The Jazz June

Last updated
The Jazz June
Origin Kutztown, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres Emo, indie rock, alternative rock
Years active
  • 1996–2003
  • 2014–present
Labels
MembersAndrew Low
Bryan Gassler
Daniel O'Neill
Justin Max
Past membersAdam Gerhart
Nathaniel Duncan
Tim Holland

The Jazz June is an American emo band from Kutztown, Pennsylvania. During their initial run during the 1990s and 2000s, Jazz June played shows with such underground bands as Built to Spill, Hot Rod Circuit, and Mineral. [1] In 2016, Rolling Stone placed the band's album The Medicine at number 33 on its list of the 40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time. [2]

Contents

History

The Jazz June was formed in 1996 by students attending Kutztown University, [3] with the intent of making "music with the same aggression as hardcore but with a more experimental spin on it." [4]

The group recorded its first full-length album They Love Those Who Make the Music in 1997. The album, as well as The Boom, the Motion, and the Music EP were recorded through Canadian record label Workshop Records. [5] In 1998, the band signed with Initial Records.

Following a tour with Hot Rod Circuit, Jazz June spent four days recording their following full-length, 2000's The Medicine, at Inner Ear Studios with producer J. Robbins. [4] [6] In 2002, Jazz June released Better Off Without Air, their follow-up to the The Medicine. Better Off Without Air would be a break from their previous sound, more influenced by bands on independent labels Dischord Records and Thrill Jockey. [4]

Jazz June disbanded in 2003, but reunited for benefit shows in 2006 to raise money for their former roadie, who had brain cancer. [7] The band released an outtakes-and-rarities compilation the following year. [8] In 2014, the group reformed and released new material on Topshelf Records, including their fifth studio album After the Earthquake. [1]

Name

The band's name is derived from a passage in the Gwendolyn Brooks poem "We Real Cool."

Members

Discography

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References

  1. 1 2 Karan, Tim (November 12, 2014). "The Jazz June Frontman Andrew Low On the Band's First Album In 12 Years". Diffuser . Archived from the original on January 14, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  2. ↑ Bayer, Jonah; Burgess, Aaron; Exposito, Suzy; Galil, Leor; Montgomery, James; Spanos, Brittany (March 1, 2016). "40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  3. ↑ The Jazz June biography at Allmusic
  4. 1 2 3 Blest, Paul (March 14, 2014). "The Possibilities Are Endless: An Oral History of the Jazz June". Vice . Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  5. ↑ Julien, Alexandre (March 22, 2011). "Workshop Records Interview". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on May 30, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  6. ↑ Morgan, Adam (October 22, 2014). "Interview: Andrew Low of the Jazz June". Surviving the Golden Age. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  7. ↑ "The Jazz June". Scene Point Blank. 2006. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  8. ↑ Review of The Scars to Prove It, PopMatters, January 21, 2008.


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