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Photo by Killian McKeowen
Photo by Jessica Miller
“Jerm” Smith kept a cool bass groove over Emmett
Nash’s tight pocket on the drums. But then, just as
quickly as before, the band launched into their most
vicious song, “Raw,” in which Charles puts down
his horn and transforms into his alias, The Dapper
Rapper. He was joined by MC Clev Pro on the mic,
and the pair proceeded to tear the audience from
their comfort zones into the palms of their hands.
On a phone call while on a recent tour, Charles
explained that the band often doesn’t know what
songs they’ll perform until they get up on stage. “It
all depends on the energy,” he says. “There’s nothing
wrong with having something structured, but if the
energy shifts, what you had planned might not go
with the energy that’s there in the present moment.”
House of Stairs
Garrison Jones, the keyboardist for House of Stairs,
cites free expression as the cornerstone element of
the band’s music. The group is made up of Jones,
vocalist Holly Pyle, drummer Stephen Avalos and
saxophonist Shea Marshall, along with a revolving
cast of guest members in their live performances. The
band formed after Pyle, Jones and Avalos met while
performing around town at the various jazz jams, like
the one held on Sunday nights at The Nash. Not long
after their inception, the trio began to write their own
original music.
The members of House of Stairs each have different
musical backgrounds, including studies in classical
music, progressive rock and even metal. But
according to Pyle, the music consistently finds itself
in jazz.
Pyle utilizes a loop machine to create spacious vocal
harmonies that fit perfectly with Jones’ melodic
sorcery and Avalon’s relentless drumming. The band
likes to change the rhythm, tempo and key signatures
of their songs to keep themselves and their audiences
interested. As a result, no two House of Stairs shows
are the same. “We’re constantly trying to test the
boundaries of a piece,” says Pyle. “We want to keep
our songs present, and we’re constantly changing, so
we try to make the music change with us.”
Hyperbella
One of the most recent additions to the Phoenix
music scene is the neo-soul/jazz-funk project
Hyperbella. The band comprises guitarist Cassidy
Hilgers, pianist Carly Bates, bassist Brenden McBride
and drummer Marcus Leatham.
Hyperbella has been together for less than a year,
but they’ve already managed to create an impressive
sound that is both cathartic and danceable. Their
soulful melodies are tied together by tight funk
grooves, transcendent solos and powerfully
enchanting harmonies. Any fan of Hiatus Kaiyote will
quickly find a new local favorite in Hyperbella.
Many of the musicians mentioned here grew up in
Arizona and credit the state’s various high school
and college jazz programs for introducing them to the
possibilities of jazz and performance. More than a
few of the musicians wished to pay their respects to
those musicians who came before them and paved
the way for jazz in Arizona – many of whom still
perform in Phoenix. Whatever your taste, do not miss
this amazing alt jazz music happening around this
great city of ours.
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