JAC EP by Jack Lion

Jack Lion’s members unearth the early ’00s interest in connections between jazz and electronic music and refashion it for this current era. Striking a balance between jazz composition, down-tempo break-beats, and hazy atmospherics they have made their mark as one of Iowa City’s headiest and most adventurous bands.

"After we stepped off stage at the Trumpet Blossom Cafe the room went dead silent as people were soaking in the music. We knew that we had to pursue this," says drummer Justin LeDuc of Jack Lion. "The three of us have played in bands for over a decade, but this is special. We have never received a response like this from our audiences. That show was like becoming who I'm supposed to be." The electronic, jazz-inspired music of Jack Lion had energized the crowd. "People were coming up to us afterwards and telling us that we should quit our jobs to play in this band, that we were the best band they had heard in Iowa City, that it was one of the best shows they had ever seen!" recalls trumpeter and producer Brian Lewis Smith. "This is it. This is our passion."

After the departure of their guitarist from the band Slip Silo, remaining members LeDuc and Smith, along with bassist/vocalist Drew Morton, limped along under the former name until they took a band trip to the West coast in October of 2013. On Halloween, the three musicians clambered into a cab driven by one of the more interesting people they had met. "The driver was a major character, " explains Morton. "He had us laughing in the first ten seconds of the ride. He was a great storyteller and took great joy in his work. We thought that someone who left such a remarkable impression in such a short time deserved to be emulated through our music. So we came up with a name inspired by his and hold him as a symbol of what we want to sound like: truly free. I would love to find him some day and show him our music!"

Drawing on their formal jazz training and years of experience in the Iowa City music scene, the band is crafting a sound that is primarily ambient/electronic but influenced by improvised music. "I like to sample things on the fly at shows" explains Smith. "This gives the audience something unique every night and creates an interesting challenge for us."

Jack Lion has already recorded a Daytrotter session and performed at the Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City. The band is set to release the JAC EP on July 22nd, 2014, followed by its first tour in the fall. "I've never been so energized by a musical project" LeDuc says, "There won't be another band with the chemistry, artistry, and vision like this."

Jack Lion’s members unearth the early ’00s interest in connections between jazz and electronic music and refashion it for this current era. Striking a balance between jazz composition, down-tempo break-beats, and hazy atmospherics they have made their mark as one of Iowa City’s headiest and most adventurous bands. Visit jacklionsound.com to learn more.

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