CROOKED JADES. Go Boldly Where no old-time string band has gone before
We are still in afterglow of the world premiere of Bright Land at the Joyce Theater in New York.
It was gratifying beyond our wildest dreams to be greeted with passionate, receptive, intelligent and enthusiastic audiences that filled the house to the brim every single night. You humbled us with your dedication and keen observation and reminded us that these moments where we are all together are what the months of sweat and tears are for.
We hope you'll check out our photos in Bright Land photo gallery, plus hundreds hundreds more on Flickr and read quotes and reviews from the show. You can also download a Bright Land desktop wallpaper by clicking on to Kate Wear Company site www.kateweare.com/brightland.html .
BRIGHT LAND is a series of dances set to a score of old time music(traditional and original) played live by San Francisco-based band, The Crooked Jades, described as the finest string band in America by the Boston Herald. Bright Land explores the cyclical nature of human experiences - kinship, belief, suffering and transcendence - through piercing, powerful choreography and fiery, soulful live music. We chose to work with old time music because of its inherent power to pull audience into an intimate and shared live experience, speaking directly to the issues facing Americans throughout history and today. www.kateweare.com/brightland.html
We like both kinds of music;
Traditional Appalachian mountain music &
Vintage Ethnic Folk music from all over the world.
CROOKED JADES SONG IN NEW SEAN PENN FILM, INTO THE WILD
We are proud and excited to announce that Erik Pearson's original tune "Fork and File" from the 2006 Crooked Jades CD "World's on Fire" is part of the soundtrack for the amazing 2007 Sean Penn film "Into the Wild".
Penn's fourth filmmaking effort, "Into the Wild," is his most accomplished yet, a sign that for all the accolades labeling him the finest actor of his generation, directing could be his real calling.
Adapted by Penn from Jon Krakauer's best-seller, "Into the Wild" combines grand American vistas with the heartbreaking real-life story of a fierce young idealist whose two-year trek of abstinent adventure ended in tragedy in Alaska.
Christopher McCandless was a rebellious spirit who came from a fairly privileged background yet was drawn to the ascetic tenets set forth by such writers as Leo Tolstoy, Jack London and Henry David Thoreau. He set off on his quest with an aim to repudiate material society and live on his own terms.
Click here to read an article about the film
As they say in the trailer for the film, "If you want something in life, reach out and grab it."
www.intothewild.com
The Crooked Jades are on a mission to reinvent old-world music for a modern age, pushing boundaries and blurring categories with their fiery, soulful performances. Innovative, unpredictable and passionate, they bring their driving dance tunes and haunting ballads to rock clubs, festivals, traditional folk venues and concert halls across America and Europe.
Known for their rare and obscure repertoire, beautiful original compositions, inspired arrangements and eclectic, often vintage instrumentation, The Crooked Jades began with band leader/founder Jeff Kazor's vision to revive the dark and hypnotic sounds of pre-radio music. With this old-time foundation, the band has created the unique Crooked Jades sound by exploring the roots of Americana and interweaving the diverse musical influences of Europe and Africa. Filtering these old-world sounds with universal and ancient themes through a post-9/11 lens, they seek to make sense of the future.
A collective of West and East Coast pickers with equal parts attitude and respect, always led by Kazor, the band performs with a thrilling energy that has audiences on their feet dancing and critics comparing them to everyone from The New Lost City Ramblers and The Pogues to Nick Cave
The current lineup of the Crooked Jades is Jeff Kazor (vocals/guitar/ukulele), Lisa Berman (banjo/slide guitar/harmonium/vocals), Erik Pearson(fiddle/banjo/vocals), Charlie Rose (bass), and Rose Sinclair (banjo/minstrel banjo/slide guitar).
Adjunct members include Josh Rabie (fiddle/mandolin), Jennie Benford (mandolin/guitar) of Jim & Jennie & The Pinetops, Lisa Berman (slide/banjo) and Stephanie Prausnitz (fiddle) of The Stairwell Sisters, Megan Adie (bass), Tom Lucas (banjos), Erik Pearson (banjos, slide) and Adam Tanner (fiddle/mandolin).
The Crooked Jades have 6 critically-acclaimed CDs including the brand new "Shining Darkness" released end of July 2008.
Catalog:
Jade Note Music CJ008: "Shining Darkness" © 2008
Jade Note Music CJ206 "World's on Fire" © 2006
The Crooked Jades CJ904: "The Crooked Jades" (5 song EP) © 2004
Jade Note Music CJ004: "The Unfortunate Rake, Vol. 2: Yellow Mercury"(co-produced by Richard Buckner) © 2003
Jade Note Music CJ003: "The UnfortunateRake, Vol. 1" "(co-produced by Richard Buckner) © 2000
Jade Note Music CJ002: "Seven Sisters: A Kentucky Portrait" (soundtrack to PBS documentary) © 2000
US Booking, Management & Publicity: Jeff Kazor/415 341-5299jeffkazor@comcast.net
Europe Booking: Music Contact/Rainer Zellner/zellner@musiccontact.com
