Jesse Jones
Luthier, Composer, and EZRA Bluegrass Fusion
Jesse Jones is an internationally renowned composer, winner of both the Guggenheim and Rome Prizes; I discovered another side to his music with the bluegrass-fusion group EZRA and we start the episode with that wonderful collaboration. We’re also highlighting Jacob Jolliff’s album of Jesse’s music including his recent mandolin concerto. You’ll hear about how Jesse started building instruments and how he expresses his love of bluegrass and folk traditions in his complex classical music. He’s received commissions from many leading ensembles and soloists, and he is currently a Professor of composition at Oberlin Convervatory. You’ll also hear some of Xak Bjerken’s performance of Variations on Oklahoma Rooster, which was commissioned as a companion piece to Brahms Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel. Jesse also spoke about his love for microtonality in a refreshingly personal way, and I was really moved to hear how his path in music changed completely and surprisingly after an accident.
You can watch the video on my YouTube or listen to the podcast, and I’ve also linked the transcript:
Jesse Jones Website Ezra Video Variations on Oklahoma Rooster
I’ve linked a few suggested episodes: Banjo player Adam Hurt, mandolinist Joe K. Walsh, instrument innovator, and improvisor, creator of the Bazantar, the late Mark Deutsch, Irish composer Karen Power, who uses nature recordings from some of the most remote places on earth, Jesse Stewart the Canadian composer, percussionist, visual artist, researcher and educator, and composer and pianist Michael Stephen Brown, among so many episodes since 2021.
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