JJX

By A.D. Amorosi, For The Inquirer
POSTED: December 27, 2014
Hot-shot Philadelphia guitarist Joe Jordan and his prog-metal band the Experiment (JJX) are playing as part of WMMR/Jaxon's Local Shots Mistletoe Jam tonight. The gig will be as bittersweet as his upcoming 2015 album, Lemonade.

"We named it exactly why you'd think we would," says Jordan, 28. The album grew out of about a year's worth of long tours, sour management changes (a problem that's all good now), and personal struggles. Jordan says it's richer and more accessible than 2012's Twisted Visions. "We're still heavy," he says. JJX still stays true to its prog/hard psychedelic sound (think Hendrix fronting Tool), he says, but Lemonade's rock-outs and power ballads are "closer to a Foo Fighters" vibe.

"We still rock hard," says Jacqui Gore, 61, JJX's drummer and Jordan's mother. She started playing with her son on Christmas Day 1999. "This show is her 15th anniversary," Jordan says. But it's also her last with the band. "We tour a lot, and she's always made the marks, even now," Jordan says. "I've always left it open-ended that if she ever felt like she was slowing, she could stop."

Jordan noticed that some of Gore's pummeling live rhythms seemed labored. So did Gore, who has never slacked off - not from mothering her son, and not from maintaining a profile as a drummer in the West Philly lounge and session scene playing blues, funk, and jazz. She hit the skins long before she had Joe Jordan, and she continued to drum while Jordan was a tot. "I was almost always with her," he says. "I knew her chops." It was only after he realized his mother had a yen for Pantera that they joined forces. "She's been the hardest-working member of this band," he says. And its most stylish, as she's never without a long cigarette holder for dramatic effect, to say nothing of an Afro that would make Questlove jealous.

"It's life, man," says Gore of having to chill out. "I always love stretching out the farthest, be it jazz or metal. But I can now see why Billy Cobham and all the fusion dudes put down their sticks. It's not quitting. The body just slows." Since joining JJX, Gore has been faithful to its rigorous schedule of shows from the East Coast to the West. She never slowed her roll, always jamming harder and faster than even Jordan could imagine. "But when you start looking at a set list's length, the timing of it, and pray for no encore, that's when you start reassessing the might that you have as a drummer," she says. "My brain kept me going for as much time as I had to be there, but then I was done. We had to find someone." Note that "we": She'll continue being part of the music, her son's and that of others.

Nor will she stop drumming. She appears on Lemonade and will continue recording "the low-impact stuff" with her son. "She can do the 230 b.p.m.'s, the 6/8 rhythms," Jordan says. "It can just be tough on the tendons live." While Jordan is working new percussionists, she's already planning her next gig: "I'm basically looking into the blues area, and jazz. Still playing. Just not as rigorous as what Joe does. I like the intensity. It just has to flow differently."

WMMR/Jaxon's Local Shots Mistletoe Jam 2014 featuring the Joe Jordan Experiment, John Faye & Those Meddling Kids, and more starts 7 p.m. Friday at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St. Tickets: $15 - Philadelphia Inquierer/ Philly.com

Few events can sustain themselves for periods of over 10 years. Few shows offer such diversity in terms of people, genres, and art. That’s what makes Rockers! so unique; it has both.

A long-running music and art showcase that promotes diversity, Rockers! began because of a desire to see more bands of color playing punk shows.

Camae Defstar is one of the founding organizers of Rockers! and books almost all of the shows. Defstar started Rockers! around 2005 with her friend and band member, Rebecca Roe.

Growing up, Defstar didn’t see people of color in punk music. They didn’t receive recognition. She felt like she was the only one into the punk scene. She says Rockers! showcases bands who have something to say and don’t fit the traditional mold of their respective genres.

“We wanted our band, the Mighty Paradocs to play. We didn’t know too much about booking, so we said ‘Hey let’s book an event with bands we like and want to play with.”

Rockers began at the now-defunct venue Aqua Lounge that was located near Front and Girard Streets. The series then moved to Tritone on South Street, where it grew and created a community.

“There [at Tritone] we started to have a community of artists that were trying to play but didn’t have the access or connections to do so. That’s how Rockers started getting steam,” said Defstar.

Tritone was the host location of Rockers until the venue closed in 2012. During that year, Kung Fu Necktie became the frequent site of Rockers.

Joe Jordan, former Mighty Paradocs drummer, has been a part of Rockers since its inception. Now, he creates music under the name the Joe Jordan Experiment. He still is a “regular” at the shows as a performer and spectator. He said Rockers gave him a sense of community.

“It’s like a home for a lot of us bands,” Jordan said. “I’d liken it to CBGB’s during its punk heyday. No fighting, just high-energy excitement. Usually people of color. [but] it’s all-inclusive. People of colors… any color…white, black, red. It’s about unity,” he said.

This weekend Rockers returns for a three-night mini-fest after a winter hiatus. The event is not strictly about bands. There will be readings, workshops and DJs as well.

The mini-fest formed around Breathing Light, a Chicago band, who was coming to town for the weekend. They will be playing both Friday and Saturday nights. Band leader Yumii Thecato also runs a community movement called Slash ‘Em Up, which shares similarities with Rockers.

According to Defstar, this weekend is a collaboration between both movements.
She booked Breathing Light for two nights, which is when it blossomed into a fest of sorts. “It became a Rockers weekend,” Defstar said.

Also to note is a change in setting from Kung Fu Necktie. Three different locations serve as the hosts of this weekend’s fest.

Friday night’s show takes place at LAVA space. The bill includes the aforementioned Breathing Light, NYC’s Aye Nako and locals Opaque Hand, marking their first performance as a band. Defstar DJs as Moor Mother Goddess throughout the evening. Philly Metropolarity, a sci-fi reading collective, will be performing as well.

The fest continues Saturday night at the Great Indoors with Breathing Light headlining again. Also on the line-up are Philly’s Trophy Wife, Alex Smith, the Mighty Paradocs, and New York’s A Truth.

The members of Trophy Wife feel grateful to have been asked to be a part of this Rockers weekend. Diane Foglizzo, guitarist of the band, commented on the impact of Rockers.

“Often it’s a misperception of punk as a white person’s music and not in communities of color, but that’s inaccurate,” Foglizzo says. “We are a part of a music genre that is diverse, and there are punk bands of color all over the world.”

“We are honored to be a part of this,” added drummer Katy Otto.

The Joe Jordan Experiment plays Sunday, the final night of Rockers, at Dahlak, located at 47th Street and Baltimore Avenue. He’ll be playing new songs from the band’s upcoming debut LP. Joining him is DC’s Throwdown Syndicate and a new Philly band Justice League.

Jordan feels excited to play again at Rockers and comments on the audiovisual nature of the shows. “It heightens all your senses. There’s something to see. There’s something to hear. You can almost taste it,” he said.

“One thing we are about is politics, a band having things to say. Not feeling lame for wanting to speak out for things going on in their heart or in the world,” Defstar said.

The fest marks Rockers return to its monthly run. For more information, check out Facebook.com/thegoodfolksatrockers - Wxpn/ The Key

How cool is Philly-based rock band Joe Jordans Experiment? Singer/guitarist Joe Jordan with his mom on drums! Can I get a "Awwww"? Well a "Roarrrrr" is more like it, their music is funky as hell! We're talking about DIY rock here, so don't expect over-produced music. Joe Jordan cites classic bands such as Pure Hell, Bad Brains and Parliament Funkadelic as his inspirations. You get the picture... Check out some of their work below and let us know what you think! - Lou Constant-Desportes - Afro-Punk.com

Joe Jordan was on the road — somewhere in Utah — when he checked in the other day.

"People have loved the music and are really getting off on us during this tour," said the 24-year-old singer and guitarist. He's as high-energy and cheerful while struggling with his cell phone's lousy connection as he is on stage rocking out some electric fusion blues or rustic folk.


The lanky West Philly ax man has toured the states before, as a solo act and as an opener for Living Colour. Jordan's wiry licks and machete-sharp solos fit nicely with that band's slick prog-metal and brusque funk. He's got a live CD, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, and a forthcoming studio effort, Twisted Visions, that he's currently putting the final touches on.

This recent jaunt, however, was the first cross-country tour for the hard-driving Joe Jordan Experiment. Joining his sleek soul-metal ensemble is bassist Wisnu Wardhana and drummer Jacqui Gore. (Rhythm guitarist Jesse Gimbel did not go on the tour.)

If Cream had speed metal leanings or if Rush had hooks and rhythm — that's the JJX sound. While Gore and Wardhana maintain a pliable but pummeling rhythm, Jordan soars atop it with a mass of focused blistering solos and warmly handsome vocals.

It's not readily apparent to audiences who've witnessed the screech and burn of JJX in person — at spots like Doc Watson's, The Balcony and Tritone — that the diminutive Gore is quite a bit older than the rest of the group.

Which is to say she doesn't look 57. Gore's face is unlined and she carries herself like a confident teen when she walks. She's doesn't hit the skins or bust grooves like she's 57 (not that 57 is old for a musician). Gore swings, kicks and slams like a thrash-fancying skate-punk who just bought her first Mandrill album. Sure, her theatrical use of a cigarette holder when she smokes is unusual, but it gives off an air of breezy sophistication rather than age.

On the phone, Jordan recalls the occasional stare at the occasional gig, somebody in the audience trying to figure out Gore's story — her age, her connection to this pack of pile-driving rockers. "That's a 57-year-old woman up there — whoa!" he laughs. "Banging the drums with precision and doing her thing."

Then he reiterates in a mock-operatic tone his nightly introductions. "Ladies and gentlemen — my mom," says Jordan, reliving that ritual moment with stagy brio. "She was 33 when she had me — how's she doing?"

He's done that intro countless times. The reaction's always the same. "The crowd goes nuts," he says.

That's been the case since the pair joined musical forces in 1999, in Jordan's balls-to-the-wall metal band, Concrete Method. Back then he prowled the stage shirtless, screaming bloody murder, thrashing on his guitar while his mother bashed about on drums.

"She rocks," says Jordan matter-of-factly. "I mean, she always played — blues, funk acts, jazz bands. You name it, she's played it. And I was almost always with her. But we figured all this out on the day that I came home from high school to hear her jamming to my copy of Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power."

"Hell, yeah, I told him right there how much I liked Pantera," says Gore.

Hell, yeah.

Back in Philadelphia, preparing for last weekend's gig at World Café Live, Joe Jordan talks about a life in music.

At the very least, he's been doing it since he was 4. That's the age from which he has his most vivid memory of sitting around his mom's home in West Philly (they've had several; currently they live at 55th and Spruce) during one of her jam sessions and coming up with something that made it onto a record. She's been a fixture of Philly's funk, jazz and blues scenes, having jammed in bands with nearly forgotten Philly legends like Eddie Gaines and Cliff Edwards.




"She was playing with some of The Intruders" — one of Philly's finest soul bands of the '60s and '70s — "at the house during this particular session," says Jordan. He and his brother Malik were always part of his mom's jams in one way or another; Gore started giving her sons instruments to play as soon as they could hold them.

"Even when they couldn't hold on, the kids needed something to do, something constructive," says Gore, smiling at the memory. "They had something like ADD but we didn't give 'em Ritalin or any of that shit. We gave them guitars and drums and they mimicked us."

During this particular session, young Joe was sitting across the room from his mom while the adults were playing and tape recording the jam. "Right in the middle of the session I yelled, 'I want to sit next to my mommy!'" recalls Jordan with a grin.

Mom always remembered that yelp and was so smitten with it she inserted the sound clip at the beginning of her lone solo CD, 2007's swanky genre-jumping Sum of One. Still, way back then, she never figured that her son would still be sitting next to her, making music.

As much as Jordan claims he got his skills and inspiration thr - A.D. Amorosi Philadelphia CityPaper

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Bringing A Little Philly Back To The Trocadero
Local bands storm the Troc, proving that maybe they are ready for the big stage.
Thursday, April 8th, 2010 at 5:11 pm | Joseph Covell

The Trocadero
1003 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107-2316
(215) 922-6888
www.thetroc.com

The infamous, world-renowned burlesque house-turned-music venue, located in Philadelphia's Chinatown (10th and Arch), bears the name of The Trocadero (or the Troc). In the past, for most aspiring Philadelphia bands, gracing the Troc's legendary stage was a pipe dream. The Troc's been a venue dominated by nationally touring bands, and slots are seldom open to local bands. But things are changing, and the Troc has begun to seek out, promote, and book more local based talent.

Through the hard efforts of local promotional agencies such as Praying Mantis, the Troc's calendar has evolved to include more local artists. With a square footage as large as the Troc's, the management has been hesitant to roll out the red carpet for bands that struggle to draw out twenty people, but local bands are now required to sell just 100 tickets (a generous step down from 175 just a few years ago).

On Saturday, March 27, I had the pleasure of seeing one such local line-up of solely area bands, a show that included a band that I used to drum for, King of Prussia's original alternative rock band 58 Fury. The evening hosted a solid bill, highlighting a few of Philadelphia's finer talents, including Your Bright Ideas, Bullets and Belvedere, 58 Fury, Broad St. Blues, and Joe Jordan's Experiment as openers for the headliners, The 74s. Of the bands I was fortunate enough to catch, it was Joe Jordan's that caught my attention.

Jordan, a versatile, local virtuoso of many instruments, has a resume that includes several large-scale Philadelphia acts, such as The Spades and Preston Swift, and tonight he once again left his audience in awe. A star-studded supporting cast to Jordan's face-melting was comprised of guitarist Jesse Gimbel, bassist Wisnu Wardhana, and Jordan's own mother, drummer Jacqui Gore.

Considering the over saturation currently plaguing the music industry, for an up-and-coming band like 58 Fury to sell in excess of 100 tickets is no small task. 58 Fury shows always seem to bring out a multi-generational fan base, regardless of time, day or location. Not many area bands can depend on the loyalty demonstrated by Fury fans. The good thing about the Troc is it's a big stage, and for bands like Fury, it's a major opportunity to cement their following and draw a new audience.

The hype of the night was centered on the album release party for The 74's, a post-pubescent variation between alternative rock and pop punk. It seemed like a flood of high school kids had followed the 74's to the Troc, but the band performed far beyond their years, and the teenyboppers swooned to every word and body gesture.



Even in this tech-centered age, just when it was looking like local shows had lost their steady fan appeal, it was refreshing to us local musicians to experience the numbers that the Troc drew out on Saturday. If only bands and fans could reunite into a general consensus in this town, and strive for a scene rebirth like that of the old New York Hardcore or Bay Area Thrash scenes. Now that'd be the day.
- Joonbug.com

"Cool,” a refreshing yet simple word that is used for everything from acceptance to a description, and it just happens to be fitting for Joe Jordan Experiment (or JJX for short). Joe Jordan, frontman of the Philadelphia-based genre-defying rock outfit JJX, used “cool” in various ways when describing his band and their music via an email interview. However, when it came to describing the real sound of the Joe Jordan Experiment, things got a little more complicated. “Our music is technically electro/progressive rock/funk/acousto-fusion but we’ll just call it interesting rock ‘n’ roll,” Jordan explains.
Jordan already has some industry experience under his belt – he played in the bands No!ze, and Concrete Method (the latter, which was featured in this very magazine some years ago, brings Jordan full circle. “It was way cool being 16 and in a local ‘zine,” Jordan says of Concrete Method’s feature).
As much fun as those previous bands were, Jordan decided to go solo and acoustic with his live performances. “I was still recording full band arrangements on my own in studio, and it wasn’t until a friend of mine, Amanda Mayhem, suggested I do a live show with a band that JJX was born,” says the frontman.

The formation of JJX was a simple one – Jordan recruited some people together for live gig. It was meant to be just a onetime deal but bassist Wisnu Wardhana, whom Jordan met at The Buddha Fest (which is, says Jordan, “an all day/night knockdown, drag out, music fest held bi-monthly at Tritone,” ran by the couple who runs South Street Sounds music store and Buddhazen Studios) asked if they were going to make it a regular thing, and from that simple question, JJX formed.

The Joe Jordan Experiment isn’t just meant to leave a lasting influence on an audience, it also learns from a variety of other influences. According to the 21-year-old Jordan, JJX is influenced by a wide range of music, from jazz to heavy metal, and while he “digs the classics” like Jimi Hendrix, he also loves the Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Yes, Surgeon and, his “first and foremost,” Michael Jackson. Of course, it isn’t just Jordan who brings his influences into the JJX mix - drummer Jacqui Gore (Jordan’s mom) loves funk rock, blues, and fusion bands from the ‘70s and ‘80s, bassist Wardhana is into everything from progressive rock to jazz, hip hop, and gospel, and, finally, guitarist Jesse Gimbel finishes it out with rock and singer/song writer experimental type of music.

All of these influences seem to be working for JJX, since they just recently won World Cafe Live’s Philly Rising open mic this past October. Seemingly characteristically, Jordan starts describing this experience as “cool” for the band. “We weren’t sure if we would win. The competition was fierce but we also had a lot of fun simply playing,” Jordan says. “The only thing I can say we did differently than a usual set is we organized it [as if we were playing] the Super Bowl Halftime show,” Jordan says. “Due to the small window of time we had to do our thing on stage, we put together the best mini show possible and it worked out.” To get that mini show to be what it was took a lot of work and a lot of writing. “Everything from the hair on your head to the soles of your shoes and lots of what’s going on socially, politically, and personally inspires the writing,” Jordan informs.

In lewd to the holiday season, Jordan was ever so kind as to share what JJX would suggest as a title for a hit for the holiday season: “Ho! Ho! Ho! Where’d My 401K Go?” JJX is certainly aware of the current state of the economy and how it could steer some away from pursuing their own musical dreams, but Jordan hopes they won’t. “Seeing how it is a rather touch and go career choice, I believe that with determination and a good work ethic, all things are possible,” he says. Jordan even had some pointers for how one could get started. “[I started] playing along with my favorite records and reading books on guitar playing. I think it’s the best way to start,” he suggests.

JJX may have started out as something that was supposed to be a onetime thing but it’s obvious from their success that there are only more good things to come for this band. “We are in the midst of recording new stuff between gigs and tour dates, which is a lot of fun,” he says. “[We’re] planning the release of said new stuff and, other than the Philly Rising showcase, we’re excited for what 2010 has to offer.”
It’s safe to say that whatever JJX has planned for the future, it’ll be cool. - Nicole Cannon Origivation Magazine