The Fremont district of Seattle has a pleasing line of bars, eateries, and nightlife essentials, while at the same time being a relaxing escape from the hubbub of Downtown and Capitol Hill. Fremont’s soul music club, the Nectar, is home to a many a jazz/soul/rap/indie rock show. On Friday, July 9, Acorn Project headlined one such event.

Prior to Acorn Project taking the stage, Soul Senate, a newly formed seven-piece funk-soul band, produced a set of surprising authenticity; harkening back to when the first blues musician incorporated Gospel melodies into their songs. Their short songs sit in a pattern for some time, dripping with unresolved hooks and organ swells. Moments of vocal rises and bold solos give a nice touch on the relatively laid back feeling of many of their songs. However, since the band is in its infancy they are yet to develop an entirely unique flavor. Given some time to evolve, this band could become a feature on the soul scene in Seattle.

Acorn Project followed with an incorporation of elements from Big Band, indie rock, house, arena rock, blues and even ska, AND it worked. In a manner very similar to acid rock they are constantly moving between a slow thoughtful pace and a speed-up, foot-tapping rhythm. Each of the six members of the band seem to have their own quirk that gets presented in each different song.

Acorn Project’s stage energy is lively, though what stands out is the relaxed nature in which they communicate with the audience. A particular song by Acorn Project, which I later identified from their MySpace as ‘Wellness,’ was especially resonant with the crowd; as well as myself. The tempo of it changed constantly while the tambour shifted from an easy-feeling, piano-centric melody to a surging guitar howl. There are certainly catchy elements to ‘Wellness’ as with many of their songs, however it appears worked for.

I mentioned in a previous article that jazz was on the rise in Seattle, not simply as a self-sustaining genre but as an influential force in many other genres. As a result, epidemics of jam bands have been seemingly growing in numbers and becoming commonplace, however, Acorn Project stand out among the traffic.

I’m often quite skeptical of jam bands. There are times where a tired showmanship becomes present when young hipsters attempt to mirror a musical feeling of decades ago. In a lot of ways my surprising enjoyment of Acorn Project has to do with the way they were able to avoid any reliance on nostalgia in their sound. The conglomeration of elements elicits an original sound, and not a simple patchwork of genres.

Acorn Project have just released their second full-length album titled ‘We’ll Be Fine’, which has been released all over the US and Canada. They will be featured at the Summer Meltdown (Aug 6-8) for the fifth time. Soul Senate have not yet produced a studio album and will be appearing at the Ballard Seafood festival (Jul 11).

{mov}485{/mov}