It’s late — maybe three or four o’clock on a Tuesday morning — and you’re sitting at the back of a cigar lounge slowly puffing on a stogie, enjoying the soulful jazz of Jordan Rakei.
Effortlessly combining elements of soul and jazz – like the adopted child of Frank Ocean and Miles Davis – Rakei has quickly established an inventive and refreshing brand of hybrid-artist, blending and mixing different melodies to create a smorgasbord of relaxing tunes.
Jordan began performing his experimental blend of jazz to audiences in Brisbane at the end of 2013, releasing his first EP 'Franklin's Room' six months later. And if you have heard his music, it should be no wonder as to why. “I was raised in a soulful family; my parents listened to a lot of Motown and soul back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, so that has been ingrained in my upbringing,” Rakei says, debunking the mystery of how a modern white male can have the same mellow grooves as Bob Marley.
“I’ve heard [Island Vibe is] the best festival for music and the people who go there aren’t there for any attitude.”
“I've been listening to soul music my whole life so it has just come into fruition with my own music, especially in regards to stuff I listen to now, like Robert Glasper and Fat Freddy’s Drop. I've taken my influences and made my own sound based on those.”
Rakei’s soul-inspired upbringing wasn’t the only ingredient that has shaped his newest EP, ‘Groove Curse’. Music was just something he did since he can remember, like breathing. “I used to make beats for my brothers and we would sing and write our own verses and then have battles in our bedroom,” he says.
“I've been making music since I was 11; I've always been making beats, it's just recently that I've been making beats for myself and writing and doing this for real. I didn't start taking it seriously until I left high school and I started writing my first songs.”
As a well-rounded musician, producer, singer and songwriter, Rakei is a prospect with the tools and talent to develop into a complete musician, and the international scene notices that kind of potential. In the last year he’s made waves worldwide, sharing stages with Clive Lowe and Fat Freddy’s Drop, and gaining consistent rotation on prominent overseas radio stations including KCRW in LA and Gilles Peterson's on the BBC.
Rakei released his debut EP 'Franklin's Room' on Bandcamp four months ago, available to download with a ‘name your price’ option; the release reached the level of success any seasoned independent artist would likely brag about.
Although a lot of people did download it for peanuts Jordan says. “Over 6,000 people have downloaded the EP and over half of the people have paid willingly. Some people paid $20 and few people have paid up to $50 for it. I've found the people who have paid obviously think it is worth it and it's cool that people respect my music in that sense.”
‘Groove Train’ – Jordan’s second release – dropped two months ago and “it’s doing really great,” Jordan says. “It’s remained #1 in the Bandcamp soul section for three weeks.”
This October Rakei is taking his soulful, hybrid beats to Island Vibe Festival. “I've heard it's the best festival for music and the people who go there aren't there for any attitude, everyone is there for the music and the atmosphere is all about that. It's going to be really cool to play to music lovers more-so than festival goers.”
Jordan Rakei plays Island Vibe Festival that takes place at Home Beach Minjerribah, North Stradbroke Island, from 31st October until 2nd November.
