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An Interview with Jarrod Fowler

Boston sound artist Jarrod Fowler will be performing live on Rare Frequency on July 19, 2007. In his work, Jarrod—who is a percussionist by training—focuses closely on rhythm, but his approach, which is influenced by conceptual and minimal art, is analytical and often unconventional. His first CD, Translation As Rhythm was released on Brandon LaBelle’s Errant Bodies label in 2006. This interview with Jarrod was conducted by email during the week prior to the show.

Tell me a little bit about your background. Do you come from a musical background, as such? If not, how did you become interested in making music?

Well, I come from a family of musicians, both professional and not. My father was a drummer, and so I was exposed to drums and gained experience playing them when I was young. Next I participated in scholastic bands and eventually joined/formed groups of my own. After receiving some awards in high school, I attended the New School University’s Jazz program where I studied with Reggie Workman. However, while in NYC I was more engaged with hip-hop which led me to gain the acquaintance of certain “Soul-Aquarians” and folks like Scott Storch.

What sparked (and continues to inspire) your interest abstract music and sound art?

My interest in abstract music and sound art was initially inspired by John Coltrane’s/Rashied Ali’s record Interstellar Space. I was given a copy of the CD by my grandmother. I don’t think that either of us were prepared for its content! Simultaneously, I was listening to and making hip-hop music. I was mostly inspired by the minimalism of Detroit’s Jay Dee, and the simulation of Philly’s ?uestlove.  Oddly enough, it is their works that turned me towards John Cage, Fluxus, 2nd wave Minimalism and contemporary musics.

After moving to Boston in 2001, I was energized by the BSC and its members [and their friends!]. The works of the Boston crew led me to become engaged with (what some might call) late-modernity, specifically the works of Conceptualism. Here I became heavily inspired by early conceptualists like Kosuth, LeWitt, Huebler, Weiner and more. Next, Howie Stelzer introduced me to the work of JLIAT and Brandon LaBelle, two musicians that have inspired (and helped to produce) my recent and current works and projects.

My primary inspiration is the thought of rhythm and percussion, two seemingly boundless fields open to continual review.

You work a lot with natural objects in your work, how does your interest in biology and botany intersect with what you do as a percussionist?

As my primary focus is rhythm, my work as a horticulturist (my profession) keeps me continually engaged with the seasons, a broader measurement of time, and an other (the plant kingdom). Initially I was interested in the systems of field-guides, morphology, taxonomy and their translation. Now I seem to find myself more engaged with poetics.

Are there any artists, musicians, writers, who have particularly influenced/inspired what you do?

In addition to the names mentioned above (and their associates), I’m continually inspired by certain philosophers, thinkers, writers, artists and movements such as Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Duchamp, Warhol, Brian Eno, Kenneth Goldsmith and post-modernism in general.

What are some of the current and upcoming projects and/or releases?

My second CD titled “Percussion as percussion” will be published by UK’s Information As Material this September and will premiere at the NYC Art Book Fair. I also have a split cassette with Ophibre (out of Allston/Brighton) due out any day now.

—Susanna Bolle

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