Jabarvy

I needed something different and found it. Jabarvy***** may be the biggest surprise find for me this year. Austin based, I caught
half of their 2 hour set at a non SXSW event that blew me away. I’m a sucker for talent and this 6 piece, literally had it all. Soulful sax, virtuoso guitar, funky bass and great songs. Their sound ranged from Dave Matthews jam to John Coltrane jazz. Their version of Stevie Wonders, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” with extended solo’s and screaming horns exemplified why they are listed in the Austin Chronicles top 10 bands for 2006 in the “other” category. I’ll be making a trip back to Austin to see Jabarvy again, soon!
- John Rucker

During the review process, music is picked, peeled and pitted with a zealous intensity like that of a first year med student dissecting his first cadaver.

Admittedly, we at LIVE! are also guilty of searching for too much rhyme and reason when basically all musical events can be described as “Great fun,” “Good fun,” or “Should have stayed home and watched TV.”

So, in the review of Jabarvy’s weekend performance at the Steel Penny Pub (2412 College Hills, San Angelo, Texas) we’ll get right to the point: Jabarvy is GREAT FUN! If you love music –all kinds, and that pre-mortal feeling of being energized by sound, you’ve gotta see them.

Now, let’s put these fruits in a can…

Jabarvy, which means “chosen family,” is a 6-member, Austin-based band. Of the 20 or so different musical genres today, their musical passport is stamped with jazz, blues, R&B, jam, experimental, funk and a hint of swing. And in songs like “Climbing to the Sparrow,” the band has successfully migrated into the folk realm.

“We sometimes have a hard time putting a label on our music,” said bass player, Ryan “The Sham” Jones. “I like to call it ‘intellectual.’”

When comparing Jabarvy to other groups (which is hardly fair to the artists, but we do it anyway), they’re almost a cross between Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and Dave Brubeck, but with more vocals. Well, maybe they are like Chicago a little, too. And to further complicate this freaky mix, lead singer/drummer Andy Harn has a voice reminiscent of Steve Windwood.

Another unfair comparison might be to Tower of Power, but not simply because Jabarvy has a hot horn section in the ‘M-squad’ It’s more of the effect that impulsive, high-energy music can have over a person. It’s almost like a Steven King novel: Suddenly a dumpy, 52 year-old, married journalist, begins stalking the immediate vicinity for someone who might possibly want to dance.

The guitar work is not front stage with this group although short lead solos happen. The nature of Jabarvy’s music makes for one very busy rhythm guitarist. Guitarists Jon Olson and Charlie Narayan take turns with both duties, lead and rhythm.

Both ‘M-squad’ members, Trumpet player and back-up vocalist Margaret Harn (Andy’s wife), and alto sax player, Meg Kemp are young and attractive. But caught in line at Dollar General, one could easily mistake them for a couple of common housewives. The dichotomy of two soccer moms and what they do with those horns is oddly sexy!

This band has generally flown under the radar of the public. Why? Partly because they haven’t been around that long and also because it’s a matter of exposure. They all still hold their day jobs and play an average of only one show a week. Some of the real hard-core road bands do five, or about 250 shows a year.

Last year, the Austin Chronicle gave the band a slot in their top ten of “None of the above” bands, while the ‘M-squad’ was singled out as a top ten horn section.

Last year, a review in INSight Magazine called Jabarvy, “unconventionally amazing.”

Beside just great music, there’s also a cohesiveness in the group like that of a well tuned marching band, which is no accident because they were once all members of their high school marching band in Lubbock. “Except Charlie, he was in the choir,” said Meg. “Charlie is the different one. We like to take our shoes off when we perform, but Charlie refuses… He also says he’s ‘almost married.’ Now how can a person be ‘almost married’.”

We at LIVE!, do understand that the number of deserving bands exceeds the number of record contracts waiting to be signed. Consequently, producers can often pick and choose groups that are not only ready for the charts but also ready for the public. You know, the promo shots, the t-shirts, the guest appearances on Leno.

Collectively, this is called “the look,” and admittedly, Jabarvy doesn’t quite have it. Andy Harn, who looks a little like Clark Kent, could use a dread-wig and a sun tan, while a few nose rings and braided goatees might go well with some of the other male members.

But in Jabarvy’s defense, they all still have their day jobs, where multiple, steel-studded body ordainment doesn’t coexist well with the service industry, where most of the group work when they are not playing.

Like Clark Kent, Harn stands 6-foot, 4-inches and writes most of their songs with the rest of the band pitching in. Often the lyrics are as much fun as the music.

My bed is too small for my legs and all
My feet always hang off the end
It’s not wide at all from the side to the wall
It can only fit one friend
It’s hard to lay down
Without bumping my crown
My pillow has hardly got room
And if I slide to the right
In the middle of the night
I crash on the floor with boom…

“I think at the time I wrote that I was reading too much Shel Silverstein,” said Harn.

Jabarvy’s first CD, self-titled and produced, came out last August and is available on iTunes.

The band completed a successful mini-tour recently, playing in Kansas, Colorado, New Orleans, Dallas, and Houston. Back home in Austin they’ve performed at Momo’s and Anton’s, but prefer a place a little out of the way, called Club 151. “It’s a bit removed from 6th street but the crowd there seems to appreciate us,” said Harn.

When LIVE! asked about upcoming projects, Ryan Jones quickly threw his hand in the air like Dirty-Ernie in that old grammar school joke. “We’re steeped in original music… sitting on maybe 50 songs,” he said.

With Jabarvy, it’s the classic chicken and egg story: They need to run wild but don’t have the time because they’re all working hard to earn enough money to…

Personally, I think the Austin Chronicle should yank one of their guys off 6th street and send them over to the outskirts. Jabarvy is deserving of the exposure. Get that? and maybe a sunlamp for Andy, then everyone can quit their day jobs, with good things to follow. - Mark Kneubuhl for San Angelo LIVE!

"Each musician brings his or her own dynamic to Jabarvy." - William Kerns

"Influenced from everything from bluegrass to hip-hop, Jabarvy guarantees a show like you have never seen before." - Study Breaks Magazine, Lubbock/ Texas Tech edition

"Like Spirit (thank you, Andes brothers and family), Jabarvy IS a band that lives up to the totem, "The family that plays together (stays together)" - and this band has ALREADY lasted longer than the original Spirit lineup (yes, that's the title of Spirit's second release - and one of my favorite records of all time). After only one exposure, I am hooked, and I could listen to the band's debut record for a long, long time!

What's more - Jabarvy is from LUBBOCK -- and we are talking junior high daze and playing together for many, many years. The band threw quite a party at The Parish on Thursday to celebrate the release of their brand-new CD "Jabarvy" -- but their REAL CD release party was back in Lubbock last Sunday, where the band unveiled their T-shirts and tank-tops for the first time ... designed by the "M-Squad," a.k.a. the band's two-woman horn section, Margaret (Whitt) Harn (her NEW last name!) on trumpet and Meg Kemp on alto sax. As Jabarvy sez, "There's something about that dirt there in Lubbock that creates good musicians and great music."

Jabarvy has been playing around Austin for a while now - they were, after all, voted one of the city's top ten jam bands in 2005 - and the band has switched out personnel over the years. For example, singer Andy Harn used to front the band playing acoustic guitar, but now he rides herd from his drum kit. Ryan "Sham" Jones (the guy with the goatee) is the bassist, and lead guitar licks are shared by Charlie Narayan and Jon Olson.

The band's press kit tells us that "jabarvy" means "celebration of the spirit" OR "barefoot ceremony," while their myspace page says the name means "chosen family." Indeed Jabarvy reminds me of Spirit in its eclectic approach to music and song lyrics as well. I could only stay for part of the gig, but Meg and Margaret make for one of Austin's official top 10 horn sections (some would say a "perfect 10" horn section), and the band really has FUN on stage. Influences range from Beethoven (Ludwig, not the dog) to Bela Fleck to Herbie Hancock and Dave Brubeck and Chick Corea to the Allman Brothers, Pearl Jam and Steely Dan - and, yes, Snoop Dogg!

SONGS! (all lyrics by Andy Harn) -- but let's start with the powerful instrumentals -- 'Shamstrumental' by Sham, of course, 'Nice Young Lady Leaving for the North Country' by Olson, and the 'Outro Jam," which does have some lyrics ..."A dream for you, the catch of a perfect breeze .... a lesson that lesser tomorrows teach ... teach me the way."

Lady opens with a beautiful trumpet solo that gives way after a minute or so to a tantalizing guitar solo (also quiet); then the pace picks up, and the guitar gets sultrier and the cymbals overlay the melody; next comes the saxophone joining the fray, and the dance begins ... and the pace quickens again, and all of a sudden we are into full tilt boogie driven by a screaming sax. Shamstrumental sounds like something out of The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus -- except with a horn section.

'Sweetness in the Sunshine' is alt-country, and 'Legs, Feet, Sheets' is Andy's (he's a tall dude) lament that "I wish my bed had thought ahead and grown to be six foot-four." 'Way To Be' is folky ... "There's a place that's greener than you know, then you know that you're green, too." This is one of several duets with Andy and Margaret ... this song too shows the band's soft side.

'Syzygy' is a fast jazz shuffle and funky love song, while 'Marcia Martian' is a West Texas ode to looking up at the sky and daydreaming while hanging with one's best pals -- and spacing out, feeling that "we need more love down here" that maybe a spacewoman might supply.

'Through the Garden' is a richly textured song (has a rhumba feel) that again comes from spending time in nature - "Ever taller than the falling rain, between the weather and the wind, the sound of a thunder cloud is my passion; Gently waying on the frail breeze among the seed and the bone, the garden and living earth is my passion." The horns are hot hot hot here -- but so is the sassy guitar work.

'Climb to the Sparrows' is a wine song (and a love song of sorts) and a duet with Andy and Margaret -- but this song is notable even moreso for a guitar solo that would fit right in on an Allman Brothers (or Spirit!) live set ...

You can listen to lots of Jabarvy songs on their website (www.jabarvy.com) ... but I recommend that you waste no time in catching their live shows, which include various dates at the Troubadour Saloon and Momo's."

-Duggan Flanakin, Flanfire '06

- Duggan Flanakin

"This Austin-based six piece band sounds much larger than it is. With the saxophone taking the spot usually designated for the guitar, these guys are unconventionally amazing. Definitely jam-band material.
The beat is laid down by lead-singer/drummer Andy Harn, and the co-lead singer, Margaret Harn, is also on trumpets. The band is rounded off by Ryan Jones in bass, Meg Kemp on saxophone, Jon Olson on guitars, and Charlie Narayan on electric guitar.
I was lucky enough to check Jabarvy out for the first time at their CD release party August 10, 2006 at the Parish. I also happened to wander by them playing at the Troubadour Saloon on August 17.
The first thing I noticed was the tight groove the band laid down live. They were able to carry that feel over to their debut CD. Andy Harn has a very interesting skew on life and his lyrics are a testament to that. Like on the first song, "Legs, Feets, Sheets." Never did I think I'd jam to a song about a bed too small. The same for "Marcia Martian," a song about meeting an alien who can deliver love to all. "Now, Marcia's never been here before/ but for everything there's a first time."
There are a couple of instrumentals that sound great as well. These guys are on to something, and I can just hope many more people discover the sweet groove of Jabarvy.
To compare them to Austin's Grupo Fantasma is a little bit of a stretch, but they've got that wonderful musicianship and dedication to lyrical content that I found in Fantasma when I first discovered them a few years back. So, I highly recommend their self-titled debut (it can be found in Waterloo Records in Austin) and heading out to one of their shows. They are actaull in Austin four times in October, check out their site www.jabarvy.com/ for dates. If you're one of the million on 6th Street on Halloween, wander into the Troubadour, grab a beverage and sample them. You'll be back.

CD Review - (A) - Sean Claes, editor

Just heard about this band from my home state from a friend. As far as I know you can only get it on iTunes but its well worth the download! They have a very new sound, sort of a mix of traditional rock, texas rock, alternative and ska. The leads are a male and female vocalist whose voices make an interesting, almost harmonious mix. Trumpets, sax, piano, and drums compliment, but don't overpower, the guitars and voices for a surprising twist. They also avoid falling into the trap of having a "signature" style--from an instrumental piece to a youthful, almost punky "marcia marcian" to a country-twinged "sweetness in the sunshine." They are quickly becoming one of my favorite albums to play on the way to work when I need a little pick-me-up. I would highly recommend downloading this one as fast as your internet connection will let you!
- Andi, Lubbock, TX

On August 2, 2004, Jabarvy performed live on Austin's FOX7 Morning Show promoting Moonfruit Productions 'Jerry Garcia's Birthday Bash.' After playing two 'teasers', Jabarvy performed their hit original song, "Marcia Martian", on air.

On August 1, 2006, Jabarvy again performed live on Austin's FOX7 Morning Show promoting the release of their self-titled debut album. After playing two 'teasers', Jabarvy performed "Legs, Feets, Sheets" and encore "Syzygy" in full on air. - FOX7 in Austin, TX

Jabarvy performed three songs for Ray Wylie Hubbard on his Roots and Branches radio program on August 3, 2004. - 92.1 KNBT FM Gruene/ New Braufels, TX

Jabarvy was voted into the top ten Best Jam Bands in the '04-'05 Austin Chronicle Music Poll by Austin music lovers, then scored a slot in the top ten Best Hip Hop acts in '05-'06 with the illustrious M-Squad ranking in the top ten Best Horn sections. In '06-'07 Jabarvy was listed in the top ten Best None of the Above bands and M-Squad once again made a showing in the Best Horn Sections. - Austin Chronicle