Eddie Arjun is one of my favorite musicians and producers with whom I have crossed paths with over my years as a music blogger. In my opinion, he and his band pump out some of the finest instrumental jazz rock that has graced my ears.
It’s safe to say I am always excited when I receive an email announcing a new Arjun release. Following up with his previous works of sonic art, Eddie Arjun is set to release Transition on February 1st. For a trip back to his previous releases, find my features on those here, here and here (opens in new tab).
Continuing in the tradition of emotive, electrifying, soul-infused, instrumental jazz rock, Transition is the next step in the evolution of Eddie Arjun’s sound.
Melodically rich, groove driven and masterfully crafted, Transition takes us on a journey through soundscapes which allow our mind to interpret the stories without the need for words. This is musicianship, musicality and song crafting at their finest.
The band’s chemistry is, as always, undeniable! Transition is the perfect album to jam any time of day, any location, any mood and pretty much any situation. Any ears within listening distance will be drawn to the smooth, passionate, energetic vibes which make Arjun’s music so easily enjoyable.
You can watch the video for There It Is below or subscribe on YouTube.
Connect with Eddie Arjun on the official website, IG or Soundcloud.
In the below interview, I chat with Eddie about Transition, technology, challenges, listening preferences and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
The band is hosting two record release parties to launch Transition. If you are in the area, I strongly encourage you to attend. Dates and links:
- 1/31 City Winery Boston https://tinyurl.com/y7plw7en
- 2/1 City Winery NYC https://tinyurl.com/ybjl6n3e
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
We’re from New York. Originally from Queens NY. Maybe we can call it the music of Queens NY. It’s was just so diverse growing up there. I was always taking in lots of different sounds. Different people. Cultures. Lots of different influences. A friend of ours called us Power Jazz Rock. I like that. I think that best describes us. But I should say that this music is something you already know. It’s influenced by everything. All genres. The good and the bad. It comes in the form of just Guitar, Bass and Drums.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
Music has always been a part of me. My mother knew music was in me way back when I was an infant. She said I used to tap out rhythmic patterns with my foot in the crib. Plus, my father is a singer and he always sang in the house. Sang his ass off. All the time.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
The overall tonality of this recording has my favorite kind of warmth that I love to hear in recordings. I spent a lot of time mixing this one. A lot of tweaking. A lot of minor stuff that I was very anal about. It probably drove Graham Stone, who mixed the album a little crazy. I knew for the first time with the most certainty how I wanted this album to sound.
The main differentiation of this release from the previous ones is the growth as a band. The chemistry. It’s on full display in this recording. I made every effort to discuss things with band members that I wanted to be improved on, that I wanted to express in the music. After doing this four times, recording albums that is, I was pretty confident of what I wanted to achieve as a producer. I knew what sound I wanted to put forth. Unfortunately, not every song made the cut because not every message I tried to convey resonated well enough and there were time constraints.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
The main challenge of being independent is being able to complete all the administrative tasks of releasing an album. It’s a lot. Sometimes a day or two will go by where I don’t pick up the guitar because there’s just so much to do. The more I don’t play my guitar, the more depressed I become. I mean it. So, I’m constantly working on my organizational skills. I’ll get it down eventually. Or maybe a cool label will sign us and then I won’t have to do this administrative shit anymore.
With all that being said, I’m grateful for where technology is today because it allows me to create and release music at will. I get to do it on my own terms. And I’m happy to take advantage of that.
What was the last song you listened to?
That last song I listened to? Hmmm. How about sides? Miles Davis Bitches Brew – Side 3. Funkadelic – Cosmic Slop Side 1
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Vinyl baby! All the way. I spent so much time listening to Wav file mixes and masters of our latest recording Transition. When I got the vinyl test pressing of the album and dropped the needle on it, it was like a breath of fresh air. I can’t explain it. It really is just warmer. Smoother. My brother is a naysayer. He doesn’t believe that there’s a difference. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I hope he’s reading this!
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I like record stores! Mad props to the record stores in the world. I also like Bandcamp. It’s without a doubt one of the best platforms for musicians to release music. Ask Thom Yorke.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Connect with us here:
