One of the vibrant acts on the Kino stage during the 10th Rye International Jazz Festival was The Violet Jive. I interviewed Steve because he had been involved in the festival from the beginning and was totally committed to what Ian and his team offer to all those who come to the festival.
This year is the 10th anniversary for the Rye International Jazz Festival and the 10th anniversary too, for your band at the festival. What makes you so committed to the festival and Ian?
It’s been so great to see the festival grow each year and also to have been part of it since year one. It’s always a show we look forward to with its great atmosphere. Organiser Ian and his team look after the acts so well and do an amazing job bringing big name artists in.
I think we first played as a mellow duo down near the quay and are now ripping it up as the full band with sax outside on the Kino stage, mixing up the musical flavours and keeping it visually colourful. It being the tenth anniversary, we decided to throw out a whole bunch of violet lei into the audience which made some great photos.
Rye and its quirky uniqueness has become very special to us over the years, from a playing a point of view, yes, but also because of the sense of community and good friends that we’ve made here over time. There aren’t many places left like this and I hope it always retains its individuality and wonderful character.
Who influenced you in the early years of your musical career?
My first girlfriend’s dad (literally the girl next door) was a guitarist and heavily into 50s / 60s music – including Buddy Holly, the Shadows etc. Not sure I realised it at the time (as a young teen back in the early 90s) but it clearly made an impression. He had all this great vintage gear in the garage, which again as a youngster listening to grunge and alternative rock, I probably thought was “old hat” but now realise that it was the pinnacle of tone and a sound I now love!
Is music in your genes? Who else in the family is musical?
No-one in my family was particularly musical; however, my grandfather had an epic collection of exotic Hawaiian records and was fairly creative. He’d paint and also record us on a tape deck, singing and larking about.
What would your eighteen-year-old self say about where you are today?
He’d probably say: “Well done man, I really love the band, especially the cool tropical shirts and guitar sounds.” Perhaps also: “Keep going, don’t lose sight of the dreams!”
Which musician (alive or dead) would you like to sit on a bench with to have a conversation?
Oh, that’s not fair: there are way too many to pick just one, so maybe it could be a small gathering with a pot of tea and include various luminary figures from all the different eras and styles that have influenced me? If I had to pick one, then today it would perhaps be Django Reinhardt so I could hopefully absorb some of his organic magic guitar genius.
What do you have on your bucket list yet to do?
Visit Aztec / Mayan temples in South America, see all the islands in Hawaii and listen to live music in Cuba. Drive a big open top car into Las Vegas and do a gig with the Violet Jive in a top casino with dancing girls and giant tiki statues on the stage. Skydive (even though I hate heights) and canoe under full moonlight in the jungle.
What advice would you give a young band starting out now?
This isn’t really advice as such as I’m sure a lot of people in the music industry would advise sticking to a tried and tested format, but I’d encourage younger bands starting out to try and follow their own path and create something different, rather than be another copycat band.
There’s no shortage of talent out there but it’s the artists who have a unique sound and strive to do more off-beat things that interest me. A strong song will work in most styles so give whatever you do some of your character and don’t be afraid to go against the grain. The world needs more of this spirit – especially the music industry.
If you could learn one skill in a day what would you choose and why?
Decisiveness, Kung Fu or advanced electronics / engineering. The latter would probably be more useful for fixing gear etc.! I don’t know, so maybe the first one.
Final note:
Steve is currently gigging with the Violet Jive and releasing original music under his alias Shakes Luano.
Image Credits: Kt bruce .