JJ MAZZ
From the Apennine Mountains of Italy; we bring you the latest from JJ MAZZ, oka Luca Mazzieri who brings us the stateside premiere for his video & single “Lie” that breaks through the truths of fidelity with a mountain-pop vastness of sound. Having been written & recorded in Mazzieri’s dining room & mixed on cassette by Nicko Pasquini (His Clancyness, Stromboli, etc) & featuring some expressive saxophone from Barcelona artist Stefano Cristi; the new JJ MAZZ 7″ will be available November 2 on transparent handmade printed flexy 7″ via La Barberia Records. Luca continues his own artistic fixations of classic crooners like Chet Baker to the new synth terrains of the Chromatics/Glass Candy’s Jonny Jewel while mixing in the the aesthetics of MAKKINOSO art with a passion for the Ryan Gosling film Lost River. The result is what some might refer to as the Mac Demarco of Italia, where Luca creates DIY ballads that feels as if they could have been produced or sequenced by Angelo Badalementi.
“Lie” finds JJ MAZZ recording both audio & visuals at home with his skeletal mask & hat while embracing in some solitary hedonism. The chords & synths spell out some of the most instant & infectious hooks ever heard while Luca keeps his delivery breathy & bold by exercises restraint & understated expressions that math perfectly with the tricky truths & fallacies that collide together on “Lie”. We see Luca dancing in front of a mirror in t-shirt, robe & boxer briefs while taking an extended music video selfie with one hand while wielding a bottle in the other. Taking moments to stop & smell the dandelions, included time-elapsed images of roses growing; JJ MAZZ basks in the nature of both his own mountain region world where lies & truths become obfuscated by the jazzy saxophone supplied by Stefano where the house party footage & nature walks are bonded together by brass notes that accentuate the inherent beauty & majesty of music. Read our interview with JJ MAZZ’s Luca Mazzieri right after the following video for “Lie”.
Tell us more about the making of what you describe as your “broken neck love song”, “Lie” & the DIY accompanying video.
I do my JJ MAZZ stuff always the same way….me by myself in my dining room watching outside the window, drinking red wine and having some honey slides. Just an hour and “Lie” was finished. Added a touch of tequila and the video was done!
How has your creative process developed or changed over time from your own reflective observations?
I’m really into fifty crooners and I’m a bit obsessed by the Ryan Gosling movie , I love see myself like a druggy crooner for dive bars.
Tell us about the literally phoned-in sax track from your buddy Stefano Cristi who resides in Barcelona Spain and how you feel the brass impacted the song.
Stefano is a good friend and plays with me in another band. He comes often in Italy for playing but actually lives closed to Barcelona. We are both big big fan of Bowie. As i finished the track i sent him a text “got a new love song, think about Hunky Dory!”. He recorded his lines on a phone app. the power of technology.
Any highlights from this past summer?
Last time i told you a dream of mine was playing at Hana Bi on the beach in Marina di Ravenna…. DID IT!
Fall/winter hopes?
Travelling with my girlfriend, writing new songs and stay with friends.
2017 projections?
Made a new 7″ and a cassette, Touring in Europe, bring into Italy Alex Cameron.
The new JJ MAZZ 7″ will be available November 2 on transparent handmade flexy 7″ through La Barberia Records.
