Get in shape for New Year’s Eve by grooving to local neolegends Jaw Gems, who open for Lettuce and Tauk at the State Theatre on December 30, a funky all-ages affair. We caught up with Andrew Scherzer, the band’s electric bass player to talk about their new album Heatweaver and its reception, their upgrade in venue size — hopping from a residency at Local 188 to Portland House of Music and Events to the State — and the band’s reaction to winning Deli Magazine’s New England Artist of the Month award this week.
Andrew Scherzer: The band hasn’t been together as much lately, each busy with individual works and Thanksgiving, but when [the album] came out, we were very excited. It’s cool and sort of surreal. Anytime we find out that people like the way we play — it’s awesome, exciting and very weird too. No matter what happens, I’m like, 'people like us?' It’s like the surprise when getting the job and saying ‘What? You believed my resume?’ Anytime anyone takes some time out of their day to recognize some sort of art that you are putting out is a real honor.”
Tim Gillis: You’re touring with Lettuce. Tell us what that’s like.
AS: We’ve played with them before. Last year, we played with them at the State and did three or four shows with them, including one in September Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence. They’ve taken us out for some one-off gigs. I would say they’re my favorite band. And in meeting them, we found that they’re the funnest guys to hang out with.
TG: Where is the tour headed in the New Year?
AS: We’re tagging along on the East Coast side of their tour, from Boston to Florida for a couple of weeks, playing quite a few shows with them. Then we are heading to LA to play a hip-hop showcase, then linking up with Papadosio for some of their tour in the Southwest and finishing up in Atlanta. We’re going on the road for about two months.
TG: There’s been a big buzz around your recent release. A lot has been happening for the band since the release of Heatweaver. The response, both critically and from newer fans from farther away; what’s that been like?
AS: It’s been great. Our second album, Blades Plural, got a great reception, but it was before we were brought out nationally. We were playing other places, playing with great bands, and then put out the new album. Portland and the Maine music scene has to be one of the most supportive communities in the country. We couldn’t be a band without it, but putting out an album and have people who don’t know you, to have those people pick it up … it’s not better than when you play in Portland, [but] it’s just different and new. I probably speak for the whole band when I say it’s a great and weird feeling when people have no reason to like your music — they’re not your friends’ friends. When you know that the reason they dig your music is all their own.
TG: How does an improviser practice?
AS: That depends on the intent of practice. If we’re rehearsing to get ready for shows, we’re not really writing new things, not changing things. We’re just trying to play the music and not stagnate. You want the thing to sound like it’s new and fresh. And it probably sounds counterintuitive, but you don’t want to practice too much and just move your hands mindlessly. So we don’t put too many rules on how we’re going to play. We don’t want a dance song to turn into a happy ballad, but other than that, there are no rules.
Jaw Gems is made up of Ahmad Hassan Muhammad and Tyler Quist, both on keyboard and samplers, D.J. Moore on drums, and Andrew Scherzer on electric bass. Each of them plays in at least two different bands, but Jaw Gems is now their main project and focal point for playing live.