By Garret Kigore
Jonathan Scales, 23-year-old steel drum virtuoso, speaks musically to the Asheville music scene through his unique approach to contemporary jazz fusion.
“My father was in the army so I moved around quite a bit my whole life,” Scales said. “I lived in California, Maryland and Kitzengen, Germany. I feel my worldly experiences definitely had some influence on my approach to music. At age 12 my family settled in Fayetteville, where I began playing saxophone for the school band in Ft. Bragg, this was the beginning of my musical journey.”
Scales has plenty to say musically. He has the ability and diversity to make connections and play with all types of musicians, according to Michael Libramento, multi-instrumentalist and guitarist for the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra.
“My exposure to music pretty much started from my dad,” Scales said. “My dad went to college for music, and was a multi-instrumentalist into jazz, gospel and classical music, so I got to hear plenty of stimulating music at a young age. My father then joined the army and did not get to follow his musical path.”
Scales started composing in Germany at age 13. He picked up percussion playing for the marching band at 71st High School in Fayetteville. Besides some brass instruments and percussion experience in high school, he has not had experience with any other instruments.
“I loved music and wanted it to be my life,” Scales said. “I moved to Boone in 2002 to attend school at Appalachian State University to study music composition and theory. A friend of mine told me to audition for a steel drum school band. I did not think too much of it, but did it anyway without any knowledge of the steel drums. I instantly fell in love with the instrument, and it felt very natural.”
The steel drums or steel pans are synonymous. The musical instrument originates from Trinidad and Tobago, the southern most Caribbean islands. Steel drums were invented in the 1940s, so the steel drum is a pretty new instrument, according to Scales.
“The Jonathan Scales Fourchestra band members are Jonathan Scales on the steel drums, Jeremy Downing on bass, Michael Libramento on guitar and bass, and Ryan Lassiter on drums,” Ryan Lassiter, recording major at Appalachian State University, and drummer for the fourchestra. “Obviously Jonathan’s name is out there, and he has a lot of amazing connections. I feel lucky to be involved with this band, and am excited for Jon. He is definitely going to go somewhere far with his music.”
Early on in Scales college career, he made connections with some of his biggest influences including Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, his biggest influence, and Jeff Sipe, according to Lassiter.
“My sophomore year of college, I got out of class in the music building conveniently next door to a venue,” Scales said. “I knew Bela Fleck and the Flecktones were playing, so I stopped in and asked if I could play steel drums during sound check, which they agreed. I guess they liked what I had to say musically, so I kept in touch with all of the Flecktones, and kind of started a relationship with them. One of the best bassists in my opinion, Victor Wooten, along with his four brothers, invited me to play with them anytime I was in Nashville, Tenn. I finally went and ended up playing with them a couple of times. It was an amazing feeling playing with the musicians that I looked up to for so long.”
Currently Scales is working on his second album at Collapsible Studios in West Asheville. It will feature his fourchestra along with many nationally known musicians sitting in on songs. Some of the famous sit-in musicians include drummer Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit, Trey Anastasio Band), bassist Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), bassist Felix Pastorious (son of legendary bassist Jaco Pastorious) and other secret surprise guests, according to Scales.
“Jonathan is the main songwriter for the band,” Lassiter said. “He is an amazing composer and leader who knows what he wants and is completely focused. He approaches music in a mathematical way, while not confining himself while still having a natural spirituality that music brings to us all.”
Scales is featured in a couple articles from Jazz Times. His music is a multi-genre unique blend of modern jazz, funk, world music and even bluegrass. Scales speaks eloquently through his instrument, and has a lot to say, according to Jazz Times.
“I got my degree in music composition, so I spent a lot of time thinking about what music actually is in theory,” Scales said. “To me music is just sound over time. When you think of music like that, it takes the human ego out of it. When you think of music like that then there is no difference between Coltrane, the Backstreet Boys or a bus driving by. At the most frivolous level, it is all just sound. Humans add our own emotions and feelings, and that is the only thing that separates music.”
Jonathan’s debut album, “One-Track Mind”, features 23 world-class musicians, including Joseph Wooten, Mike Holstein, Tim Collins and Andy Page, according to Forrest Dylan from Jazz Times.
“I’m currently on break so I can raise money and get the work done to have my new album out by February,” Scales said. “It is rumored that Jeff Coffin will also make an appearance on the new album, but there is a lot of undisclosed information.”
Scales is a gifted musician and a very talented songwriter. The sky is the limit with him, according to keyboardist Joseph Wooten.
“My move to Asheville a year ago is working in my favor,” Scales said. “I am a jazz fusion steel drum player, and no one is really doing what we do musically. I can grab a larger audience by doing something rare than I could in let’s say New York or Los Angeles. Also, if I did not move here, I might not have been able to play with the most naturally talented musician I have ever met, Michael Libramento.”
Scales, due to his new album, is not touring much with the fourchestra. They will play Dec. 4, at Flipside in Boone.
“I saw Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer perform a concert in 2004,” Scales said. “It was the most amazing performance I had ever witnessed. From that point on, I knew that I wanted to perform for the rest of my life.”
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