The 1 oz. Jig

Considering the fact that Jeff Kearney is in every band in Fayetteville (almost), it would appear as though selecting him as our next candidate for a Flyer Profile would be an easy choice.

The hard part is deciding which of his projects to talk about first.

Jeff Kearney moved to Fayetteville in 2005 from Harrison, but it seems like he’s been here forever. We first discovered him in the funkiest band in Fayetteville since Punkinhead, the Flipoff Pirates, and then noticed he was in the funkiest band since the Flipoff Pirates in 1 oz. Jig. After that, we realized he was the funkiest solo act we’d ever seen since, well, ever.

He is also the emcee of the twice-monthly Skinny Squinty Show at the Smoke and Barrel Tavern, a sort of singer-songwriter showcase that features guest artists often from differing genres. The Skinny Squinty show ultimately allows some of Fayetteville’s best musicians to collaborate and improvise in a one-of-a kind performance. Those who’ve seen it know what I’m talking about. Those who haven’t – where have you been?

We got in touch with Jeff, this time to talk about his solo stuff, and he was nice enough to answer some questions for us.

Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
Jeff Kearney: I have been collecting and listening to a lot of old vinyl records, anything I can get my hands on. I realized lately that I had become somewhat narrow minded about what music I was listening to. What I mean is, I just had this idea of what music I liked and I rarely let anything else in, so now I try to set aside a little while each day and listen to something I have never heard before, instead of listening to music I know I like already, and records are a good place to start. You really come across some stuff that you might otherwise never see. My four-year-old son has helped me to open my eyes to new things as well. We have been listening to a lot of The Chipmunks, and he’s big into Europe.

FF: We first head you with your work in the Flipoff Pirates. Are you guys still playing?
JK: The pirates are my family and we will always play together. We had a bit of a baby boom that slowed us down for a couple of years. The pirate family is growing and between the 5 of us we have 9 kids. Funk makes you fertile.

We have teamed up with Marlon Davis on drums (from Joseph Israel’s band), and are writing a crop of amazing new songs, playing new shows, and recording a new album (tentatively entitled “Chicken Coupe Deville”) coming out around the first of the year. Our sound has really matured over the years, and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of a band that has had the chance to be together long enough for that to happen. You can see us live at The Smoke and Barrel Tavern September 18 and Halloween night.

FF: What are some other bands that you’ve been in around town?
I was in a band called Segundo that was a lot of fun. We were featured on the first United We Jam DVD. I am currently in a funk outfit with some of Fayetteville’s heavy hitters called The 1 oz. Jig. The band features more of my original songs with some old funk songs from the 70's thrown in. It is a fun band to play in and I hope even more fun to see. We put the Funk in dysfunctional. Check us out.
I have also really enjoyed playing solo lately. It has been very refreshing to me to have that freedom playing alone gives you.

FF: If you ask us, the Fayetteville music scene is in a pretty good place right now. Would you agree?
JK: I do agree. I think it always has been. True, there was a lull for a while with the closing of Chester’s, but there was still great music being made. People just weren’t that into going to shows. I heard a lot of people complaining about how the scene was dead, but I never saw those people at any shows. Our music scene is all of our responsibility. There were a few musicians who soldiered through and kept it alive during those times, and I am glad to say that , today there are some very exciting things happening in town right now.

FF: What are some of the bands in Fayetteville right now that you enjoy?
JK: I have been trying to get out and see more bands lately but they get together and break up so fast it can be quite a chore. Opal Fly is one of my favorites. She is pure style. I’m glad to see Punkinhead is playin shows. The Matt Smith Group is a band that really pushes the limits. If you want to hear somethin fresh and alive go see them. The Pope Co. Bootleggers are great and some of the nicest fellows you would ever want to meet. I just saw a Radiohead tribute fronted by Jovan Arrellano that was outa sight. Tiffany Christopher is a soul machine born to make music. Candy Lee has a voice as sweet as sugar. The OneUps take me to the minus worlds and I can’t wait to hear Wade Ogle’s new record.

FF: Tell us about the Skinny Squinty show that you’ve performed at the Green Door, and more recently, at the Smoke and Barrel.
JK: Oh how I miss the Green Door. The Skinny Squinty Show is how I get to see people I want to see and still play myself. It started at the Green Door when Paul Boatright was doing a weekly gig there and every week he would have a different guest or two. He asked me to join him for one of his shows and I did. Later on he asked me to emcee once a month, and I really enjoyed it. Sadly, the Green Door closed down and that was the end of it, until The Smoke and Barrel Tavern opened. Evan and all the guys and gals at the S&B are super, so I asked them if I could use their bar twice a month to keep The Skinny Squinty Show alive. Oh yeah, Skinny Squinty was a moniker given to me by Jake Weeden of FOP one sunny morning.

FF: There’s a great letter to the editor that you wrote on your Myspace page about the development that has happened around Dickson St. recently, and in particular, how that has effected the music and culture down there. Do you still think we should electrocute the rich (those who complain about the volume of music on Dickson)?
JK: Certainly. I am sponsoring an initiative to get the cattle prods handed out very soon and again there will be peace in the valley. Seriously though, the rich and the poor need each other. We need their bread to pay our bills each month and they need their pristine lawns mowed, the oil changed in their gas guzzling SUVs, and their fancy clothing dry cleaned. I just wish that we could consolidate them and move them all to a quiet, cozy yet over extravagant compound on the outskirts of town.

FF: How much of your music is arranged, and how much of it is improvised?
JK: I am trying to move toward more arranged music right now. Of course improvisation is a necessary part of the music that I play. Without it songs can become stale and repetitive, especially if you are a band or entertainer who plays a lot of shows. But being a songwriter I don’t want to rely on it too much. A lot of times new songs will come from an improvised jam, but then you have to sit down and sort of whittle away the excess to find the heart of the tune. It is important to have a good balance of both.

FF: Are you excited about the new Greenhouse Grill?
JK: Yes, I don’t know if I am more exited about the music or the food, but I am sure both will be outstanding.

FF: What’s next for you?
JK: Recording. I am recording a solo album and a 1 oz. Jig album at Listen Lab in the next couple of months. Hopefully I will be done with those by New Year’s. The 1 oz. Jig is planning a month long southern tour in the spring. The Flipoff Pirates are also doing some studio work. Most of the rest of this year I will be spending in the recording studio. But the thing I am happy about most is the birth of my 2nd son. I’m livin the dream.

- Fayetteville Flyer

1 oz Jig photo: CourtesyFreaking Will Smith.

Thanks to that jerk, every time I heard the word “jig” between 1998 and 2007, my mind would immediately want to make a “getting jiggy” joke. Shortly after that, the “na na na na na na na” would begin creeping into the back of of my brain, and before I knew it, one of the dumbest songs ever recorded would run through my head for the rest of the day.

Thank God for Fayetteville’s The 1 oz. Jig. Now when I hear the word “jig,” I just want to dance one. Or go fishing. (It’s weird.)

They are one of the hardest working bands in town, made up of some of the most technically proficient, funky funkmasters assembled in Fayetteville since Punkinhead was causing uncontrollable dancing fits in town during the 80's and 90's.

On Saturday, Aug. 28 they’ll release their brand new self-titled CD at George’s with help from openers KABOOM!, a brand new drum and percussion ensemble in town.

We got in touch with Jeff Kearney from the band, and he was nice enough to catch us up on the latest with the band, and tell us a bit about the new record. He also provided some unsolicited onomatopoeia at the end of most of his answers, for maximum funkiness.

Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
The 1 oz. Jig: There is so much great music coming out of this town lately it has been hard to soak it all up. The Fayetteville music scene is in full swing right now, and if you want to hear something real than you needn’t look any farther than our home town. Just like the Fayetteville music scene in the late 80s early 90s, people will be talking about this era for years to come.

FF: Man, you guys are staples on our live music calendar, and that’s not counting all the other projects you’re involved in (awesome). How many shows do you play a year?
The 1 oz. Jig: The 1 oz. Jig plays around 100 shows a year, but we all play side projects to pay the bills. The show we are most exited about though is our CD release coming up at George’s Majestic Lounge this Saturday. Its gonna be the jam. (Ding a ding a ding a ding dong.)

FF: Let’s talk about this new record. Where did you guys record?
The 1 oz. Jig: We recorded at The Listen Lab with Dwight Chalmers. Dwight has been great about recording local artists, and the decision within our band was unanimous to record there. We all wanted to work with him, and he really came through on this record. Not only recording but producing as well.

FF: How many tracks?
The 1 oz. Jig: 9 tracks of down-home family fun. (Chicka chicka boom down.)

FF: Tell us a bit about your philosophy in the studio. How do you get the improvisational elements in your music to come through in your recordings?
The 1 oz. Jig: We wanted to have a live feel on the record, because we are a band that thrives of off spontanious improvisation, so we recorded every song live in two days and then spent a couple of months cleaning up the mess we had made. (Scratch scratch.)

FF: Anything you want people to know about the release party on Saturday?
The 1 oz. Jig: We would like to dedicate our show to Windy Austin. A pioneer of Fayetteville music, and a true performer who passed away recently. Also we are very happy to have Fayetteville’s newest Percussion ensemble KABOOOM!!! opening the show with a set of West African Music. It is going to be explosive. (Bang bang skeet skeet.)

FF: If folks can’t make it to the show, where can they get their hands on the new album?
The 1 oz. Jig: The next show, or Sound Warehouse is a good bet. We will be doing an in house performance there real soon.

FF: Here’s a question for you. When CDs go the way of the buffalo, what will bands call their album release parties? Download parties?
The 1 oz. Jig: Buffalo Parties. We are headed the other direction and are trying to get our cd pressed on some vinyl. There is something magic about records.

FF: What’s next for you guys? Any touring plans?
The 1 oz. Jig: The band has changed so much since we recorded this record. We have added Nathan Mcleod on Sax and Micheal Howland on trumpet, and Chad Safrick on drums, all who have brought great new elements to the band. Right after our CD release we our going to work on our 2nd album. We will be working with local technition Adam Putnam at Insomniac Studios recording The Brown Bag Album. Look for that in 2011. It will be a completely different sound. (La da da.)

- Fayetteville Flyer

Local group the 1 oz. Jig is teaming up with Louisiana-based Stiff Necked Fools this Friday, June 24 to draw out a big crowd of music lovers to George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville. Then on July 2, the Jig will head down to Shreveport, La., to play with the Fools on their home turf.

I asked Jeff Kearney of the Jig some questions about the show swap, his band and the Fools, making this an unofficial, semi-dual, double secret probation entry for MBotW (pronounced em-BOT-wah) or Musician/Band of the Week.

TFW: Give the readers a quick explanation of what a show swap is and why it’s an important thing for bands.
Jeff: A show swap is bands helping bands. It can be difficult for independent bands to break into new towns. Venues naturally want people in their clubs and the first thing they usually ask is ” Do you have a following here?” and unless you’re a smooth talker, that’s where the conversation ends.
So you find a band that does have a following, request to open for them and then return the favor in your own town. Of course, it is important you have a strong following in your own town. That way each band can get in front of a crowd and begin building a fan base without having to leave empty handed. I think it is a practical approach and a good thing for bands and venues.



Stiff Necked Fools
TFW: How did your respective groups hook up to do the show swap?
Jeff: Ryan Viser (trumpeter For Stiff Necked Fools) contacted me, and I was immediately impressed with what they were doing — I mean, “bayou reggae.” They are putting a new spin on the genre, and they didn’t look like your typical dreadlocked, big-bearded, super-blazed reggae band (see Ras Trent). They seemed different and that appealed to me. Also, I have always been certain the 1 oz. Jig’s “everyday people” style of funk would go over well the further south we went, and this gave us an opportunity to test that theory.

TFW: Who would win in a drinking contest, the 1 oz. Jig or the Stiff Necked Fools?
Jeff: That is a tough one. We may have to wait until the after party Friday night to find that out, but the Jig would be hard to beat. Some of us have been known to drink our weight through the course of a night. We are looking at a sponsorship from PBR to take us to the Summer Olympics in the drinking and fishing events.

TFW: The two groups seem to have pretty different music styles. Is that helpful in doing a show swap? Do you think you both appeal to the same audience, complimentary audiences or completely different audiences?
Jeff: Funk and reggae are fairly similar harmonically and melodically. Both are somewhat blues-based. It is the rhythm that separates them. I think they compliment each other very well.
Both forms of music gained polarity at around the same time historically, so it makes sense that they would appeal to the same demographic. Both our bands are very horn heavy as well. It was hard to refrain from using the word “horny” right there.

TFW: The zombie apocalypse has come, and I only have time to request once last song. What should I yell out for — before the undead overcome me — from Stiff Necked Fools and The 1 Oz Jig and why?
Jeff: The Song “Rampage” by the 1 oz. Jig would be perfect zombie-slaying music. The song is about hitting that point of frustration where you either turn into a giant werewolf, King Kong or a Godzilla-type creature and smash down skyscrapers, eat people whole and swat aircraft from the sky. It also has a reference to another old school video game from Sega Genesis called “Altered Beast” where you do fight undead zombies. The lyric goes “I’m goin’ shit ape/ like on rampage/ I’m flyin’ into a rage/ and now I’m an altered beast/ and I have been released.”
I’m not sure what SNF song I would request but, if there was ever a state that would survive a zombie apocalypse it would be Louisiana, depending on whose side the gators where on.

TFW: Has the Jig have covered an original Fools tune and vice-versa?
Jeff: We haven’t covered any of each others songs, but I bet it will not be unlikely to see members of each band sittin’ in with the other during the shows we play together. We speak the same language. MUSIC.
- The Free Weekly