Blend Article in Columbus Alive

Locals Only: Liquid Crystal Project


Thursday, February 18, 2010 6:00 AM
By Chris DeVille

When: 9 p.m. Thursdays
Where: Barrio, Downtown
Web: myspace.com/theliquidcrystalproject

Ever since his 2002 breakthrough supplying the beat to Black Star's "Brown Skin Lady," jazz has been a cornerstone of J Rawls' hip-hop production style. But because his skills were limited to turntables and samplers, the Columbus DJ/producer wasn't able to realize his vision to his liking.

Then one day about four years ago, he witnessed Brandon "B-jazz" Scott playing piano at Brownstone on Main.
"Once I met him," Rawls said, "it just clicked."
The pair began to collaborate on a shared vision of "jazz-hop," a fusion Rawls described as "the hard drums and beats of hip-hop with the refined smoothness of jazz." They soon recruited a slew of Scott's jazz mates and adopted the name The Liquid Crystal Project.
Since then, the band - which these days includes drummer Rob Riley and saxophonist Eddie Bayard - has racked up a resume including two full-length albums and a pair of European tours with Ghostface Killah and Dilated Peoples.
After establishing an international presence, they've been turning their attention back home, where they hope a new weekly jazz night will help foster a scene they say has been flagging.
Before jazz hubs like Barrister Hall and The Dell shut down over the last decade, the city's greatest players used to frequently gather for free-spirited sessions where you never knew who might show up or sit in.
"It was darn near every night you could go just about anywhere and see it going down - real, live, cutthroat music," Scott said.
Liquid Crystal Project wants to cultivate that kind of environment with Blend Thursdays at Barrio, the new Thursday residency that begins tonight. Each week the band will collaborate with guest performers including R&B singer Talisha Holmes and emcee/poet/orator Speak Williams.
Making the Downtown tapas bar into this city's latest jazz hub is only one of the many projects Liquid Crystal has on its plate.
Rawls, who'll mostly sit out the Blend Thursdays, continues to do production work for other artists, and he's starting a monthly DJ night at Ravari Room with his crew the Usual Suspects. That begins with his birthday party on Feb. 27.

The band is also working on Bayard's next jazz album with "some pretty heavy cats," though they're not at liberty to say who just yet. And they're conceptualizing the third Liquid Crystal Project album, which they hope to release before the end of the year.
"We've started talking about it, hashing out some ideas, figuring out direction," Rawls said.
Further on the horizon, after conquering Europe's hip-hop circuit, they hope to schedule another tour of the continent's jazz clubs.
Basically, it's a busy time for the barons of jazz-hop.
"We're trying to take Columbus to the next level," Bayard said. "We're trying to brand the sound of jazz-hop."

Blend Article in The Other Paper

By Eric Lyttle
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 5:31 PM ESTJeff Mathes always wanted to establish a dinner-club atmosphere at one of his restaurants, with piano chords and smoky horns being accompanied by the sound of tinkling silverware on porcelain and ice-filled cocktail glasses.

But those 1950s-style jazz-club scenes are easier conceived than executed—especially, it seems, in Columbus, Ohio.
“In Columbus, it’s hard to blend food and nightlife,” said Mathes, owner of two Downtown eateries, Due Amici and Barrio Tapas & Lounge. “People don’t tend to eat late here. It’s usually eat, and then go out.”
“It’s been something I’ve always hoped to do, but it’s been hard to create that blend.”
Fortunately for Mathes, the four members of a hot, local band—the Liquid Crystal Project—dig the food at Barrio.
The Liquid Crystal Project formed in 2006 and began creating a unique mix of hip-hop and jazz. The resulting sound—which its members dubbed, logically enough, “jazz hop”—has garnered some attention. The band has already made two tours of Europe and, locally, headlined the Jazz Stage at last summer’s Comfest.
Consisting of deejay/producer J. Rawls, keyboard player Brandon “B-Jazz” Scott, drummer Rob Riley and saxophonist Eddie Bayard, the band recently was hired to perform at an after-hours Barrio event called Accent.
“I liked what they did,” said Mathes. “I thought it was really cool. I’d seen similar scenes in New York City, and wanted to try and get something regular going here.”
The feeling was mutual.
“First of all, we love their food,” said Donna Marbury, the band’s public relations person. “It’s this great Latin mix that’s really bold and in your face. We talked to Jeff, and he was looking for a bustling, jumping band that’s in your face. We thought it would be a great blend.”
Blend Thursdays, featuring the Liquid Crystal Project and guest artists, will take place from 9 p.m. to midnight Thursdays at Barrio Tapas & Lounge, 185 N. High St. 614-220-9141. No cover.
Thus, Barrio created Blend Thursdays, a sort of jazz night with the Liquid Crystal Project serving as a house band and inviting a number of guests to share the stage. It kicks off tonight with featured vocalists Tia Stewart and Talisha Holmes.
Other acts scheduled for subsequent Thursdays include Speak Williams (March 4); Hot Sax on a Platter, with Bayard and Steve Lomax (March 11); and a Talisha Holmes Birthday Celebration (March 18).
Blend Thursdays will take place on the first floor, with the band setting up in the front of the restaurant, by the window facing High Street. Some of the 30 to 40 tables will be moved around to create a little space in front of the band, should anyone feel like jumping up.
“I don’t think there’s a plan to turn it into a hip-hop dance party, but we’re not going to hate on anyone who feels like getting up and dancing a bit,” said Mathes.
The music, however, probably will lend itself more to what Marbury calls the “head-nod element.”
“It’s that hip-hop, head-nod sound,” she said. “But added in, there’s some serious jazz being played, too.”
http://theotherpaper.com/articles/2010/02/17/arts/doc4b7c5a109fe4d058606682.txt