Internationally acclaimed jazz band Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (JFJO) is in the midst of executing the huge undertaking that is the project entitled 'LUDWIG', consisting of JFJO's innovative reinterpretations of Beethoven's 3rd & 6th symphonies. Reconstituted in a modern light, JFJO brings Beethoven to life in a new and exciting manner. Channeling the spirits of not only Beethoven & Karajan but Led Zeppelin & Radiohead as well, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey are turning Beethoven's 3rd & 6th symphonies into modern music for today's audiences.
The band has taken 'Eroica' & 'Pastoral' and transformed the symphonies into contemporary music for the young and old alike. After two years of work and planning, lead pianist Bria Haas is thrilled to be able to return to his classical roots and describes the project as “Ellington’s Far East Suite meets the Flaming Lips,” complete with intricate arrangements, in-the-moment improvisations, and big rock breakdowns.
JFJO is a group founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1994 consisting of Brian Haas on piano, Josh Raymer on drums, Chris Combs on lap steel guitar, and Matt Hayes on double bass. JFJO has risen to one of the foremost contemporary jazz trio's in the world over their 16 year history. In that time the band has released at least 20 albums and toured the top venues of the world such as the Damrosch Bandshell at Lincoln Center in NYC, Blue Note NYC & Milan Italy, Yoshi's in San Francisco, & Bimhuis in Amsterdam, to name a few. Billboard recently stated that "the group has matured into one of the finest and most exciting jazz groups around."
JFJO has also frequented the music festival circuit, performing across the globe from Berlin to Brazil to Finland and back. Recent years have found JFJO performing at some of their highest profile festival performances to date, such as the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival, and the Cork Jazz Festival in Ireland, where the band won a Guinness Jazz Award. Flourishing in the "jam" scene as well, the band has opened for Mike Gordon of Phish, Sound Tribe Sector Nine (sts9) and Les Claypool, and held main-stage slots at many of the scene's largest festivals.
On June 12th, 2010 the band will debut the 'Ludwig' project in full orchestral form live at the 2010 OK Mozart festival with a full 50 piece symphony, with plans to fully record that evening for release. The band plans to extensively recorded the entire performance for full CD & DVD release on JFJO's own Tulsa-based record label Kinnara Records. The label is partnered with Sony subsidiary MRI/RED for exclusive North American distribution.
JFJO's goal in all of this is to be able to show to the rest of the world the sort of innovative and progressive culture that pervades the part of the country they live in. JFJO is excited and honored to be able to be in a position to spread this Oklahoma based concept around the country and world, and would like to invite you to join them in this exciting endeavor. Due to the enormity of the production it will take to properly document the event, JFJO is currently seeking sponsorship of the official DVD release.
For more information on this project, or how you can be a part of this historic and uniquely Okie opportunity, please contact JFJO via manager@jfjo.com or 614.569.8020.
