SuperJazzClub - Quick Fire Questions
SuperJazzClub are multi-genre creatives; the six-member collective BiQo, Øbed, Seyyoh, Tano Jackson, Joey Turks and Ansah Live are artists, producers, DJs and filmmakers. Wordplay caught up with them following their their new EP Monochrome Radio - a fusion of dub, reggae, hip-hop and soul seamlessly executed in this beautifully crafted project.
Evolving a new wave to expand the music scene in their native country Ghana, their music reflects the eclectic range of their individual experiences. They are definitely talents to watch as they build momentum and expand creatively.
SuperJazzClub’s upcoming European tour includes London, performing at Colours Hoxton on October 10th. Click here to catch them on one of their super-charged live shows.
Photo Credits: David Nana Opoku Ansah
How did it all begin, forming the collective SuperJazzClub?
BiQo: SuperJazzClub began 6 years ago with our network of friends from school and the neighborhood. We are all making music on our own before coming together to create a community where we benefited from each others strengths and the balancing of our weaknesses. One thing that each of us had in common was our taste for good music and urge to be unconventional in our approach. That’s the genesis.
How would you describe your sound?
Joey Turks: Our sound is very eclectic, dynamic and unique. It reflects our diverse musical influences.
What does the creative process look like producing music for each member?
BiQo: Each member may have their own special approach. These approaches go from starting a drum loop and passing it over to the next person, singing a hook idea with some guitar chords or creating a whole demo in Logic Pro and dropping it in our vault. The list goes on.
What do you consider to be the biggest influence on your music?
Joey Turks: The biggest influence on my music is my life experiences; I personally like to fuse various elements from the music I grew up with, such as Black American gospel, Jazz, and R&B and hip-hop from the late 90s to early 2000s. I draw inspiration from the soulful and powerful vocals of gospel, the improvisational and complex nature of jazz, and the smooth, rhythmic vibes of R&B and hip-hop from that era.
What are some of the proudest moments to date for the band?
Seyyoh: One of the proudest moments for the collective was booking our first tour in 2023. That was a big milestone for all of us.
Do you have any advice for our readers who may be interested in being a musician?
Øbed: Find your voice as a person and let the music be a reflection of that.
Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
Ansah Live: Fred again.
Do you prefer live performances or studio sessions and why?
Seyyoh: Both have their charm, but live performances are special because we get to take the music we made in the studio and sometimes make a live reimagination of it directly in front of the audience. We connect with them in a way that we just can’t do over the internet or over them just listening through their headphones.
What’s the best concert you’ve been to and where was it?
Ansah Live: I saw Bon Iver in Tilburg, Netherlands last year. Best concert ever!
What would be your dream venue to perform and who would you like as a supporting act/line-up?
Tano Jackson: Wembley Arena. We’d have Stevie Wonder and OutKast on our line-up but of course they wouldn’t be supporting acts – we’d all be playing together. That would be a dream come true.
Other than being your talent, what does music mean to you?
Øbed: Music means freedom and expression of oneself. It’s the gift nobody can ever steal from you.
What have you got planned for the not so distant future?
Tano Jackson: Our first headline tour is in October and we’re performing in Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and London.
