B Side Recordings Presents: KASE+Klassik [Pre-show Interview w/ Copywrite Mag]
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KASE, an improvisationalist jazz trio consisting of Jamie Breiwick, John Christiensen and Jordan Lee, and Milwaukee musician, producer and instrumentalist, Klassik collaborated for a showcase that will be featured on B Side Recordings limited edition cassette tape release. Kase and Klassik sat down with us backstage to talk about the cultivation of their unique sound, the lineage of Black American music and even gave us some of their pre-show rituals.
/CW: How did you guys go from your day jobs, to being members of what some are calling an “acid-jazz trio”?
JC: Oh is that what people are calling it? Ha ha!
JL: Umm, I think the common thread with everybody is that we’ve all studied and been doing this our whole lives. I don’t think anyone in this room started beyond single digits right? For me it was like 7-8.
JB: : It was 10 for me.
JC: We’re tremendous music fans, very diverse wide record collections; jazz, blues, classic rock country. Music was just a part of the house growing up.
JB: I remember when almost every house had a piano in it. We had a piano, my parents didn’t even play.
Klassik: Haha! I concur
CW: I know this has been taped and it’s gonna be on B- Side Recordings Cassette Tape, how does it feel to be a part of something so unique? And how does it feel to be a part of a group of musicians who are also so unique?
JL: I like that we’ve been able to figure out how to turn our shows into albums. Like…this is an album from a year ago and tonight could be another album.
JC:I feel really SUPER grateful. Jamie and I were commenting on how we started this out with another DJ four or five years ago.
JB: Yeah we were just playing at a little corner dive bar… and we did that for a few years. Then Jordan entered the group and we’re so grateful to have him, he’s got a lot of like…entrepreneurial and that side of things, which I am terrible at,
JC: Yeah, we said if Jordan wasn’t in the group we would be doing this somewhere else.
JL: Yeah it’s just on a much grander scale, more fitting for this type of music. Cause this is in my family too, my dad was a musician, producer, event productions manager, etc. And like…us having our kids work at our events, that’s how I grew up. For me, this is just what I do, it’s what I did before 88.9, it’s what I’ll continue to do after 88.9. I just can’t stop producing fun things and events.
Klassik: I mean for someone like me who historically takes quite a long time on a particular body of work at one time, this is a nice welcoming change of pace. To be a part of something that is so effortless. To just kind of step in and get done with the performance and the next day you’re in the group chat like ‘uhh..I think we have an album out. Haha! So it’s definitely refreshing and I always like to place myself in different musical scenarios, it keeps you sharp. As a different type of musician, not just a good musician but an ADAPTIVE musician which I think is like, one of the strongest skills that you can have as a musician. Especially when you’re talking about jazz and improv, the ability to adapt and just be in the moment is important. Let the spirit move you and magic can happen.
KASE discusses how improv plays a role in all Black American music, especially jazz. Jordan Lee and John Christensen talk about practicing the art form and the uncertainty that comes with improvisational music.
/CW: How did you guys become an improv jazz group?
JB: We’ve always been, that’s how we started out. John and I were….I guess if you wanna put a term to it genre wise, we’re jazz musicians. And the key element in that type of music is improvisation.
JL: But that’s in every Black American music art form!
JC: Yes!
JL:[Klassik] freestyles his ass off! Great blues guitarists take huge solos and amazing traditional drumming has the whole ‘call and response’ element. Like all of the lineage of this is to be improvised, that’s the lineage of Black music. To say like, “hey what do you have to say? Okay cool, here’s what I have to say back to you.” So that’s all we do, we’re all practicing the art form.
JB: But that also comes from years upon years and decades of studying, transcribing, reading, learning and writing and listening. It’s not just out of the blue. It’s a lifelong pursuit.
JC: I think there’s an added element of ‘walking a tightrope’. It’s like okay this might not work? We’re about to do something and we don’t know how it's gonna be. And there’s nothing preconceived. So I do think that that’s different from other bands. Like some people have a form that they improvise on, we’re literally just like get up and go. When it works, it’s amazing.
/CW: So you have bass, trumpets, turntables, etc. Did you guys intentionally create an intersectional sound with your music? Or did it cultivate into that as you guys started working together?
JC: I think it was intentional. The merging of the acoustic instruments with the turntables and electronics was intentional.
JL: Yeah if my role doesn’t have the ability to bounce off of theirs then it’s just a straight line really. And that's not improv.
/CW: How would you guys describe your sound to someone who’s never heard of KASE?
JC: We use the word ‘soundscapes' a lot. I’ve had people tell us that our music takes them on a journey. Because it's not preconceived, it sort of morphs and changes, through the course of a song even. And so, like a landscape, it’s like looking at a landscape and watching the sun change,
The Milwaukee music scene is very diverse. From different genres to different voices and sound types, there’s a variety of art to choose from. KASE and Klassik are the personification of stepping outside the box, as a rapper/singer coming together with acid-jazz, the sound fusion creates an experience like no other. Klassik describes how the showcase was put together.
/CW: How did you guys end up having a showcase with Klassik?
Klassik; So, the cassette release for tonight is from our first gig together which was at the Stoughton Opera House right outside of Madison last June. And it was a long set, like two hours I think, and we had never played…you know, formally, with one another. And then one day it’s like ‘okay we have an album” and then it very quickly became ‘okay we should do something with this, let’s make this a show, let’s make this a thing. From the design of it to like, coinciding with Jamie’s book release as well, everything kinda just landed and made sense. So we got together, did what we thought was just us doing a gig and it turned into a record and the record turned into another gig which will probably turn into another record. It’s a really interesting and cool synergy that we have.
/CW: Any pre-show rituals?
JB: Kava!
JL: Uhh, actually yes!
JC: Yeah so our regular gig is usually at the St. Kate Arts Hotel and they have that bubbly champagne bar. So we know they always have good champagne, and when you’re a musician it’s pretty normal at the bars to get drinks on the house. So we’re like why don’t we get really good champagne if we can get drinks on the house. And now it’s just our thing.
Klassik: I drink tea! And um, I usually stretch but this suit is too tight! But those are normally my pre-show rituals, lot of water, honey and stretching and like…mild panic attacks that translate into art. That’s like…something that I wanna leave with the group and something that I carry before every performance. Being aware of that sensation, that nervous thing. You should feel that. And really nervousness is just misplaced excitement and like the more you feel that, take all of that and put it into your work. It’s worked every time! I feel like a bursting ball of energy right now so guess what I’m gonna be when I get onstage? A bursting ball of energy and I know we’re gonna be a bursting ball of energy tonight.
Eli $tones - “$ticks and $tones” ALBUM
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With consistency, grit, and a personal style that granted him a gradual rise to having a notable name in music following the drop of his Debut EP “Elsewhere” in 2016, Eli $tones has shown himself to be Milwaukee's Golden Child. He is not one to be left out of the conversation of great musical artists in Milwaukee’s current scene and he proves that with the drop of “$ticks and $tones.” This 11 track album speaks to $tones’ genius in his use of melody, lyrical transparency, and ear for instrumentation. The intro track “Came Along” is a moment of honesty for $tones. He gives subtleties of the heartbreaks, fallouts, and karmic lessons that lead him to being who he is today. In a “Behind the Song” lyric video that can be found on his youtube page, he gives a bit of BTS content and goes more into depth on the inspo for the writing of this song. “Everything I got” is a few tracks later but could unofficially be a continuation of “Came Along” as it provides a perspective that allows us to feel a bit more present in the moments that $tones may have been speaking on in track 1.
His lyricism shines through the more personal he gets; “You showin’ me that it's simple like when people do you foul, hit em’ back with a double-dribble…” Yet, immediately after the turmoil, and even before bracing himself to endure more of the pain that is to follow for the remainder of this album, Eli $tones stops and takes a moment to do what most do; he turns to his mother. “Mama” is a tear jerker. It is an ode that is carried by some simple strings and a sweet melody in $tones’ voice that stays consistent for the song’s entirety. If listening closely, his chosen cadence is similar to T-Pain's, that of which was briefly used on the chorus of Kanye Wests’ “Good Life”... but, like, sadder. He runs down a list of promises to, and appreciation for, his mother, whom he makes clear to be the one who fuels his passion and inspires the necessary sacrifices made while making his way through the grind (and how appropriate for Women's Month). Tell me how YOU feel about “ $ticks and $tones ” Milwaukee (And don't forget the Dolla Sign!).
/Naomi-Re’a for CW
What People Wear In Milwaukee - Promo Video [New /CW Sponsored series]
/Introducing my new series What People Wear In Milwaukee!
#WPWM celebrates the fashionable people of our city ! Each episode contains impromptu interviews with everyday people. I sit with them and have conversations about what they’re wearing. This series is here to support and bring light to the fashion of our community!
This project is in collaboration with CopyWrite Mag.
With CopyWrite Mag, I’ll be highlighting dope individuals at local events !
/Kyndal J for /CW
Ms. Mocha Presents: Emmitt James “Too Cold 2 Tour” Tour: Milwaukee
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Writers, Brand / Business Owners, Singers, Rappers, Poets, Teachers, Instrumentalists, Stylists, Fashion Models, Painters, Church Kids, Lovers, Stoners, and your Average Joes and Janes. This is the expected audience in attendance of an Emmit James tour, particularly a show like the one we saw this past weekend. Starting at the beginning of February when the flyer for the “Too Cold 2 Tour” Milwaukee date and lineup was dropped with those lovely words “Ms. Mocha presents: ...” and we read the names that followed, this show had been well anticipated. LA, where he had been living for several years now since his move from The Mil’, was hit first.
Immediately after, James took it to the Midwest where most of his touring will take place. At the midpoint of his tour run, we were eased with the drop of his cozy “Yarnigan” sweaters and a media parody, “EMJAY NEWS” mid-tour recap on instagram. On the night of the 19th in Milwaukee, Company Brewing had so many revered artists in the room who were ready to see this show, it was amazing. Truth be told, although people did come to see Emmit James, his superstar lineup is what we've been waiting to see in action altogether.
Even the Artists themselves like Nile, who said that there was a standard of professionalism that inspired him to keep on his toes that night, could not help but to acknowledge the weight of the other names on the bill. He is without a doubt one with many eyes on him in the Hip~Hop scene here and after he, following the classic spins of DJ Freakish Nerd, ignited the stage with singles from his latest drop Free Lunch, he gave us some insight on what's to come next.
N: I'm preparing for the Free Lunch Deluxe… ‘free lunch’ means so many different things to a kid from Milwaukee from the MPS lunches to someone with dreams and ambitions and goals. I just want to continue pushing the idea of ‘food for thought…’ That's what I want you to take away; your own experience. I want you to enjoy the Free Lunch experience over and over again. There's just a lot more to do. I'm not done.
As mentioned, R&B Singer / Songwriter and Producer B~Free brought the femininity, musicality, and technicality that Emmit James remembers to particularly include on his sets. From her unquestionable vocal talent to the live demonstration of her production skills (she produces her own shit), B~Free is a true artist and confirms so through her admiration for the outcome of the show itself.
BF: I think it is very well balanced… I've planned a lot of shows in my day and one of the things that I used to get aggravated about was piling up a whole bunch of people on the bill and not having a lot of care being put into who goes behind whom; ‘Do these acts match? Do their energies blend well with one another?’ I feel that the balance [here] is super super dope because Freakish Nerd has everything at his disposal to spin and then you get the hardcore Hip-Hop with Nile, and then I’m that transitional piece by taking a bit of that Soul and Hip-Hop edge that Nile has and bringin’ it in a bit more mellow and R&B. Then Em is the perfect culmination of all of that so I think that he did a really good job with being thoughtful with putting this lineup together and I’m thankful to be a part of it.
Album on the Way!
Lastly, After an already successful night, and a long time away from home, Emmit gives us Emmit; Hip~Hop, live instrumentation, witty innuendos, and a surprise performance from Fellow House of Renji member, Genesis Renji. As the music scene continues to climb the ladder to quality marketing, collaboration, and the element of performing, the standard for musical showcasing in Milwaukee is seen through productions like this.
/CW: I'm assuming that these are some of your favorite artists.. What as a fellow artist speaks to you?
EJ: Authenticity. People just being themselves. There's a lot of dope artists here, rappers, R&B singers, a bunch of dope people, so eventually as I come here more and more Imma try to put more people on the bill.
/CW: I noticed that your set especially had live instrumentation, other than B~Free. Does that speak to how you relate to them as an artist or was that just all natural?
EJ: Just natural. I always like to play with a band if I can. That's actually prefered. The last time we played here, I had a full band but if I'm being transparent, I paid a lot of people. So I was like let me shrink it and then that way I can pay the people on the bill a lot more… It's rare that I don't use a live instrument, I've done it on this tour in Chicago, but if I can have an instrument or an instrumentalist, I will… I played with a trumpet player a couple months ago and I was like ‘I don't know why I haven't been playing with a trumpet player..’ so I was just on facebook like ‘Yo does anybody know a trumpet player?’ and then people looked out and tagged people…
And there it is. Won’t He Do It! /Naomi-Re’a for CW
We are going "Clueless" w/ Milwaukee Film for Women's History Month
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CopyWrite is going “Clueless” as community sponsor for
Milwaukee Film’s screening of the movie for Women’s History Month!
It’s giving us fashion honey! It’s the nostalgia of the flip phone, mini skirt two pieces, and a whole lot of money to blow! Come enjoy classic, dress the part, see your /CW Fam indulge in the Clueless vibes, and have a few laughs with Milwaukee Film as they celebrate womanhood in every form.
FILM: Clueless
TIME: Saturday 3/5/22 at 4:00 PM
WHERE: Oriental Theatre, 2230 North Farwell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202
DESCRIPTION: At the height of popularity at her Beverly Hills high school, Cher has never known for things not to go her way. After successfully playing matchmaker with her unsuspecting teachers, she decides to extend her charity to the new girl in town but quickly learns how misguided she can be as if her live-in stepbrother couldn’t point it out enough.
HymnWho - “A Glorious Rise” EP
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Already 5 months post-release of his Album “Retroactive Phenomenon.”(If you haven't heard it yet, make it a thing), Milwaukee artist HymnWho enters 2022 with “A Glorious Rise.” His style and sonic approach is signature at this point and goes against the grain of what has been popularized as the Milwaukee sound with a mixture of rap verses, melodic choruses, and beats that give us a new feel with sound choices that range from 80’s rock and pop to hip-hop. Even so, HymnWho is not to be so easily defined. He shows off his charisma first on “Sadiq” with a smoove beat drop and the opening line “You gotta treat me like a gangsta it's just human nature…” and soon after, quoting Rick James’ most famous affirmation for himself a few bars later. You can feel the confidence spilling from HymnWho even as he begins to talk about some of his growing pains. “Dangerous Game” gets more intimate; here’s a song about the importance of self acceptance and the consequences of walking blindly from not knowing who it is (within ourselves) that we are really counting… Man, us 20 something's be goin’ through! After a few funky hard hitters, “Walk in My Glory” gives a powerful ending with a production that gradually gives a triumphant tone and a hook that makes you feel like you're glowing!
Tell me how YOU feel about “ A Glorious Rise ” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW
CAM WILL- Dance With Me [Video Submission]
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How do you do yo’ dance? Are you a “dance with every part of your body” dancer? Or are you a cute two stepper? Not too much movement, just a lil cute sway side to side?
Whichever type of dancer you are, CAM WILL’s newest single, “Dance With Me” will definitely have you doing some type of movement. The vibe is contagious, the beat is magnetizing and the video is fire! It’s giving what it was supposed to give. Not only was CAM WILL working the cam, you can tell he tapped into that smooth groove energy when he created this.
About 2 minutes into the song I was visualizing myself in the car cruising to the chorus, this should surely be added to the playlist that you make for those long car rides or a night out with the gang. Aside from the song, the videography on the video was amazing. The highlights of the 414, the edits and transitions from different parts of the city, came together so melodically.
If you’ve been looking for a new song to add to your catalog, look no further than Cam Will’s latest single. Check it out and let me know what y’all think!
/Pam from CW
