#thegladstone

JUMPIN’ JOEL FLASH Jumpin’ Joel Flash (JF) is a busy man, and 2017 looks to be even busier. We spoke to Joel about his heavy involvement in the upcoming musical, The Phantom of the Opry, as well as his burgeoning solo musician career alongside his band The Magic Machine (Photo Credit: Ryan Lindsey).

VITALS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jumpinjoelflash/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jumpinjoelflash/ 

Facebook (Phantom): https://www.facebook.com/Phantom-of-the-Opry-1198976293492134

Instagram (Phantom): https://www.instagram.com/phantomoftheopry/

Upcoming shows: The Phantom of the Opry, February 22-25, 2017, The Gladstone, Ottawa ON.

SA: How did you get your start in music, and how did this recent singer-songwriter project with your supporting band come together? JF: I had played in high school band, but had no real musical experience other than that. Some singing in my car, some bustin out floyd and sabbath at Karaoke. In college, I decided I wanted to rock, so I did. I joined a cover band called Barrelhouse and rocked across Ottawa and the surrounding area for a decade. I also sang in hard rock comedy band Fuzzy Bunny Slaughterhouse as well as the acoustic duo Tears from a Rainbow. Much fun.  

Last year, local filmmaker Brett Kelly announced that he was holding auditions for a new musical, My Fair Zombie. I had no theatre experience, but I can sing and I dig zombies, so I went for it. Much fun was had, and even more was learned. Most importantly though, I made some amazing friendships with incredibly talented people.

So, my current lineup is a cool mix people from the band and musical theatre scenes. The result is a fun, tight show that has people laughing and cheering throughout.  Well, that’s what I’ve seen from the stage, anyway.  Maybe they’re laughing AT me? I need to think more about this.

SA: What bands or musicians would you cite as the biggest influences on your sound? JF: I joined Barrelhouse because they were a classic rock outfit… my scene completely. We played a metric ton of Allman Brothers and Steely Dan, which not only made for an interesting show, but also shaped how i approached songwriting and performance.  I love the southern jam sound of the Allmans… it’s a big band with a lot of crunch, filthy guitar, intense builds. Then there’s Steely… more muted but no less funky grooves, odd chords, silky harmonies. Love it.

These guys also turned me on to bands that seemed like they were from outer space... acts like Yes, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, and Zappa. So much Zappa. Songwriting without borders.  More intricate borders, anyway.

That being said, my single biggest influence would be Exile on Main Street.

SA: Thus far in your career, what has been your biggest success? JF: I think that may be yet to come!  I’ve been getting more attention in the media lately, and I’m hoping to wow people this year with both Phantom of the Opry as well as my first recordings!

SA: On the other hand, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? JF: Much like many other artists, my challenge has been exposure. I’m dealing with it in the only way I can.. Getting out there and meeting people!  Gigs are great for that of course, but there are many events across town which are great for getting more involved in the music scene. Organizations like OMIC are doing a great job of getting people together, discussing issues, and building a closer, more dynamic Ottawa arts community.

Being involved in both the band scene and the musical theatre scene has helped with that as well. More friends = more art!

SA: How do you approach the song-writing process? JF: I typically write songs around beats or riffs. Once i have something that I can’t get out of my head, I’ll noodle on an acoustic until it sounds just about right, then lay down a scratch track to build from. I like lots of layers… my band has two dedicated backup vocals, so to be able to play around with harmony lines has been just wonderful.

When writing, I tend to think of vocals as notes rather than poetry, so lyrics are almost always secondary for me. This has lead to a lot of sad-sounding songs, which is weird, ‘cause I’m a happy guy!  I just think sad(ish) songs are A) more relatable and B) easier to rhyme.

SA: What are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene? JF: Vibrant! Fun! Collaborative! Ever-growing!

I’m excited by the growth, in particular. More venues are opening up in different areas of the city, giving both artists and fans more chances to see the great talent that this city has to offer.

SA: A question for fun: you and your band have a tour rider. What’s going to be on it? JF: Peanut Butter. Coffee. Fancy sandwiches. Not too fancy… but fancy. Apples. Bananas. More coffee.

SA: Illustrating your diversity, you have also recently written a score for the musical Phantom of the Opry, which is coming to the Gladstone this February. Can you tell us a little about the process of writing a score? JF: Songwriting for me has always been a one-off affair. Take it any which way you want to go, then move on to the next one.

Phantom was more like writing a concept album. Typically, I write songs around a single idea, riff, or lyric. This score demanded 10 songs, differentiating themselves from each other while also sharing similar themes, orchestration, keys, and lyrics which propel the story forward. So, when inspiration hit, i could place an idea wherever I wanted inside this larger umbrella project. I could also repurpose things that weren’t working with one track… moving them on over to another one instead. I had a lot of fun with this part in particular.

Now, writing ten songs sharing all this was complicated enough, but musical theatre has this whole other layer: Performance. Who is singing? Where are they on the stage? Who are they singing to? These questions and others were vital for song structure, punches, harmonies, and other fine touches. Lyrics were similar. The songs had to fit the characters and their situation, while also tossing in jokes for good measure.

All the songs were written on acoustic guitar. Knowing i had to teach the tracks to seven cast members and a band, I opted to make it easy on everyone and record scratch tracks. After I laid down the guitar and lead vocals, I was able to create (and in some cases, actually write) the harmony lines on top. The cast as well as the band is learning the songs around these tracks and it’s coming together really great.  The end result will be Acoustic Guitar, Keys, Bass, Drums, and seven powerful vocals. Big sound. Big fun.

SA: When writing a score, how it is different in terms of challenges and benefits in comparison to your Jumpin' Joel Flash band project? JF: It was a big project, but one of the biggest benefits was not having to start from scratch. Brett wrote the script and sent it my way with annotations where he wanted the songs. So for each track, I knew who was singing it, what it had to be about, how it had to move the story along, and the overall mood. It allowed for more focused songwriting, as there were limitations on where the song could go. This led to some of the songs going in directions I hadn’t anticipated, which was a fun process.   

I agreed to write a theatre score despite having no experience whatsoever. I figured the best way to grow as a musician was to get way out of my comfort zone and jump right into the deep end. It was the biggest challenge I’ve ever undertaken, and I couldn’t be more proud of it.

SA: What else can we expect from Jumpin' Joel Flash as we move forward in 2017? All the best this year! JF: Phantom will be my life until our five shows, taking place February 22-25 at the Gladstone. People can get tickets at the Gladstone Box Office. I highly encourage local musicians, theatre folk, and other members of the arts community to check out The Gladstone’s Student/Artist/Unwaged rate, which is nearly 50% off!

“Dream House” 2016