Ari Joshua On the Making Of “Tagine”
How did everything come together?
Marco and I connected through David Tiller, an extraordinary mandolin player with whom I spent countless nights jamming and exchanging ideas. As I recall, Marco was one of the first people my age who shared my passion for both jazz legends and the rock and jam band scenes. I mean, he knew the standards inside and out, but he was also deeply familiar with Phish, a level of enthusiasm I hadn’t encountered before. I have an obsession with Hammond players, and analog key players so we connected on some organ trio gigs together pretty quickly and discussed forming a project to showcase our original music. I had already begun writing and compiling my own material for this vision, one of my best friends came out to form a band with me and Marco recommended Joe on drums. Joe was quite busy with Fat Mama at the time, I knew of the band, but I believe our initial collaboration as a trio occurred at “Tagine.” This recording happened about a few years two after we all met. Marco and Joe had been on the road and I asked if we could spend a few days in the studio when they had the time. Looking back it was pretty special to get into a studio given my financial constraints at the time, I was fortunate to secure a few recording sessions this being one of them. Thankfully, circumstances aligned perfectly, and this song was captured in just a few takes. I plan to release the alternate version as well as more from this session. I have about 100 songs in the archives from various sessions, it’s been really fun to release this stuff. It’s like a therapy.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for "Tagine"?
Ross was the owner and engineer at Wombat Recording. He had an all-analog setup, and we tracked the recordings to tape before moving them to an older version of Pro Tools. Marco played his chopped organ, and Joe handled the drums at the studio. I arrived with a collection of song ideas that I hoped to develop with them, creating a relaxed atmosphere. We played through each idea one to three times before moving on.
Over the years I have visited a bunch of studios and made mixes of all the material, I finally committed to a final mix for "Tagine" last winter. I wanted to capture a certain vibe beyond just the sounds of a traditional jazz trio. I’ve been incorporating samples from trips to Mexico and Belize, stored on my hard drive, as well as samples I created using an old handheld field recorder in the city. The result is some gnarly psychedelic sounds. Achieving a mix I'm satisfied with is a time-consuming process, I think there are painters I read about that are similar. The composing and playing parts are easy for me, like improv almost, the production is more of an adventure.
What impact do you hope "Tagine" will have on your audience?
Yo, I've received an abundance of positive feedback and personal messages about the track. It’s a joy to know people are really digging in. Considering Marco and Joe's prolific careers, I do believe their fans will genuinely appreciate this music, it represents a different side from their signature material but they are so versatile you can hear them shine through. I love the chemistry we have on this.
Are there specific musical elements or techniques you enjoy experimenting with to create something fresh and innovative?
I am always experimenting and working to create fresh and innovative sounds. The melody and form of this were created shortly after 911 in NY. I have alot of music written on paper from that time. I think the field recordings, the forest frogs, and the extensive use of outboard gear and effects chains contribute to the overall sound in a trippy way. I also experimented with various instrument effects and spatialization to create a distinct vibe for this track. The alternate take, with its entirely different set of samples too, is equally intriguing and will be shared in the future. As with all my material I invite the listener to listen on noise canceling headphones and to close your eyes and listen for the nuances.
Are there strategies you use to maintain momentum and inspiration?
Inspiration is a constant underlying force for the music to grow from. Music is a profound expression of time and space, it’s both beautiful as it is, and also can carry our human memories and experiences. It's truly awe-inspiring just in itself, I'm fortunate to have dedicated more than half my life to this pursuit. Collaborating with talented musicians brings me inspiration. Cats like Marco and Joe are undoubtedly inspiring, but it's equally important to maintain perspective. As someone who has experienced both the highs and lows of life, including periods of depression, procrastination, and self-doubt, I've learned valuable lessons through perseverance. One of the most effective strategies is to quiet the mind, to go blank, disregarding both positive and negative thoughts, and to just be. I try to avoid distractions from external influences and focus solely on the creative process. By creating consistently, even in small increments, and allowing for breaks when necessary, you'll ultimately reap the rewards and have meaningful contributions to share with the world.
"Tagine" is Ari Joshua's latest release from his vault. Leading this trio on guitar, Ais joined by Joe Russo on drums, and Marco Benevento on organ on this first officially released track from a session that took place at Wombat Studios in the early 2000’s.
"Tagine" dives into a dark, jazzy vibe influenced by psychedelic jazz legends like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Medeski Martin & Wood. Perfect for fans of jazz and jam bands, "Tagine" captures this trio's raw talent and chemistry in their early 20s. It's a must-listen that shows off their early explorations, like finding an old reel to reel recording with no label, this track shows off the virtuosity and creativity these players had even at a young age. Dive into this timeless work of art.
Named after a Moroccan Restaurant that used to host a weekly jam session lead by Marco that Ari and Joe both would regularly frequent. In the basement of this midtown middle eastern restaurant there was magic in the air. In their 20’s this recording is a rare audio document from the days when The Duo was getting started at Knitting Factory and Ari was just out of college.
“I was playing a lot around the city, Marco and Joe were two of my favorite players, we played several times in various configurations, and I would come to Tagine with my guitar, and later The Knitting Factory to play with them. They are two of my favorite players, so great to make music with."
"This track is something I wrote after 9-11. The week after 9-11 we were driving with all our gear in Marco’s Subaru across the bridge. It was like a military shutdown. They searched the vehicle, but the guys must have known the difference between a hammond organ and a bomb cause they let us though, and we crossed the bridge and played at Tagine.”