Jammerzine has an exclusive interview with multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, Emmy® nominated film composer, and social influencer Joe George.
Joe George is someone I would consider the pioneering generation of multi faceted musicians and artists. In addition to being the face of Reverb’s Youtube channel, he is also the curator of Gentle Bear Studio, which now holds songwriter workshops in the Chicago area beginning October 1st (registration HERE).
But what we are here to talk about is his new album titled ‘Folk Cinema’ (original premiere/review HERE). This is one of those rare albums that inspired me as well as invigorate me musically and personally. And, while we talk about this in the interview as well as how each track stands on it’s own, there is a feeling you get while you listen that may let you realize that some music is meant to last a lifetime. What I’m saying is that ‘Folk Cinema’ is an album that could be released ten years from now, or ten years ago, and be just as relevant and fresh as you hear it now.
And, in this interview, we talk with George about what it takes, from inception to conception to release, musically and personally to make your music the best and most timeless it can be. Many lessons learned and things to be had, whether you are a musician or a music fan, in this conversation in the guise of an interview. Enjoy!
Check out our other features with Joe George HERE.
About ‘Folk Cinema’
‘Folk Cinema’ is a place where songs, stories, sounds, come together, rooted in folk, and expressed through a new lens, re-focused through a new projector, combining modernity and nostalgia. Sound and light come together to arrange the images of characters trying to understand themselves, failing at doing so, but embracing the mystery, the unknown, which ultimately, maybe, is what makes life grand. Discovering new questions, better questions, more fruitful ideas to meditate upon while patching up the broken pieces with gold.
These characters find themselves in simple places, a stone’s throw away from the people they care about the most. They discover that these resonant sentiments string through the hearts of their friends, their families. These experiences are whipped up in a gentle serving which could be described as “lullabies for adults” or a “a ballet of good dreams.”
The sounds of ‘Folk Cinema’ are acquainted and curious — as in, if we read about them, they are acquainted, and if we hear them, they are curious. Felted pianos, muted guitars, kalimbas, mallets, and fainting tape. a voice that sings, speaks, and breathes. variations of themes weave and loop. Texture becomes the ground from which the harmony grows. there are trumpets, there are bellows, there are autoharps, alpine dulcimers, and kotos. But more importantly, these are the sounds that have come together for this moment in time, to serve the story of ‘Folk Cinema’.
Foreword by Yusef Noir.
About Joe George
Joe George is a songwriter, Emmy® nominated film composer, and video host of music YouTube channel, Reverb.
After supporting his debut record, ‘Beautiful Dreams’, in the U.S, Europe, and Japan just before the pandemic, Joe began conceptualizing ‘Folk Cinema’ — a collection of songs rooted in folk, re-focused through a new lens, combining modernity and nostalgia.
Joe George’s songs encompass a range of colors, from folk and Americana, to cinematic and spacious. His tasteful use of string quartet on recordings adds a breath and emotion to his music. On ‘Folk Cinema’ – muted trumpet sections play a defining role in the story of the record.
Joe’s film compositions earned him an Emmy nomination for his work on the humanitarian-based documentary series, Seeing Brave. Joe composed the music for The Pedal Movie, an acclaimed feature-length documentary, which went to #1 on iTunes.
Joe’s work with Reverb has been featured in The New York Times, Consequence of Sound, Guitar Player Magazine, and People Magazine. And a number of the videos he has hosted/performed in have gone viral, earning him global notoriety amongst music and gear lovers.
Featured image by Cory Dewald.
LINKS:
https://linktr.ee/Joegeorge
https://www.facebook.com/joegeorgemusic/
https://www.instagram.com/joegeorgemusic/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPF-X44IqLyombiylKyC-8A
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BGqOkJgwHAl29AtANAFL2
