nd. He closed out the year by releasing No Place to Be, a compilation of remixes and re-recorded versions of previously released songs. The album also included Live in Israel, Matisyahu's first live DVD.
Matisyahu continued to tour extensively through 2007, with his popularity gaining both among the jam-band crowd and the hip-hop and dance crowd. He took time off in 2008 to focus on his new album, including a trip to Jerusalem to celebrate the high holy days. A friend and teacher of his challenged him to condense his years of Torah study into songs for his new album. Light got pushed back a number of times, but, when it was finally released in August 2009, it was the album that Matisyahu had hoped to make. The album shows Matisyahu stretching far beyond his reggae roots, into modern rock, pop, and dance music. He embraces these styles openly, and is able to move between them fluidly. Despite it's diversity, the album was well received by fans and critics, and Matisyahu has been touring since before it's release.
One word that could be used to define Matisyahu would be "dedication." Dedication to his faith, which is such a big part of his life and work. Dedication to his music, and staying true to his musical roots despite not "looking the part." He's passionate in his work, and it shows both in his studio albums and live. He's developed a devoted fanbase from jam-band fans, reggae enthusiasts, and other devout Jews. His ability to blend different worlds is impressive, and, with the release if Light, he appears to be going strong.
Festival 8 News
By the time you read this, Festival 8 will be well underway. Thriller was the last album to be offed before Friday, leaving 8 for the start of the festival. As of Friday night, the 8 albums left are:
David Bowie | Hunky Dory
Genesis | The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Jimi Hendrix | Electric Ladyland
King Crimson | Larks' Tongues In Aspic
MGMT | Oracular Spectacular
Prince | Purple Rain
Radiohead | Kid A
Rolling Stones | Exile on Main Street
Exile on Main Street was my early pick, and I'm sticking with that. I'm pretty much counting out Kid A and Oracular Spectacular right off. MGMT is way too new, and, despite the respect I have for Radiohead, I also feel Phish will choose something from a band older than they are. Trey did tease "Kids" from Oracular Spectacular during soundcheck, but I'm guessing that's just a tease to mess with the fans. I don't see them doing Purple Rain either, though it's not 100% out of the question. If it's not Exile, I'd go with The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, but there are a lot of good choices there.
Also, if, like me, you can't be out in Cali for the Festival, head over to sirius.com where you can listen to all 8 sets live. The station Jam On is broadcasting the entire show. You can listen online, and, if you don't have a Sirius subscription, you can get a free trial to listen. And, seriously, if you don't have Sirius, get it!
If you're a quiz-loving sort of person, then head over to the Head Count booth at Festival 8 for a chance to win some original artwork by Jim Pollock. There'll be a number of categories, and fans can compete against each other for a spot in the Tournament of Champions. The winner will receive an uncut sheet of four Pollock masks. Other prizes are available as well, and everyone who fills out a survey at the Head Count booth gets a coupon for a free scoop of Ben and Jerry's.
Finally, Festival 8 got some promotion on the Tonight Show this week. Check it out!
Wakarusa announces 2010 dates
In the first big news for the 2010 festival season, Wakarusa will be back at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arizona for their 2010 show. The dates are June 3-6. Hopefully this will be the start of more summer festival news to come!
String Cheese Incident to tour in 2010
In an announcement that was widely expected, Michael Travis of the String Cheese Incident confirmed that the band is planning on touring in 2010. SCI members are right now touring with their respective side projects, but, after a successful reunion at Rothbury this year, the band will be returning for a full tour next year. No dates have been announced, and there's no word on if the band is planning on heading back into the studio, but, when more information comes out, it'll be here.
Kyle Hollingsworth continues tour
Kyle Hollingsworth has dates scheduled through the end of the year. He's doing some east coast dates by himself, then some with Ryan Montbleau, before heading home to Colorado for a couple of December dates. Also, the first 50 fans to buy tickets to the Philadelphia show will be entered into a drawing to win a meet-and-greet and beer tasting with Hollingsworth. Check out the dates below.
Kyle Hollinsgsworth November Dates
November 11 Burlington, VT Club Metronome
November 12 New York, NY Sullivan Hall
November 13 Baltimore, MD The 8×10
November 14 Philadelphia, PA The Khyber
November 15 Richmond, VA Capital Ale House Kyle Hollinsgsworth Co-Bills with Ryan Montbleau Band
November 17 Charlotte, NC Neighborhood Theatre
November 18 Raleigh, NC The Pour House Music Hall
November 19 Charleston, SC The Pour House
November 20 Asheville, NC The Garage at Biltmore
November 21 Athens, GA New Earth Music Hall Kyle Hollinsgsworth December Dates
December 12 Denver, CO Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom
December 23 Fort Collins CO "Holiday Folly for Charity", New Belgium Brewery
The Black Crowes have Cabin Fever
The Black Crowes are getting ready to release a new DVD. Cabin Fever will chronicle the recording sessions that led to their most recent album(s) Before the Frost… and the companion album …Until the Freeze. The DVD will show the songwriting process and performances that led to the album. The DVD is set to be released November 24. Check out the preview.
Claypool celebrates Purple Pachyderm
Les Claypool will be introducing his Purple Pachyderm, the first vintage from Claypool Cellars, with a November 20 show at the HopMonk in Sebastopol, CA. The show will be a "Les Claypool and Friends" show, so I don't know who will be in the backing band. I'm not a wine guy, but, if I was, I'd be interested in seeing what Claypool had to offer. The wine is $42 a bottle. If I'm spending $42 a bottle for something, it better be Single Barrel Jack Daniels.
Tea Leaf Green on NYE
Despite taking most of the fall off, Tea Leaf Green will be performing in Phoenix for New Years Eve. They're set for a performance at The Compound. The band is also at Las Tortugas Dance of the Dead Festival this weekend.
Thanks again for stopping by. I'll have a full report on Festival 8 next week, and maybe some clips by then. If you're not busy tonight or tomorrow, remember to check out their performances at Sirius.com Until next week, Jam On!
