The Jack Lords Orchestra
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Music
Press
Man! Where the hell did these guys come from? I haven't seen anything this fresh and outside the rock box for quite some time... the Jack Lords are a unique Hawaiin-tinged rock group that uses many traditional flavored instruments... to blast out their special brand of James Bond meets the Fifth Dimension pop... this nine-piece band weaves some groovy and harmony-laden melodies that had me playing close attention...
I particularly loved the way they interacted with each other. You could tell they were having fun and weren't posing. From the Beatelesque groove of "To the Stars" to the Coldplay vibe of "High Winds" this band was totally vital and played as if there were 2,000 screaming kids in the room. - The Aquarian - John Pfeiffer
The Jack Lords' ukulele-powered pop with sweet boy-girl vocals is
seriously mellow, highly textured, and bordering on atmospheric. The
Hawaiian instruments and touches add sparkle, but the New York City
group avoids the obvious and hokey Exotica direction and more often veers toward classic new wave. It would be uncool to liken them to another Hawaiian-flavored group, Poi Dog Pondering, so I'll cite
Camper Van Beethoven instead. The songs are equally fitting for a
luau or dinner party.
- Giant Robot
"Easy, joyful, harmonious, with ukuleles and big horns wrapped around unpretentious vocals, the Jack Lords rock us into the surf. I'm particularly fond of their almost symphonic use of the ukulele in their arrangements. Giddy and philosophical at once, they work a tight groove whatever the mood." - Mary J. Martin Schaefer
"Easy, joyful, harmonious, with ukuleles and big horns wrapped around unpretentious vocals, the Jack Lords rock us into the surf. I'm particularly fond of their almost symphonic use of the ukulele in their arrangements. Giddy and philosophical at once, they work a tight groove whatever the mood." - Mary J. Martin Schaefer
Discography
The Jack Lords (2007)
Photos
Bio
Taking the musical stylings of pop/rock and adding in the subtle, sweet twangs of the Hawaiian Islands, THE JACK LORDS ORCHESTRA sprang forth as a new force on the music scene in the summer of 2006. Since then, this dynamic group has played at venues across the New York region.
TJLO fuse a variety of individual musical backgrounds ranging from hard rock, hip-hop/R&B, ska, bossa nova, jazz, Polynesian and pop. Combining all these musical experiences with Hawaiian instrumentation (ukuleles and slide-guitar), poly-harmonious vocals, 80's new wave, and indie rock inspiration they tell stories of loss, love, and longing.
Influential to TJLO’s sound are: the islands of Hawaii, the Philippines, and Polynesia; Jack Lord; Jack Daniels; Jack Kerouac; Jack Palance; The Mamas and The Papas; Hank Williams; The Velvet Underground; Gabby Pahinui; The Association; The Go-Go's; ELO; Os Mutantes; Talking Heads; Burt Bacharach; Queen; Men At Work; The Fifth Dimension; The Beatles; Hall & Oates; Jake Shimabukuro; The Beach Boys; and Brother IZ.
Instrumental versions of songs are also available.
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