Джейкоб Фред Джаз Одиссея: История Эклектичной Группы

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (or JFJO or The Fred) is an American instrumental music group started in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1994. The band has had 16 different members in 20 years and put out 26 albums under the leadership of keyboardist/composer Brian Haas. The current lineup is Haas on piano, Fender Rhodes and synthesizers, Josh Raymer (joined 2007) on drums and Chris Combs (joined 2008) on electric guitar, lap steel, and synthesizer. JFJO's music is not easily categorized; although it is mostly in the jazz idiom, it draws from hip hop, funk and rock music. Critic Alex Henderson describes the band's music as a "mildly avant garde blend of jazz, rock and funk [that] draws on a wide variety of influences  Often quirky, eccentric and abstract, JFJO favors an inside/outside approach but is usually more inside than outside", while critic Scott Yanow describes the group as "fascinating". Their live shows include compositions by John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Thelonious Monk among others, and include long experimental improvisations that, at times, could be considered atonal. Furthermore, the band's early years as an octet featured a strong hip hop influence. The group began with different monikers and members in the early '90s including founding members Haas and Reed Mathis, as well as Sean Layton, Dove McHargue, Matt Leland, and Kyle Wright. In 1994, after repeated viewings of This Is Spinal Tap and increased attendance at their shows, the band members agreed on "Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey" as the band's new name. "Jazz Odyssey" came from a scene in Spinal Tap and "Jacob Fred" was what Haas wanted his unborn brother to be named at age 3.

Originating in Tulsa, Oklahoma as an octet with a horn section in 1994, JFJO became a trio in the summer of 2000, initially performing as the Jacob Fred Trio in January 2000. Drummer Matthew Edwards left the group in early 2001; his replacement was Richard Haas, the brother of Brian, who performed with the group until October 2001. Jason Smart joined in late October 2001, becoming a member of the band until 2007. After Smart's departure, in June 2007, it was announced that Josh Raymer would be replacing Smart on drums. They have toured North America and Europe extensively and shared the stage with Medeski, Martin and Wood, Bill Frisell, Les Claypool, Scott Amendola, Charlie Hunter, Al Di Meola, Stanton Moore, John Scofield, Galactic, moe., Bonerama, Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Kirk Joseph, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Mike Dillon, Skerik, Johnny Vidacovich, Karl Denson, Mike Clark, The Barr Brothers, Joseph "Zigaboo" Modileste, John Ellis, Bluetech, Eskmo, Welder, Vibesquad, Robin Eubanks, Marshall Allen, George Garzone, and Steve Kimock among others.

In 2004 the band released Walking With Giants, their first album with noted producer Joel Dorn's Hyena Records. Noteworthy for being JFJO's first studio album to contain acoustic piano, Walking With Giants was also the band's first studio album since 2000's Self is Gone. 2005 saw the release of their second album under Dorn and Hyena, The Sameness of Difference, the first release to include JFJO's uniquely arranged covers of songs by diverse contemporary musicians such as Björk and The Flaming Lips, as well as Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Wilson, and Neil Young. It also features original compositions by Haas, Smart and Mathis. In 2005 the band also released 4 Improvisations For The Ghosts, an almost ambient collection of live spontaneous music. In 2006 JFJO also put out the live compilation Tomorrow We'll Know Today: Live in USA and Europe as an online only release. The Fred toured little in 2007, as they spent a large amount of time working on their next record in the studio. Drummer Josh Raymer joined the band in June 2007, immediately getting his feet wet at Freihofer's Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, New York amongst others. The same year a live sampler of material from the September tour of 2007 was released as an online only free EP under the title Rich Mahogany. 2008 found the band touring predominantly as a quartet behind their 2008 Hyena release Lil' Tae Rides Again, which was released in April of that year. Lil' Tae is considered a departure for JFJO, as it contains many electronic elements. The band recorded the rough tracks for Lil' Tae, then asked friend of the band and electronic music producer Tae Meyulks to remix the tracks to his liking—hence the album title Lil' Tae Rides Again. Following the album's release, JFJO took Meyulks' creations and transcribed them for live performance, performing the album in its entirety night after night during a spring 2008 tour. An official live version, Lil' Tae Rides Again / Live, was compiled and edited by the band, combining performances from Portland, Denver, and Tulsa, and released as a digital download available through several online vendors. During the 2008 tours, the quartet lineup shifted depending on the tour, and was either Haas/Raymer/Mathis/Tomshany or Haas/Raymer/Combs/Tomshany. The band performed high profile shows at venues such as the JVC Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island and Lincoln Center in NYC. In October 2008 the band returned to Europe as a trio (Haas/Mathis/Raymer). The tour brought great acclaim including a Guinness Jazz Award for Best New Band at the Cork Jazz Festival. This tour would prove to be the last full tour with founding member Mathis, who left to "pursue other musical endeavors." Two other trio shows were played on December 5 and 6. 2008 ended with a special New Year's Eve show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the band played their own set as well as a 'superjam' set with members of Callupsie & The Doldrums featuring the music of Michael Jackson, Prince, and Lionel Richie.

In Summer 2013, Brian Haas, Josh Raymer, and Chris Combs began performing as a trio; Haas effectively became the band's bassist, now using a Moog bass keyboard to his left atop the piano. During this time, the band reworked material dating back to 1994, and in November 2013 recorded the album Millions: Live in Denver at DazzleJazz in Denver, CO. This vinyl only endeavor enjoyed a sold out release for Record Store Day 2014. The band had a successful American tour in support of this record from March 19 to June 21 of 2014. JFJO's second release of 2014 and 26th album, Worker, came out in October 2014 from label Royal Potato Family. It features strong electronic sound influences. The band toured to support the album, including a show at the famous Snug Harbor jazz club in New Orleans, Louisiana.