Justin Trawick Group performing “Sunshine”
For those hitting the Bob Schneider show at the Birchmere in Alexandria tonight (Friday, May 9), you may want to also reserve your Saturday (May 10) night for DC’s own Justin Trawick at IOTA who will be celebrating the release of his new live CD recorded at the very same venue it was recorded. Leading up to the big event, Justin humbly agreed to a little Q&A session with Twangville.
[Twangville] You hop seamlessly from playing acoustic solo, to the trio and to sharing the stage with as many as seven other musicians with added instruments such as upright bass, sax and cello. What is it about these different dynamics and what would your ideal band consist of?
[Justin Trawick] I don’t know…I think I just like incorporating as many different sounds as possible in an effort to be versatile as I can. Over the past few years playing in the area I’ve made countless friends who play all different types of cool instruments and I like to try to incorporate them into my music as much as possible. I think my idea is that no matter what lineup I have that night, the music is going to be fun and exciting, no matter whether it’s just me on guitar or if I’m backed by a seven piece funk band with two rappers in tow. My ideal band?…I want to turn my song “To New Hampshire” into a Dixieland song with a tuba and clarinet. I’ve already talked to some people about it. Oh, and I want to get a high school drumline to sit in at a show…
[T] You’ve cited influences from Bob Schneider to Ryan Adams and have drawn comparisons to artists like G.Love and Jason Mraz. How would you compare and contrast yourself to these artists?
[JT] Well, first of all the upright bass is a direct result from growing up listening to G. Love. I loved his sound, that would be amazing to open for them one day The goes for Jason Mraz and his ability to put so many lyrics into a three minute song. I respect Bob Schneider to the highest degree for his ability to incorporate as many styles as possible and not just be pigeonholed into one. I suppose I’m attempting to do the same thing…bluegrass, country, folk, rock and roll, funk, even hip hop and reggae. Ryan Adams’ has some amazingly awesome heartbreaking songs that just make you go “oh my god…”. I’ve recently realized lately that a lot of my new material has been about heartbreak…although it’s usually disguised by upbeat instrumentation and sax solos!
[T]If you had your pick to open for one of them on tour who would that be?
[JT] I would love to go on tour with Bob (Schneider). I got to open for him once in Austin at his home venue Antones and it was an amazing experience. Supporting him for multiple dates would be an unbelievable experience.
[T] I know you’re actively involved in the DC music scene both performing on your own and in support of other local musicians. What do you love about the capitol music scene and on the flip side what is it missing?
[JT] The DC area music scene is great. From Virginia, to Maryland, to the DC proper, there are a lot of opportunities for bands to play and for fans to get involved. We’ve got amazing international venues like the Kennedy Center and the 930 Club that even allow local acts in to play…how awesome is that? I ran a music showcase with my friend Elli for about a year at Solly’s in DC where we helped showcase area singer/songwriters. There are so many good bands coming out of the DC area now…it would be nice to see some more music industry interest down here checking out some of these greats acts.
[T] Back in January Arlington’s IOTA Club and Cafe hosted a live show where you recorded a new disc. What can you tell people about that night and where can they pick up the disc?
[JT] It was a great night. IOTA is by far my favorite venue in the entire DC area and the staff there and owners are great. My full band played the show with area locals Honor By August and Everyone But Pete. We were sandwiched right in the middle and the show was sold out by the time we went on stage around 10:30pm or so. The show featured my seven piece band including sax, cello, and even a rapper and it went over as flawlessly as I could ask for. The CD is going to available on various internet download places including iTunes, and CDBaby, and of course at all my shows.
[T] You’ve been performing a song titled ‘Untitled’. Really, no title? Or is this simply a modernist art submission to music on your part?
[JT] Well…ok…I don’t know. I get this question a lot. In the beginning it was honestly due to just the lack of being able to think of one. But the more I played the song the more I realized I don’t think a name really can fit that song. That song basically has three movements that basically range the entire spectrum love, emotional, and the whole conundrum that is “being in a relationship”. It starts out “I love you I think you’re amazing” to “get away from me, like far far away from me” to “hey…I think I miss you”. There’s no steadfast rule in any relationship and sometimes there’s no real exact way to explain how you feel. I think that “Untitled” really best fits the mood of the song…who’s never been in a relationship that you didn’t quite know how to title it?
[T] Tell us a little about the “Justin Trawick Live At IOTA” CD Release party.
[JT] I can tell you this…even my parents are coming to this show! I can’t wait…I think it’s going to be an amazing time and a really great way to kick off the new album. Making an album isn’t an easy endeavor, especially when you’re an independent musician. This is the final product of five months of zero sleep and a lot of coffee. I can’t wait to unwind with all my friends and family on Saturday and just have a great time.
For more details about the show see Justin’s MySpace profile or visit the IOTA web site. As mentioned, the album will be available at iTunes and CDbaby.
About the author: Washington, D.C. area creative by day. Music is my muse. I host Twangville’s weekly Readers‘ Pick.