Music is a powerful language. It connects with the body and mind and influences emotion and mood while communicating messages about all aspects of the human experience. Any musician who can harness this power has the potential to change the global consciousness. Working toward a common goal to experience physical and spiritual harmony, the three musicians in the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey strive each day to progress as both musicians and human beings in hopes that by hearing their music others will be equally inclined to improve themselves. This trio's approach to making music adds to the evolution of modern jazz.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey was founded ten years ago by keyboardist Brian Haas and bassist Reed Mathis. The size of the band evolved over the years until they became a jazz trio in 2001 with the addition of drummer and percussionist Jason “Jah” Smart. Home-based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the band has garnered acclaim in flagship publications such as DownBeat and JazzTimes as well as from fans and critics across North America. Most recently, the band released two live albums: “Symbiosis Osmosis” and “Slow Breath, Silent Mind” on Kufala Recordings, a label specializing in live releases. While “Symbiosis” encapsulates the trio's live electric sound, “Slow Breath” captures an acoustic style the trio is currently performing in traditional jazz rooms throughout the United States.

Haas, who has played piano since he was four years old, characterizes the band's acoustic sound as more relaxed than the electric sound. Tracks from “Slow Breath” such as Duke Ellington's “In a Sentimental Mood” and “Hover,” a Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey original, are evidence that this acoustic format encourages freedom to explore the subtlety of emotion. In “Hover,” Mathis' bass guitar sweetly soars over the seductive march of Haas on the piano and the massaging rhythm of Smart's brushes on the snare and high hat. A captivating composition, “Hover” is a fine example of the evocative mood that this trio can establish. Despite the presence of innovative compositions such as “Hover” in the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey catalog, improvisation is also an essential element of their music.

The trio approaches free improvisation as a fully integrated unit. According to Haas, the music they play is “99% not pre-determined. It's a real live conversation of organic, unscripted, intelligent [musical] dialogue between three people who know and respect each other. We're all good friends who worship our instruments. Whatever happens that night, happens that night. It's completely organic.”

The band attributes the success of their improvisational approach to their individual spiritual beliefs. Mathis shares that when they play together, “It allows us to journey for an indeterminate length of time. It is as natural and accidental as possible without trying to force anything to conclusion,” and is very clear that his performance “thrives on the moment.” Mathis takes a Zen approach to playing which allows him as a musician to have “a relaxed, spontaneous experience, at ease with the surroundings.” In this way, Mathis adds, “You can trust yourself, psyche and body, enough to let go. The greater degree to which you can do that, the greater the inspiration.”

For Haas, Mathis and Smart, meditation encourages spiritual and musical inspiration and exploration, and each incorporates some form of it into their lives. “Harmony is the best thing to meditate on,” Mathis explains. “I try to achieve harmony through breathing. Eastern traditions all talk about the importance of breathing. Visualize what you inhale, then visualize the waste leaving as you exhale. Inhale life, then exhale what has been used. You can visualize the life cycle.”

With a coupled musical and spiritual focus, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's approach to physical well being also inspires the band's music. Haas stresses the importance of nutrition and its connection to his physical, mental and musical well being. Years ago, Haas became determined to learn about healthy eating, in spite of a hectic tour schedule. At the time he was also working in a health food store and educated himself about nutrition. Now he eats mostly raw, live foods and organic, free-range meats. Haas believes, “We're better off eating what we're supposed to eat, what was put here, rather than chemicals or something processed that contains forty ingredients and comes in a box.”

The band seeks out juice bars while on tour to boost their energy levels. A favorite beverage is wheatgrass, a plant that is freshly juiced soon after harvesting for its high content of vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and life energy. Their admiration for the nutritious drink is reflected in one of their song titles, “Daily Wheatgrass Shots Burn a New Pathway To My Brain.” Mathis extols its benefits. “You physically get a shot of greenness, of life. With fresh wheatgrass, the plant's heart is still beating. You are digesting life.” By eating healthy, Mathis adds, “you reward your body.”

The jazz combo's unique focus on body, mind and spirit is exemplified in the Smart-penned composition “Slow Breath, Silent Mind.” This fresh and inspired piece unfolds musically like a spiritual journey itself and flows with an emotional resonance. However, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is not about words on paper but very much the experience of music in the moment. One has to hear their unique approach to jazz to truly understand their style and sound. One has to experience the band at a live show to fully appreciate their aura and passion.

By constantly honing their skills, educating themselves as people and musicians, and sharing their thoughts through music, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey offer conscious music and ideas for the improvement of minds and bodies. This is innovation in jazz.

For m ore information on Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey can be found on their website at www.jfjo.com.