Jack Phantom

Story

Henry Rollins once opined, "Where is Generation X's jazz?" Duly noted. Challenge accepted. And no, I didn't decide to do something funk or hip hop. I combined a lifelong passion for darker, soulful music with the beautiful simplicity of West Coast jazz. The original jazzers were heroin addicts and worked in bars where people got worked over with lead pipes if they crossed the wrong person. Cab Calloway's hit song was about a girl turned out after being hooked on opiates. Make jazz edgy again. The soundtrack of noir. The soundtrack of Burroughs. The soundtrack of two fingers of bourbon and looking out a window of an apartment in a sketchy part of town. It's also the heartbeat of some of the most glamorous venues in existence, the soundtrack to suits, expensive lounges. Bar tabs in the thousands, run up by guys who had more money than they knew what to do with.

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

Equipment

What is music to you? What does it give you?

I'm all about dressing well, getting quiet and sentimental. Gloomy. Blue notes are blue notes for a reason.

What is your music dream?

Some people want to be sponsored by equipment companies, I want to be sponsored by Brooks Brothers. Play gigs at art galleries. Play seldom, have a niche following who really digs what I do. Maybe be a clue on Jeopardy. Keep your stadiums.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

Myself.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

Breathe - Pink Floyd

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Dave Brubeck, Thelonious Monk, Stan Getz, Pink Floyd. Skinny Puppy. Covenant. Ghost. Debbie Harry.

What inspires you to make music?

The sounds I hear in my head aren't out there.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

I don't. Messages are for billboards.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Under pressure to give them the best time possible.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

It's a thankless business where nobody's paying but everyone wants money. Find a way to make it financially viable.

What do you think of Drooble?

So far all it is is "buy this from us! buy that!"

What frustrates you most as a musician?

People's inability to care about it, or fund it.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

I attend shows, support other arists.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

The lowest common denominator, a face full of tattoos, and several high-profile arrests.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

The Peanuts Gang Trio. The Young Trio. Yusef Lateef. 9 Lazy 9. Covenant.