Jay Jacobson

An eloquent tenor voice, expressive songcraft and melodies floating on lush waves of sparkling electronica: "Emotional Trip-Hop" is the term that singer/songwriter Jay Jacobson expresses to describe his new CD, Ready. Within this suite of songs beats a cohesive heart. "This CD is about allowing for all of the human experiences," confirms Jay, as his song "Beautiful Thing," echoes. "Moment by moment life passes somehow/The future and past are always right now."
To create a vivid aural palette for these songs, Jay enlisted the assistance of producer/musician/engineer Barrett Yeretsian. Together, the two envisioned luminous arrangements and inventive pairings of digital and acoustic instruments. Contrasting with the modern, layered sound, two songs , "Open Your Eyes," and "Silence in My Head," feature Jay's vocals accompanied by guitar and piano respectively, an open emotional breathing space in perfect counterpoint to the CD's orchestrations.
A Philadelphia native and a multi-disciplinary performer, Jay is an established character actor in Los Angeles and a skilled improvisational performer who recently directed his first short film. Now, he is creating a one-man show based around his songs. Infinite Man, his recorded debut, introduced him to a coterie of worldwide fans who are now ready for Ready. "I'd love it if people listened to the CD and felt validated about who they are: That they realize who they are and however they feel is OK. I always think my songs are emotional, but recently someone heard the new tracks and described it as 'An uplifting CD.' I love that."
Among the themes Jay explores a cautionary tale about the ecology titled "As We Rise," "I recently traveled to Costa Rica. I was in the most diverse eco-system on earth with toucans, snakes, monkeys and butterflies. I asked about jaguars attacking people and the guide explained that they don't, because there's enough food in the jungle. It made me realize how out of balance we are."
A symmetry of light and shadow underscores Jay's songs, and he often pairs upbeat danceable grooves with reflective lyrics -- an apt metaphor that is a through line in his writing. "As you live, you have to let go of your preconceived notions about the way life is going to be – take what's there and try to get to the next place. I'm excited about the possibilities. For me, this music reflects that."
- Dan Kimpel