Racer Session #439 | Negative Press Project | September 9, 2018
Greetings, Racers!
This Sunday, we are so incredibly excited to have Negative Press Project visiting us in the midst of their west coast tour. Negative Press Project (npp) is a (scalable) eight-piece electro-acoustic indie/art rock and jazz inspired music collective based in Oakland, CA. The band recorded original arrangements and reimagined versions of songs associated with the late Jeff Buckley, and has received recognition in a variety of print media and jazz-related publications, including a four-star review in DownBeat. The band has just recently recorded additional original material to be released as singles in 2018 and a full-length in 2019, for which they are currently touring.
We were originally hipped to NPP through our friend Ivan, who has been playing with them on several of their west coast runs. We got a chance to check them out earlier this week at The Seamonster, and left completely blown away. Everything about this group - the compositions, the artistry, the energy that the musicians give to the work - is thoughtful and intentional and rich with the things that make this second century of jazz and improvisation so great. These reasons and more are why you MUST come out for this session. Not. To. Miss.
So please, make sure to find yourself at the Racer Sessions this Sunday at 8pm. A set from NPP, open jam session to follow. NPP's own Ruthie Dineen wrote us our blog this week, so read on below for some words and thoughts from the road.
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"We Are...
Negative Press Project
8 musicians in a van together for two weeks, air bnb-ing together, on stage together, eating together. It's a bit like band camp, a bit like family vacation. All kinds of dynamics, friends, house-mates, band-mates, band leaders, session players, 20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40 year olds, 7 boys and one girl. Saxophones, saxophones, more saxophones, and a trumpet.
So how does this work? Well, for this NPP tour, there's been a couple of themes. From Oakland to Seattle, here are some of our highlights:
1. Why some people text back right away and others don't, including love interests.
2. Me too movement
3. Racism
4. Communication
5. Gluten-free, veganism, keto, slim-jims
6. Kombucha, coconut water, beer
7. Running, core workouts, muscles
8. Who helped unload the car last?
9. Which ninja turtle are you?
10. How to play free, should I play free, how free should I play?
11. Who has the smallest butt? (They sit in the middle)
Musicians. Jazz musicians. A particular breed. Jazz musicians from the Bay Area. Maybe this is all predictable.
Most importantly the main theme is places and people. Feeling and soaking in the history and vibe of each city, through our eyes and our band-mates eyes. Seeing the world as its citizens and as its musicians. Arcata a town of gold and good vibes, Portland the land of cool, flowers and bridges, Seattle - frayed jeans and frayed music. And Vancouver still to come. We are people, we are musicians, we are Oakland, we love the world and its sounds."