Experimental jazz; jazz fusion; electro jazz…however you want to label it, the pioneering artists taking jazz to brand new audiences are some of the biggest success stories in the UK music industry in recent years, taking a form of music which had fallen cruelly out of fashion into something which unified people across generations, cultural backgrounds and class. Entering the arena alongside the likes of Tom Misch and Alfa Mist is Juhan Ongbrian who brings his extraordinary guitar skills and composition skills to a life which has seen him take influence from his birthplace in Singapore through to a prolonged stay in Seattle and finally to his base in Los Angeles. Deemed an outsider to the closed, fit-to-template system of LA, he is bringing his new EP to the UK for its launch, eager to show that his combination of blues, jazz and ambient beats can comfortably compete with the best on the scene.
Mood Swings features the talents of Juhan himself on guitar; Adrian “Ech0” Michael on drums, and Austin “Sly Chong” Smith on bass, a trio who have found themselves marginalised by the musical behemoth of Los Angeles. Unwilling to temper their pulsating and organic space-jazz-blues hybrid, they are looking to follow the recent wave of artists who have brought jazz to fans of electro, urban styles and dance in the UK. Leading with the title track of the EP, Mood Swings is first and foremost a masterclass in musicianship with Juhan’s blues-influenced guitar
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Juhan about the new music, technology, challenges and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create?
I was born in Indonesia. I would say that I’m inspired by traditional Blues, Jazz, Psychedelic Rock, but recently I have been listening to lo-fi, hip hop, and UK Jazz. I guess the style of music that I create (or trying to) is a combination of all that.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
I started doing music in Los Angeles as a recording engineer/mixer/producer for other artists around town. Around late 2018, I started focusing on creating my own music and forming a band. What motivates me is mainly listening to other cool music out there and stay inspired to do it myself.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
Having talented and prolific musicians in the band is an essential element in completing this project/release. I am featuring Adrian ‘Ech0’ Michael on the drums, Sly Chong on the bass and Bilkent Samsurya on second-guitar. These guys were really hands-on and collaborative throughout the process. Our concept for this EP is ‘raw and organic’, and having recorded each track live in the studio, we maintained that feel.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
Today, everyone can release their own content (music, videos, cats, etc) online everywhere with a click of a button. Yes, it definitely helps me as an indie musician to distribute my music online and to promote it through social media, websites, Spotify playlists, and the list goes on. But this is also a challenge. There is definitely more music being released every day, and it’s a struggle to stay afloat to be heard. I guess those are the pros and cons of the digital age.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
You can listen to my releases on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, or any other streaming services under ‘Juhan Ongbrian’. As for social media, you can look up anywhere under @juhanongbrian
Anything else before we sign off?
I released a live recording music video on January 15th, along with a new single track from that studio session. Make sure to stay tuned!
