10 QUESTIONS: Jaden Carlson
Colorado’s youngest guitarist details a life in music
By Eric Frank and Jaden Carlson
1. When did you first pick up a guitar?
I first picked up a guitar when I was five and a half years old. I was at a Michael Franti concert, (Copper’s Sunsation Fest, April of 2007) and I looked up at the stage and told my mom that that was what I wanted to do. We went to the guitar shop the next week and bought a guitar. I started taking lessons a few days later. I still have the same teacher, Andrew Schiller. The Michael Franti and Spearhead concert changed my life as I knew it. After five years of taking lessons, I decided that I wanted to learn intense music theory and jazz. Jazz had interested me for months and I wanted to delve into the make-up of music. Theory has then since been my favorite subject.
2. How did you connect with the other musicians in your band(s)?
I met most of my music friends through the funny way that I go up and introduce myself to people. I met Jubal at the PI (Pioneer Inn, Nederland) Blues Jam. He looked nice, so I went up and introduced myself to him. We played together that night and before we left, I asked him if he wanted to play with me. He was reluctant to say yes, but he looked at a few of my videos and liked it. We’ve been playing together ever since.
I met Jonny Jyemo at Garrett Sayers’s house when we were rehearsing for the new album. I was stumbling down the stairs when I saw him on the couch, and I managed to trip on something. After I got up, I went and said hi. I saw him play with Garrett’s trio (the GS3) at the Highland Tap and Burger. Jubal had played with Jonny quite a bit in the past and asked him if he would like to be the drummer in our band. He liked the project, and joined.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing drummer/percussionist and friend with us. I met my other drummer Will Trask when I opened for Michael Franti and Spearhead at the 1stBank Center three years ago. He was drum teching for The Motet, and we met that night. He is a great, fun friend with awesome music knowledge and always has great ideas for our ‘band outings’ (we go out at least once a week to see music together). He is a really fun drummer.
I met my other bassist, Dave “Pump” Solzberg, through one of my drummers and the former percussionist of The Motet, Scott Messersmith. We were playing at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins for KRFC’s 2nd Annual Birthday Bash and we needed a bassist. Scott called Dave, and I liked him right off the bat. He currently plays with the Fox Street AllStars and a bunch of other projects.
I met Garrett Sayers through Scott Messersmith, too. He was called to play with me at the FirstBank Center. We had Garrett play on my newest album, and he produced it, too. He now has his own project, the Garrett Sayers Trio (they’re one of my favorites).
I met Fleeb Keith Thomas on Facebook. Or rather, in the greenroom of Cervantes’ Other Side. He was nice and silly, and I saw him at Tori Pater’s jam at the HiPac in the Highlands in Denver. We called him for some shows such as Desert Rocks and State Bridge. He is a fun guy, but the most fun thing about him is his name — “FLEEEEEEB!!!”
3. How do you go about writing your songs?
I usually start out with the music, first. But words are an odd thing, though. They come at odd times, and I can’t write them without my guitar in my hands. It’s kind of weird.
4. What do you hope to achieve in music?
Hmmm, a hard question. I don’t exactly want mind-blistering fame at the age of twelve, but I still want to play Red Rocks (who doesn’t?). I want to have a good level of recognition. Yes, I do want to have the band be very successful.
5. What are your favorite towns and venues to play?
I like to play in Denver, Telluride, Steamboat [Springs], Fort Collins. I love to play at The Ogden in Denver, and The Aggie and Lincoln Center in Fort Collins.
6. You've sat in with some amazing artists, on both local and national levels. Name a few of them and recount your favorite story.
Eeep, another hard one. I would say that some of my favorite sit-ins have been the Garrett Sayers Trio, Euforquestra, Groundation, DAYUM! [which features Garrett Sayers, Joey Porter, Mark Donovan, Jeremy Salkin], the Thurston Group, Atomga, Fox Street All-Stars, Paa Kow’s By All Means Band, and countless others. I cannot pick a favorite because they were all entirely too much fun!
7. What is your favorite road-story so far?
Ok, I have two of them. It was a hot and sunny day on highway I-70. Me, Will and Fleeb were all traveling to Green River, Utah for Desert Rocks (in separate cars.). We arrived to a sand storm. Tents flew sky-high followed by unfortunate hats, scarves and whatever else that wasn’t anchored down.
We checked-in to the festival and then drove to find a camping spot. People half walked, half flew around to stages and food wagons. The wind began to die down that night. Octopus Nebula (a Denver band) was hitting the late-night slot, but I had to sleep for my show the day after. I woke up the next morning to a mostly clear day. A few hours later, I met up with Fleeb and Will by the stage. After a session of chasing Will quite rabidly with a fair-sized squirt gun, we prepared for the show. The wind began to pick up again. We got on stage. There was not one piece of equipment that was not covered with sand. We all wore bandannas over our faces to keep out the sand and dust. We played to a dust storm that almost carried us away. We went down to the river that day with the Nebula crew and jumped in before heading back.
My second story was from State Bridge. I had the same band. We got to the venue. I remember looking around in awe at the stage, the venue, the scenery and everything around. I walked up to the stage and saw the most awesome amp ever sitting stage right. It was a ’54 Fender Twin Reverb original model. I walked on stage and went up to the amp. I reached down to see something and heard, “Not so fast!” from behind me. It was the stage manager and tech, Evan Atkinson. We sat down and talked about the amp. It turned out that it was Little Feat’s original amp and that I was going to get to play through it.
Evan liked the band right away once we sound-checked. At one point during soundcheck, I went up to the amp and looked at it quizzically. I turned a knob and cocked my head. Then I went to my pedal and turned it on. I went back to the amp. Evan came running up and said, “What’s wrong? Do you need me to fix something?”
“No,” I said. “Look.” I put my guitar to the amp and made the feedback shriek.
I followed the amp’s shrill with a solo. Evan smiled and backed away. “Ok...” he said. Will was setting up his drum set, laughing his head off. Fleeb arrived soon after. We had the best gig yet despite the thunderstorm that almost took our set away.
8. How has your music progressed over the years, and where do you see it going?
My music has progressed to be more mature, complex and rhythmically different. My lyrics have been more grown up and less young. I’ve got a band, and we hope to be touring this summer.
9. What bands/artists have influenced and inspired you?
Bands and artists that have influenced me include Tedeschi Trucks Band, Snarky Puppy, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Carlos Santana (though I have never really listened to him), Trevor Hall, Michael Franti, Garrett Sayers Trio, Eric Clapton, U2, The Beatles and many more.
10. How does gigging out at such a young age affect the rest of your life?
Gigging out at such a young age positively and negatively affects the rest of my life. Positively, I get to meet the most amazing people, artists and musicians and, since I can see the bad choices people are making, I can see how I never want to behave! Also, the experience of touring and playing out live is really fun and exciting.
Negatively, since I have a lot to do in the daytime and I stay up late, it cuts my sleep levels shorter. I get naps when I can. I really love what I'm doing!