Jon Stickley Trio brings eclectic style to Boulevard Music
The Jon Stickley Trio plays at Boulevard Music on Friday, Oct.6, and they should be in fine form. The second album, “Lost at Last,” has seen them make great strides with their accessible and eclectic take on gipsy jazz and bluegrass, and even a touch of hip-hop. This is a band that can pull in fans from many different markets, which offers them a huge advantage. We spoke to Stickley prior to the show to find out more…
CULVER CITY NEWS – When did you start singing and playing?
I grew up singing in church as a kid, but when I heard Nirvana, my friends and I started a punk band. Then I heard David Grisman Quintet in high school and never looked back!
How do you describe your own style/sound?
Our band’s sound is all-instrumental, and improvisational, with elements of Bluegass, Jazz, and Hip-Hop on guitar, violin, and drums. That might sound bad, but trust me, it’s great. Each member of the band brings their own personality and background to the band, so our music is very unique and personal.
Where are you based? What do you think of the local scene?
We are based in Asheville, N.C. For a town of its size, the music scene is immense and very diverse. There are a lot of very supportive venues, constantly bringing high-quality music to town. Musicians have been flocking here for years, and now there are a lot of bands playing Bluegrass, Old-Time, Jazz, Gypsy-Jazz, Art-Rock, and almost any other style you can think of.
Do you have CDs/albums/singles available?
We’ve released three full-length albums, and one EP. We are touring to support our newest release, “Maybe Believe”. Our most recent two albums were released by Dave King, the drummer for The Bad Plus.
Describe the Jon Stickley Trio live experience…
Seeing the Jon Stickley Trio live is a dynamic, high-energy, danceable, compelling musical experience that is different every time. There is a lot of interplay between the band members, and we leave everything we have on the stage.
How did you come to play at Boulevard Music?
Well, we are on our way to the Joshua Tree Music Festival and wanted to play in the area while we were our there. We’ve heard that Culver City is one of the coolest spots for new and original music on the West Coast.
What sort of a crowd do you draw there?
Well, it’s our first time there, so hopefully we draw a huge, diverse crowd of all ages, races, and types of people. We’ve been surprised how many different types of people enjoy our music.
What can we expect from your set?
High-level musicianship, played with sensitivity and energy. Our music is extremely entertaining, exciting, and most people have never heard anything like it.
What else do you have going on?
We’re in the middle of the longest tour we’ve done yet, basically full tilt until December. We have some major highlights including, Joshua Tree Music Fest, Suwanee Hulaween, and Strings and Sol in Mexico. Our album is doing well, and we’re having a blast out here promoting it!
The Jon Stickley Trio plays with The Ghost of Paul Revere at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 at Boulevard Music; 4316 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City; 310-398-2583; boulevardmusic.com. Tickets are $15.
