Jezz Hall Band

From a toddler listening to Elvis, to learning to play like blues legend Mississippi John Hurt, Nottingham’s Jezz Hall has come a long way. With his collection of musicians playing the likes of double bass, cello, mandolin and fiddle the Jezz Hall Band carry Nottingham audiences into deep America through an array of folk and blues traditions. They are headlining for us at the second LeftLion Unplugged at the Malt Cross on Tuesday 7th March.

Tell us a little bit about the Jezz Hall Band.
Well it’s the first time I’ve worked with a fairly stable line up, in the past I’ve always gathered up a group of friends and associates (more often than not members of Trickster) for one off gigs. In fact Nick Acons from Trickster is playing fiddle and mandolin for me at the moment. We also have Roger Jepson on double bass and cello. I met Roger in Raffles one night and we got on and I passed him some recordings and that was that. Andy Hill, who plays guitar, I’ve known for a few years now, in fact he engineered the latest CD, and we have just about worked each other out by now!

You have a new EP out, and an album to follow. How did these come about?
Well I recorded my first album Smalltown with Bruce Myers, who played with Andy at the time and shared a studio with him. Andy and Bruce both started out recording, but the room was too small for three of us so Andy dropped out and left Bruce to the task of dealing with me! Haha! Anyway it seemed natural that Andy would record the second one. This album has progressed somewhat I hope. The first CD was me playing around exploring musical influences and really finding my voice as a songwriter. I think this second attempt is more cohesive and darker in mood. The EP features three songs off the CD and also a new track recorded live at Raffles recently.

Will you be changing your set much for the LeftLion Unplugged gig?
I always tend to change my set as that’s what keeps me interested so far as playing live is concerned. I view a good gig as something that develops in the moment. It can go astray from you or it can build until something magic happens. I think playing as a solo performer for so long has got me used to the idea of allowing a gig to unfold, as I control all the elements as far as giving it out is concerned, and the audience also play a big part. As a band we’ve got a fairly large number of songs that we all know and then I might do some stuff on my Jack Jones. I always like to try and play something new and fresh as you can’t beat the energy and feel you get from performing a song that is still taking shape… that is still exciting for you as a performer.

What kind of thing can we expect?
Errr… well me and the guys playing some songs in the old kind of way! I think this band has an old time feel about it no doubt but what I’m trying to achieve is to create a context for the words and the way words are phrased. I’m really interested in using words rhythmically. It’s a long long way from the world of NME and suchlike I guess.

Who and what influences Jezz Hall?
Hmm…hunger for a life that exists beyond empty commercial gesturing! Haha!
I’m afraid my musical influences might seem a bit out of touch. I remember the first person to move me was Elvis. Just after he died, Radio Luxemburg ran a special on him on Sunday nights and I was just a tiny kid sitting on a high chair listening to these songs that I somehow connected with. I then got into the UK ska thing, you know The Specials and Madness, that was my kind of generational thing.
I guess, I felt strongly about music from a very young age. Much later I found myself listening to sixties psychedelia and in particular discovered the Incredible String Band, which opened a whole new tangle of diversions for me, one of which was traditional folk. I guess I tend to be drawn to American old timey music more these days. I think Doc Watson is Jimi Hendrix to me, I also love John Hartford, who was one of the musicians featured on the documentary Down From The Mountain, about the music behind the Coen Brothers’ ‘Oh Brother Where Art Thou’. I learnt to finger pick by trying to play Mississippi John Hurt songs.

Where are your favourite places to play around Nottingham?
I’ve always enjoyed playing at the Maze over the last few years. I’ve worked there in the past and made some good friends there. I think the guys who are running it now are trying to do a good thing with it. Nice one to Guy and all those who campaigned to get it back!! I think Nottingham is short of really good venues… we just kind of make do. I have a theory that a really great venue should have at least one pillar obscuring the stage!

What are you listening to at the moment?
The cricket in India. Musically Bonny Prince Billy is the first person to come to mind, something about the sound of his voice. It doesn’t matter what the guy says it just tears my heart out. Pinetop Seven is another band that springs to mind.

Any other Notts artists you would recommend?
Dave Blazye.

What are the future plans for the Jezz Hall Band?
Well I’m not sure what their plans are… but I hope to get this CD out asap and start gigging out of Notts again. I would love to get in a position where it would be viable for us to travel and gig as a band. I’ve got a lot of new songs that I’m itching to record and I see us as a band sitting around some nice mics in a chilled space and capturing the magic that sometimes just happens when a bunch of reprobates hang out and make horrible noises together.

www.jezzhall.com

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