Left to right: Drummer Chaisaray Schenck, panist Jonathan Scales, and bassist Cody Wright.
Bringing a 21st century flare to steelpan, Jonathan Scales has built his band, the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, on the basis that whatever idea you can dream up can and should be a reality. Utilizing a wide variety of influences and genres, including Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, classical music, modern pop and film scores, Scales composes with a deft hand, searching for his unique sound, while maintaining a tight, power trio as his means for self-expression. Supported by guitarist-turned-bass player Cody Wright (who has only been playing bass for four years but you would never guess), and grooved-in drummer Chaisaray Schenck, the band creates a genre-bending, powerhouse sound meant to mystify, bewilder, and inspire all listeners.
The group is currently touring East Coast U.S. cities and playing shows abroad, with an upcoming concert in St. Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago on March 21. A complete list of tour dates can be found HERE.
PM spoke with Scales about his group, composing style, and opinions on his chosen instrument and craft:
1. When did you first decide you wanted to be a musician/composer for your chosen career?
I decided I wanted to be a composer as a career when I saw the re-make of Planet of the Apes where Danny Elfman did the score. I decided that I wanted to tour as a career when I saw Béla Fleck & Edgar Meyer perform at my school.
2. Was pan your first choice of an instrument, or did you start on something else? If so, what?
I started as a saxophone player in 6th grade. I got into drum line in high school and picked up pan in college to join the school’s steel band (Appalachian State University).
3. What made you choose pan as your primary instrument?
When I started pan in college, I instantly felt more comfortable than I did on the saxophone.
4. How did you go about starting the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra? What made you go with this particular format to highlight your compositions?
I started the band as a way to get my compositions out into the world. I wanted to choose musically like-minded people who had the facility to handle my demanding material but yet have their own voice. As far as the format, I have definitely written for full orchestra, wind ensembles, string quartets, solo piano, etc., but I like the idea of having my ensemble that I can compose for and travel with together as a band.
5. What musical genre would you most liken your music to? It’s okay to list multiple genres.
As controversial as it might seem to purists, I’m going to have to say jazz.
6. Given the well-known fact that you are a huge fan of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, what about their music speaks to you? What elements of his music would you say are the biggest influences to your own writing and playing style?
The thing about their music that speaks to me and is the biggest influence on my style is how they take technically complicated music and perform it in a way that most anybody can get into.
7. Who made your pans? Who tunes your pans?
My first set of pans (from my first 2 albums) that I use at home for practicing were made at Gills Pan Shop in Curepe, Trinidad. The double seconds I use now and have been using since 2010 were built by Keith Moone, who works with Mannette. I’m currently having a set built by Steve Lawrie. In recent history, Steve has been my main tuner, though I have worked with Glenn, Ciff, Rob, Emily, and Darren before…shout out to all those cats who have helped maintain my instrument over the years!
8. Since the group’s debut album in 2007, the band has enjoyed success both on the jazz charts and with fans both in the US and abroad. What do you feel is the biggest contributor to the group’s popularity?
Withstanding the test of time and working hard to release our work as top-quality as we can. This is an on-going thing and we’re still working on it.
9. The band has been known to perform live shows on the floor of venues surrounded by fans, rather than the typical concert set-up of being on a stage. How did that style come to be and is it a regular part of your shows or just something that was spawned from necessity on rare occasions?
To make a long story short, we once opened for this band called Orgone. They didn’t want to share equipment or make any space on the stage for us, (which is fine…no big deal…), so I decided to just set up in the middle of the floor, with the band members facing in towards each other and having the audience surround us. It made for a great experience for both the audience and us because it’s rare for the audience to experience bands in that way. Every now and then, we’ll bring the audience up on stage to give that experience to them.
10. Who are your biggest musical influences (other than Béla Fleck)? This can be pan players or non-players.
I’m all over the place. There’s no way anyone can make sense of it. Bach. Kanye. Russian jugglers. Chinese acrobats. Bjork. John Cage. The French soccer player Zidane. You said “musical” influences, but the influence of all these things comes out in my music.
11. Have you attended or performed in the Trinidad Panorama? If not, would you consider it? Is there a benefit from your standpoint for performing in that setting?
I have yet to attend or perform in Panorama. I will one day, but right now I’m really focused on my career. Every pan player should experience what it’s like to play in that setting and its significance to the art form.
12. Have you considered arranging for Panorama? Why or why not?
I have not considered it. It’s a whole ‘nother world, and I honestly don’t know if I’d be accepted! I’m kinda known for having a weird style when it comes to time signatures and things like that, so that might scare people away from wanting me to arrange. Hahaha…I know I could adapt, but at the same time, that is a different world. If it comes to me, we’ll cross that bridge when it gets here, but for now…I don’t know that I belong in the world of steel band arrangers. Much respect to the arrangers and I hope to play in someone’s band one of these days! Shout out to Liam Teague. Shout out to Duvone Stewart.
13. Over the years, you were able to have some pretty well-known players appear on your albums as guest artists. Those players include Victor Wooten, Howard Levy, and Jeff Coffin, among others. Are there plans to have Béla Fleck on a future album? What artists would you like to have appear in future albums?
I used to be obsessed with wanting to work with Béla. You can’t force these things. We’re on good terms, and it’ll happen when and if it’s supposed to happen! Until then I know that both Béla and I have our own work to do!
(Check out what he’s been up to here: www.belafleck.com.)
14. What achievements are you most proud of that the band has already accomplished?
I’m just happy that we’ve been on the scene for eight years and are able to make a living with this music thing. So as far as that goes, I’m already living the dream! I don’t think I can name individual things as the biggest accomplishments because everything that happens for us is just one building block of the big picture. I’m just happy to be here and know that I have to keep working to keep going.
15. What are your thoughts on the current state of pan, both in the U.S. and abroad? Does the opinion by some that the instrument is a novelty have any bearing on your work? Does it remain a strong presence when you perform, or does the fact that your music is so different allow the audience to forget about its past “island” status and see it as a legitimate instrument?
I don’t have any commentary on the current state of pan. I don’t feel like it’s my place. I feel like my place is to make the art that I make and by doing that if the instrument is seen by more people in a different light, then great! But that can’t be my mission. I’m definitely aware of people’s perceptions and definitely let people know about the roots of pan in Trinidad & Tobago. People are starting to “get” what I do, but of course there are some people who still have images of beach umbrellas and margaritas and it’s not their fault…we just have to take these things one step at a time.
16. Considering the high level of complexity of your pieces and the musical reliance on your own virtuoso capabilities, what amount of work did you put in to learning, improving and ultimately excelling at the steelpan?
I’m still working on this daily. By no means have I reached any level of mastery, but for a while I would spend ungodly amounts of time in the school’s panyard. I’m pretty sure I slept there a few times. These days, because times are busier, it’s really important for me to realize that music is a language; and because of this I do a lot of listening, absorbing, and thinking when I’m not at my instrument. This helps me a lot when it comes to improvising. As you mentioned, the Fourchestra’s repertoire can be complicated, so I definitely have to make sure that I upkeep all those hard things that I, for some reason, wrote!
17. In past albums, the band included a guitarist but no longer includes the instrument. Is that something you look to bring back to the group or are you happy with the current instrumentation?
I’m happy with the trio. It leaves a lot of space for the three of us to explore musically. We have guests come in here and there. We’ll see what happens in the future. We might actually be a 4-person “fourchestra” again one day, but there are no plans for that right now.
18. Have you considered having another steel panist appear on a Fourchestra album as a guest artist? If so, who would you most want to have record with you from the pan universe?
In a perfect world, I would just write all the music and have Victor Provost record and tour in my place…
19. We understand you will be releasing a DVD on April 1. Tell us about the upcoming DVD release. What is it called?
As the Fourchestra was on tour, heading to the Rex Theater in Pittsburgh, Pa., a last-minute decision was made to hire a camera crew to capture that evening’s performance. “Alive at Rex Theater” (DVD) features live video of the full show, insightful interviews from the band, and bonus material. Interviews were filmed in Asheville, N.C.
20. What do you hope to achieve with it?
I think it will help our fans to get to know the band a little more personally and gives a closer look at how we put our full selves into the music that we make.
21. When will it be available?
Available now on pre-order! Official release date is April 1st:
http://jsfstore.bandcamp.com/merch/alive-at-rex-theater-dvd-2
22. What are your current and future goals with the group?
Just to keep going as far as we can go, practically doing the same time we’ve been doing for the past eight years, but at a higher level.
23. What advice would you give current and future pan players about following a similar path as you have with the Fourchestra and composing music for a living?
Be yourself. Everything else comes after that.
For more information on the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, visit the website at: http://www.jonscales.com
The band performs the song, “Desert” for its upcoming DVD release, “Alive at Rex Theater,” filmed at the Rex Theater in Pittsburgh, Pa. on December 18, 2014. The DVD is directed by Louis Barr.
