Some things in this world are simply too beautiful and unique to invite comparison. You may be thinking of your first love, the passing of a comet, deep-fried Oreos or Britney Spears, but let me point you in the direction of Jaggery, a Boston-based musical ensemble that blurs the boundaries between genres and takes its audience on a happily delirious, and wholly unpredictable, jaunt through them all.
On November 13th Jaggery will release their latest EP “Private Violence” which was inspired by Truman Capote’s profile of notorious murderer Perry Smith in his book "In Cold Blood." Vocalist and songwriter Singer Mali puts herself in the bloody shoes of “someone who did something terrible,” weaving together songs of abuse, confusion and hopelessness in a world that doesn’t forgive mistakes. These feelings are fleshed out with art rock’s most innovative and riveting instrumentation, augmenting Mali’s soaring voice and haunting piano with delicate harp, polyrhythmic West African-inspired percussion, prepared upright bass and a viola’s rich tenor and glissando. Together they redefine modern art-rock music, shifting effortlessly from hard-boiled jazz ballads to old-world folk refrains and tortured chamber music propelled by driving drum rhythms.
Check out teaser track “No Sympathy” streaming below for a deliciously greasy preview of the killer tunes (pun definitely intended) to come! A CD release party is in the works for Boston, and a miniature tour of the Northeast will follow, so stay tuned to their website for details. If there is one show to see this year, my money is on this one. Don’t miss out! – Dean Shakked