Recently I had the opportunity to see Jon Muq in action at NYC’s iconic Joe’s Pub as well as talk to him about his leap from Uganda to living in Austin and the musical journey he is on. Jon’s relative lack of knowledge of Western genres and songs should be a limitation but actually it allows his songs to be simple yet still cut to the heart of the matter with no translation needed. I left both his show and our conversation anxious to see what he is doing next. With that said, let’s get to my interview with Jon.
Kurt Maitland
Jon – it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been listening to your music. I’ve heard that the song “We Are the World” inspired you to become a musician. I was wondering what music is inspiring you now? You’ve come from Uganda, you are living in Austin and you are touring and meeting other musicians. What has that journey been like for you?
Jon Muq
Music wise, it’s been really amazing since I didn’t grow up with too much structure. I’m still trying to find the kind of music that inspires me. I get inspiration through collaborations. Call a friend and talk to them, and they tell you about the story and why they wrote a song, and you learn from that, and create from that. So I go and listen to why musicians really write songs.
Kurt Maitland
So are you exploring genres or albums, or there are certain types of songs that attract you? Do you want a song that tells a story, or are you more attracted to a rhythm or a groove?
Jon Muq
I’m attracted to songs that are connected to a real story that exists in the moment. I like listening to those because I can relate to them and they don’t shift me to another person’s imagination.
Kurt Maitland
I watched and listened to your song “Flying Away from Home”. I remember watching the video and I have to admit that got a little misty as I’m thinking, “This song is not just about Jon as a musician”. This is Jon the person leaving his home and family to go someplace else and experience a whole new world. So now you’ve been traveling through that world for some time. Did any of those experiences influence the songs you are working on?
Jon Muq
Yeah, it really influenced me a lot because in Uganda, it’s almost 100 plus languages. And then I moved here where I had no choice, you just had to speak English. English that I didn’t really know so well. I started learning from the people I lived with, and it improved a lot, even with the way of thinking. I started what they call direct translation. So I translate from a local language to English and it kind of forms a different kind of art. And I translate that art and turn it into a song.
Kurt Maitland
Since English is your second language, were you doing your songs in one particular Ugandan language and then later translating it or transcribing it to English? Or did you start doing songs in an entirely new way because your English grew better over time?
Jon Muq
No, it was, like a natural thing. I never thought anything in English. Not even in a dream, yeah? So if I thought of the word, I’d be like, Okay, this is the way it should be said, Because in Uganda, there are some English words, but when you speak it in Uganda, it sounds opposite. So when I tried that, my friends were like, What the hell do you mean? So I was like, okay, I need to make it simple. If it says this, it needs to say this. And I’m still learning and working through that whole process.
Kurt Maitland
So how are your music discoveries influencing your song craft and your songwriting? Because now you have access to so much more music. How are the new things that are influencing you? Is it affecting how you write songs? Is it now “Hey, I want to put my song together this way. I want to change how the rhythm is. I want lo play the guitar differently to kind of go along with this new thing I’m doing.”?
Jon Muq
Yeah. It’s like, you listen to something, but sometimes it can all sound the same because you are seeing a structure to them. It’s not really random. So it helps me both positively and negatively. It can make me scared. I’m like “I don’t want to make things that sound the same. I want to take chances and make mistakes.” I like hearing mistakes in a song. Did you realize that album I put out, all the police sirens are not effects? The police car was passing by, but we left everything the way it was because that’s the environment I was in. That was in the moment.
Kurt Maitland
So it seems more like you’re almost like you’re doing it live. Normally, recorded in the studio, songs are pristine, clean, no mistakes, no outside sounds. You record live, you could have a heckler or somebody drops a fork. Those sounds are on there because that’s where you’re at and that’s what’s going on.
Jon Muq
Sometimes it sounds good, yeah? Unless, it’s “off time” and then they can move it too, and it becomes on time (laughs).
Kurt Maitland
You’ve said that you seek out songs but are there styles of music or particular artists that you want to learn more about? It’s almost like a big circle. You have blues, rock and jazz which were all influenced by African music. Same with gospel and even country. Now you’re here, and you get to listen to those things that were influenced by Africa but aren’t African. Are there things like you want to hear like James Brown or Sly and the Family Stone or are any artists that you kind of want to listen to just to learn about them or to see well, “Hey, what can I borrow?”
Jon Muq
Yeah, there are some people. The one is a band I discovered last year. It’s called Cymande. I just discovered it, and I was like, What the hell is this? It was so amazing that all the things they were playing were not by the rules, right? And there is beauty in that because they don’t repeat anything. It’s all just beautiful melodies. I’ve been much looking forward to listening to what they are doing and what they used to do. And there is Bill Withers. I just like his simplicity, And then there is a musician called Labi Siffre.
Kurt Maitland
I read something where someone was making a comparison between you and he. I remember one of his songs was sampled a lot in hip hop.
Jon Muq
I discovered him through Dan Auerbach when we were in the studio, and he was like, “John, your voice reminds me of someone.” So I covered one of Labi Siffre songs on the album called “Loving, Laughing and Lying”. So those are three people I always look forward to going and digging into. I do need blues songs recommendations, I’m still learning about Western music. I don’t really know anything. I’d never even heard of The Beatles. I didn’t know their song “Blackbird”. This guy came to where I lived in Austin and played it. And I was like, “Is that your song?” And he’s like, “No, it’s by the Beatles.” I’m like, “Who are the Beatles?” I didn’t hear them. Wow, these guys are so good! So, yeah, I’m still learning a lot.
Kurt Maitland
So during your time in the States, you’ve had a chance to work with amazing artists already. Are there any artists that you really want to work with in the future?
Jon Muq
I would love to work with Ed Sheeran. I think he has a story. He started building up slowly till he was discovered. And there is a woman called Natalia (Lafourcade). She sings Spanish, old stories and she’s so, so amazing. I don’t even know what she’s singing, but that’s part of the charm.
Photo credits: (Morgan Wommack (portrait), Kurt Maitland (live performance)
About the author: Paralegal by day - writer and podcaster by night. When does he sleep? Only the Shadow knows!