I recently found a copy (pre-editor of course) of this review I wrote about Jason Mraz's
Live at Java Joe's record for Hifi+ magazine when my
Sonic Satori column started in their pages (thank you Mr. Roy Gregory). This was published back in 2003. PLS forgive any mistakes or sloppy grammar - I had some amazing editors at that magazine.
I'm putting this here because the album has found new fans in the Hifi community (the original, NOT the new version in iTunes) as the recording is simply FANTASTIC!
Hope you enjoy the review:
Artist: Jason Mraz
Album: Live at Java Joe’s
Label: Independent Release – Purchase through www.jasonmraz.com
Jason Mraz: I hate to drop some music industry lingo on you (you can take the man out of the industry, but you can’t take the industry out of the man) but this kid’s got pipes. He’s young, vibrant, and holds the key to true success. I only hope that key opens the necessary doors and they swing wide open for him! A brilliant lyricist and soulful performer, Mraz is the package that the big labels are looking for, but I think his talents are beyond their scope. How could they put this guy into a Gap ad, or, could his music be a good soundtrack to a car commercial? Who knows, and frankly, who cares. This is solid pop music. Elektra was smart enough to sign him for his release Waiting For My Rocket To Come back in October of 02’ but where was the marketing team? No more dollars for the little guy it seems. Despite the labels negligence the album has sold over 119,000 copies (according to recent SoundScan numbers). That speaks volumes about his ability to captivate an audience, whether it is live or through a stereo system. The lack of support on Elektra’s part might have been the best thing for this hungry artist, as it may have sparked the desire to release the extraordinarily live and engaging Live at Java Joe’s. This record is simply a gem, a showcase into Mraz’s ability to master both his instruments (his guitar and voice) and entertain a crowd. “Dream Life of Rand McNally” is a tremendous storyboard of a song. Witty and humorous, this track jumps from dreams of sexual encounters with the Spice Girls to political banter and Hunter S. Thompson references. Do you want to bask in a grand jam session? Check out “Common Pleasure.” Jason and his band maintain full control technically, while letting the music take its own course at times, chanting and playing through drummy breaks and guitar plucks. His rendition of the classic “At Last” makes listening to the song tolerable again (I forget the film, but some Hollywood blockbuster rendered that song unlistenable for a while). Mraz cites such influences at the Dave Matthews Band and Ani DiFranco. This makes perfect sense, as he combines poetry with organically woven chord progressions and simple, yet poignant arrangements. The biggest surprise, and a pleasant one to say the least, is the sonic merit of this CD. The digital sound is astonishingly dynamic and airy. Guitar tones soar, and dissipate as if they were occurring in real time and space. The vocals are warm and emotively delivered. The percussion, while sparse, is so coherent you can hear (and even feel) the space surrounding the skins, and the fingers that are tapping the beat to them. There is a live presence and textural quality captured on this disc that I have only heard from companies such as Classic Records, Chesky, or MoFi. How they did it? I’m not concerned, but it is blissful blaring through my reference system. It seems the only way to purchase this CD is through Mraz’s own website, so; go surfing!!
Music: 9
Sonics: 9
