Jared Costa: Press
My impression of Jared Costa's music is that it reminds me of Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" and "Devils and Dust" albums. The songs seem to deliver an air of optimism in what can be a dark and lonely world; Beautiful acoustic music by an obviously talented and skillful songwriter from Pennsylvania.
Skope: What were you doing when you found out you were selected for Skope A2W April 2010?
Jared Costa: I was sitting in bed leafing through some lyric notebooks when I decided to take a short break. The choice to slack off clearly paid off when I recieved Skope’s confirmation that I was going to be featured in the mag. I’m really psyched to be part of something that I read and enjoy as music fan myself!
Skope: Now that the weather is nice will you be out playing live this summer & spring & where?
Jared Costa: Absolutely, I will be doing some festivals and gigs. It’s so much better to gig out while the weather is nice. Hauling gear, staying in tune, and generally just not having to brave any elements make for extra incentive to get out and about. I’m in Lancaster, PA for Launch Music Conference on April 15th headlining at Annie Bailey’s for the kick-off night. It’s my 2nd year there and I had a blast last year. I’m also in the process of booking the rest of Spring and Summer right now after just coming back from a nearly 20 city tour that started at the end of February and ended on the last weekend of March.
Skope: What motivates you everyday to get up and create and work on your music?
Jared Costa: Motivation might not even be the right word. I think it’s more of a compulsion. I feel like something is missing if I don’t have the time or opportunity to work on music. I feel like I am constantly inspired to create and write. I even catch myself during sound check sometimes starting to mess with arrangements that I’ve been kicking around! So I am driven to write and create all the time.
Skope: What bands & musicians before you heavily influenced your sound?
Jared Costa: I am influenced by so much music. The stuff that is probably the heaviest though, would be songwriters like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Adam Duritz, Steve Forbert, John Popper, Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, Jim Croce. I am obsessed with other songwriters! I can listen and analyze and characterize countless times over. As far as bands go, I listen to alot again, but these are some that really struck a chord with me: The Band, Smashing Pumpkins, The Doors, The Counting Crows, Blues Traveler and many, many more.
Skope: What is coming up for you and where can readers learn more about you?
Jared Costa: Well, as I said before, I am just coming off of an incredible tour that was a blast! So right now I am booking up for the coming months and taking on requests from venues, festival promoters, and fans. I am also really excited to be working on writing new material for my second album to follow-up “Onwards & Upwards” which I released last year. I am hoping to be in the studio by mid-summer and have a winter release. In the meantime, readers can learn more about me at JaredCosta.com. I also have a site at Myspace, Facebook, Reverbnation, and even a few other music providing networks. So, if you’re on a site, search my name and I’m probably on it. Also my album, “Onwards & Upwards” is available at CD Baby, Itunes, Amazon, and almost every other major music sites. Lastly, I love being in contact with fans! So please, sign up for a mailing list and don’t be shy about contacting me as well if you have some feedback or something to say. Keep your ear out for more news, music, and shows!
GO ONWARDS & UPWARDS
BY ANNIE GONZALES
Somehow, Jared Costa didn’t have to take piano lessons as a young child like his other siblings did. He never really knew why. But despite the lack of any formal training, as Jared describes, “music stuck.” Consequently at a very young age, he found himself needing a music instrument of his own. Getting his parents to agree to his choice took some hard convincing. So he suggested one that he described as a “pretty low maintenance instrument.” During that time, Jared was infatuated with John Popper’s work in “Blues Traveler.” He would listen to some of Popper’s live shows on CDs for hours. His parents finally agreed and at the age of 10, a precursor to Jared Costa’s young soulful career started with the harmonica. At 13, Jared added the acoustic guitar to his harmonica which became part of his talent list.
Jared Costa’s soul is expressed in folk rock through his skillful lyrics and his amazing ability on the hamonica while playing the acoustic guitar. Now, in his 20s, Jared has a lot to be thankful for not having to play piano, but having the opportunity to choose his instruments that have well defined his successful music career so far. With his debut album, “Onwards & Upwards,” released in 2009, Jared grabbed the attention of the music industry. Recently, he has been named an “Artist to Watch” by Skope Magazine through Sonicbids 2010.
D.A.M. ~ Congratulations on being selected as one of Skope Magazine’s Artists to Watch April 2010! Tell me your thoughts on Skope and the honor of being an Artist to Watch.
Jared ~ Thank you so much! It is an honor to be recognized by anyone, but to be recognized by something like Skope Magazine, it goes a bit further and gives you some satisfaction that you are doing something right. I enjoy reading Skope Magazine as a music fan. So being in it as musician is very special. The truth is, though, you have to be able to play and be sure of yourself if no one recognizes you. It has to be something you do for yourself. I’ve been really fortunate with the press and some of the attention I’ve gotten, but I treat it as additional vindication because if writing the songs and performing them isn’t enough for an artist, then maybe they’re not in it for the right reasons.
D.A.M. ~ How did the Launch Music Conference go? Who was the most amazing, most inspirational
person(s) you met there? Did you pick up any new trade secrets along the way?
Jared ~ Launch was honestly amazing! It was such a turnaround from one year to the next. I had a blast there last year and would have been hard pressed to criticize it. So it wasn’t as though they needed to improve. But everything about was better, top to bottom: better location being at the Lancaster Convention Center; better panels with really great speakers and topics; and everything was in better proximity to make easier to get from venue to venue. Every conference I go to from here will be against Launch. I met so many folks there that it would be tough to pick even a couple! I had the opportunity to meet so many people in so many different industries that it’s tough to say who was the most amazing. With all of the networking opportunities I had at Launch, I think that retrospect will be the truest indication of who is the most amazing depending on who I happen to work with personally. Inspirationally, I think that Bryan and Kyle Weber from IndieOnThe-Move.com and the band Zelazowa are the two that come to mind first. Although I have known Bryan for while, getting to talk to him more and hearing both of them speak at a panel about what they are doing as an incredible indie band and as groundbreaking innovators with Indie On The Move, was really inspiring. There was a lot of information to absorb, but the best bit of information is something that is not so much a secret as it is something that is great to be reminded and that you have to be constantly thinking about which is keep getting out there and keep meeting as many people as you can all of the time. I took away a lot from Launch and I was really grateful to be there and I look forward to next year!
D.A.M. ~ Do you hunt? There’s a New Hampshire fish gaming website that has a picture of a “Jared Costa” with a moose head, any chance that’s you? What do you do when you’re not making music?
Jared ~ I have seen that before and someone said something to me about it. First of all, that’s not me. I’ve never had my picture taken with a moose head, but it’s definitely on my list of things to do! I’ve actually gone hunting before in upstate Pennsylvania when I was younger, but I don’t quite think it’s my thing: I never shot at anything. I was bitter cold, and I’m not sure that I am cut out for it at all. So I may be announcing my retirement from the hunting world very soon. Seriously though, I spend a lot of time making music and it’s what I love to do. I’m lucky enough that I can spend a lot of time and dedicate a ton of energy on it. When I’m not working with music, I work at a health club and spend some time working out. But I have a ton of interests and playing music happens to be the one that I focus on and chose as a career. I like going and checking out other bands and musicians, seeing movies, and I love to travel when I can.
D.A.M. ~ Your songs reflect life experiences. Are many of your songs about people you know, or of events you were witness to, such as “Stronger”? “Departure”, suggests you lost someone in your life. What songs are from life experiences?
Jared ~ Both of those songs are from actual experiences. Although in “Stronger”, I took a few creative liberties to embellish on something I had seen to really paint a picture of addiction. “Departure” is a song that did come in the midst of the loss of a close friend. The entire “Onwards & Upwards” album is a journal of my life or my at least my perspective. It is important to me that I maintain honesty in songwriting. Even if I embellish on things
here and there, I feel that I maintain honesty by putting a true sense of my own perspective into what I am writing.
D.A.M. ~ Your album cover rocks. Were you part of the creative process of the photo shoot?
Jared ~ My input was picking the locales for the photo shoots and the angles for some of the shots. I drove around the Philly area with the idea of scoping out some of the album photos. I found the locations pretty easily actually and then it was a matter of getting the right picture and feeling like it was something that fit. The cover was a bit of a stroke of luck. I was not sure that I was going to use the picture at all. I was actually just standing there as a way of testing out the angles and seeing what would work and when I was going over the pictures later on, it was really a photo that stood out and worked for the concept of the album.
D.A.M. ~ Onward & Upwards is the title of your CD, and song Onward & Upwards is about fear, you sing “goodbye to sweet dreams”. Why did you choose to name the CD the title of the song?
Jared ~ I felt like it was a great phrase for a new undertaking and with this being my debut solo album, it just seemed to fit. The song is something that deals with fear, but not necessarily in a completely negative light. There is a sense of trepidation when someone embarks on a new journey and that is what I was trying to convey. The song was a big reason I went with that title. I really thought the content of the song hit the mark of what I hoped for the album as a complete concept.
D.A.M. ~ Rainmaker’s Waltz, I really enjoy the lyrics to that one. What was your inspiration for that song. Was there an event that evoked this?
Jared ~ That entire song was written in about ten minutes. I lived in an apartment that overlooked a small lake. One night, I opened the front door and sat down looking out at the water as a bad storm went on about an arm’s length away. I strummed the guitar a bit and then began ad libbing lyrics. What came out was the song in it’s entirety. I had a lot going on in my life at that point and I found tremendous comfort with that song even in the midst of a lot of personal turbulence.
D.A.M. ~ What fuels you the most when you write? Love, Hate, Religion, Politics, Other?
Jared ~ Life. Everything I experience fuels me and inspires me. I think if you listen to the album, you’ll find a different emotion from track to track. I always try to stay away from pigeon-holing myself
into a very set pattern of writing. I try to keep the songwriting process as a really organic thing. In doing that, whatever comes to mind or whatever I am feeling is what I write.
D.A.M. ~ Someone described your songs as “personal confessions”, would you agree? Which song confession truly bares your soul?
Jared ~ Yes, I agree with that statement. To maintain the honesty and integrity it takes to be fulfilled as songwriter, you will eventually find a glimpse of yourself in what you see and want to write. The inevitable moment of confessing things that you may not even be able to say to people close to you in your own life is something I’ve come to terms with.
When I think of songs that really feel like deep personal confessions, I think of two: “Take It All” and Once Upon A Time”. In “Take It All”, I really explore the darker aspects of my personality and it still resonated with that same depth when I perform it live at shows. In the song “Once Upon A Time”, I wrote about an idealism that I have held onto since I was young. It was written very quickly for me a song on guitar and vocals, but I took a lot of time in the studio with the orchestral arrangements. It is a song that I really enjoy playing live as well and I do a lot of experimenting with it at shows. I hope people will find a bit of themselves in the songs and that even if a song is one of my “personal confessions” and based on my experience, that there will be an aspect that speaks to them. I think that there is something innately universal about the human experience and I hope that
in the spirit of honesty the album was written, people
will identify with it.
Onwards & Upwards
Iconic Rating--Highest Rank!
Whatever emotion you could possibly be feeling at this moment, Jared Costa has a song to match it. Onwards and Upwards captures every type of energy. The harmonica and acoustic guitar complement this Buck’s County musician, sucking you in to every lyric and melody. Bob Dylan would be proud.
Well, no-one could describe Pennsylvania's Jared Costa as being a shrinking violet; Costa's approach is so directly head-on that it could be said to be forceful!! On one track, 'To Mine', Costa cries out, '..let your voice be heard from mountain tops around the world..', well, he certainly gives it a good go, and them some!! Costa puts aggressive energy and genuine pained torment into his singing and his thumpin', honest guitar chords are a great foil to his cutting vocal delivery.
'Onwards & Upwards' is a generally stripped down acoustic work that finds Costa as a bit of a one-man-band laying down his hard strummed guitar, pained harmonica and a few sympathetic keys. Jared Costa's distinctive songs are melodic, story-telling and pertinent. Think of a poetic, observational Dylan vying for prominence with the industrious reality of Springsteen with a just hint of growling but soulful Cash and you'd be somewhere close to Jared Costa's inimitable style. His brash individualistic approach to musical delivery is extremely vibrant and uniquely direct; there's no mistaking this guy's belief and confidence in his capabilities and/or his songs - Costa really seems to 'live' the words as he pounds and cries out his songs with nothing short of infectious gusto and annoyingly abrupt but irresistible fierceness.
Costa takes no prisoners as he tells it like it is and gives it his all; even when he takes the pressure down a few notches there's still an overwhelming feeling of absolute belief in his outpourings. This aint acoustic music for tender ears, this is hair-raising, nerve-jangling stuff quite unlike most of his contemporaries. Costa's vocal boldness ensures that he will never be talked of as just a run-of-the-mill acoustic artist; Jared Costa sits squarely inside the bounds of folk-rock and amazingly this guy doesn't need a 'band' to generate the density and depth required to meet the genre criteria, with his big voice and muscular playing he's more than able to deliver the goods as a soloist.
'Onwards & Upwards' by Jared Costa is an impressive piece of work - in no way could it be described as 'pretty' flowery music, it's harsh and it's bordering on angry but, it's fascinating and pretty damn compelling!
This article was published in Belgium. So I tried to get a direct translation, but it was tough! Here's a little of the review that I could translate. If you speak Dutch, email me @ jared.costa@hot mail.com and we'll do business. Here's what I've got:
From Bucks County in the American state Pennsylvania we got a debut album sent from singer-songwriter inspired by folk music, Jared Costa. The piece of work with the title Onwards & Upwards deliver 12 contemporary songs which join a mixture of Americana, folk music and rock. A trait of these particular songs of Jared Costa is its capacity to weave beautiful tale lines and bring personal consents to melody. The acoustic guitar is thereby an essential instrument that lends an excellent accompaniment for his soulful voice. The songs are alternatively firstly lively and joyful and afterwards dark and contemplative. Its main aim however, has a positive nature in its music because there is already more than enough negativity in the world according to him. Jared Costa already has 15 years of being busy with making music in which his feelings are expressed and he reflects life experiences. If the music fan would be interested in this ultimate aim, this album is how it will be reached. He was 10 years old then he started with harmonica and 3 years later learned stock in the trade on acoustic guitar. From an interview with him on the Internet, you can sense that this young person has both feet on the ground and has a warm individuality with a great sense of humour. His deep voice and its pronouncement betray its southern source. He also seems influenced by the blues in his music. From a press standpoint, comparisons emerge with artists such as Johnny Cash, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, but we gladly join to that Steve Forbert. The songs on this CD are one after another acoustic guitar songs and for some such a `one man band' may sound like perhaps something of a surplus for a complete CD. There is however sufficient alternation between the numbers. Though we have nevertheless been aroused by the curiosity of how these nicely developed songs would sound with broader instrumentation. Perhaps an idea for the next disc. At Rootstime we keep Once Upon A Time and Sad Song with a lot of sentiment. They are an emotionally sung clincher with incredible crescendo of nice violin and classical composition. But we also thoroughly enjoyed the songs Love, To Mine, No Revolution, Take It All, Rainmaker Waltz. We look forward to the next disc.
He is a complete songwriter that convinces the listener to believe in the music. We are convinced that Jared Costa is a songwriter with nothing more to learn.
Bob Dylan was 20 when he released his debut record -- and that has Bucks County singer-songwriter Jared Costa feeling old.
At least when it comes to Costa's own debut, the recently re leased "Upwards & Onwards."
"I turned 27 at the beginning of December, so I was 26 when I put it together," says the Newtown, Pa., native, who'll celebrate the self- financed acoustic Americana album tonight with a CD release party at Puck in Doylestown, Pa. "It's kind of funny to say I did my first record at 26."
Costa didn't even apply to college when he graduated from Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, Pa.
"I took my SATs, and I kind of realized: No matter what, I'm going to end up trying to play music, be a musician," he recalls. "We'll have to see if that was a good or bad decision."
Over the last decade, Costa has started a painting business "that failed quickly" and worked as a janitor, a car salesman and a machine shop employee.
He's toiled in a bunch of bands, some of which played "harder" music than the personal-lyric, fit- for-an-open-field folk he plays now -- "where we're kind of making up for our lack of knowledge and talent with volume," Costa jokes.
But none of the groups made anything more than a demo or EP.
"This is the first time I really felt like I was prepared to do something that was going to be significant enough where I wanted to put my stamp of approval (on it)," Costa says of the long "detour" to his debut album.
"Finally, I'm starting to make some strides," he adds, laughing. "It's just one of those things where, eventually you'll find your niche if you keep plugging along."
Hence, the future-pondering title of "Upwards & Onwards."
"This is my starting point, and hopefully it gets better from here," Costa explains. "Hopefully, people take from the album a sense of positivity."
WHAT HE SOUNDS LIKE: Costa took up harmonica at age 10. He plucked his first guitar a few years later. These days, he's armed with nothing but the two instruments as he stands on stage, playing introspective, gently strummed tunes that recall the singer-songwriters who populated the early 1970s.
Costa's voice is appropriately gruff. His songs include titles like "Love" and "Rainmaker's Waltz." And his influences? Dylan, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Cat Stevens. His favorite album is "August And Everything After," the 1993 debut from Counting Crows.
"Some of my favorite stuff actually is listening to early Springsteen," Costa says. "I think it was less of a rock band, where it was just that essential singer-songwriter that I think is the foundation where I get my strongest influences from."
FAVORITE BEATLE: George Harrison. "I like everything he writes. For some reason, I think he was the best of both worlds, for me at least. I enjoy how he wrote and just his grasp on instruments."
FAVORITE CONCERT: Radiohead, August 2001 at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. "They played an incredible set, but on top of that, just the way that the vantage point is, when you're looking over the stage, you can see the Statue of Liberty to your right, then you see the Twin Towers to your left. And I think it was just really poignant in retrospect."
...
JAN. 9, 2009
Jared Costa is a singer/songwriter from the Bucks County, PA area. His music might be best described as acoustic, folk rock and maybe even americana. One of the first things that I noticed about his music is his powerful and soulful voice. Lyrically his words are deep and rather sad. Musically the melodies are light and add an element of hope. The beauty in the simplicity and pureness of the acoustic guitar is so easy on the ears but what about that harmonica. Oh my, the harmonica adds such an incredible layer to Jared Costa’s music that is so perfect. Needless to say, it is highly recommended that you take the time to check out Jared Costa’s music for yourself.
Hailing from Bucks County, PA, Jared Costa is a strangely upbeat young fella. Here in Glasgow such an attitude is unfamiliar. Having ten years of musical experience under his belt and having made something a local hero of himself, the logical step would be to release an album. And that's what he has done. Drawing on modern folk and Americana sounds, Costa has come out with an album that does well to capture his sound at its sharpest.
After starting in worryingly optimistic fashion, we reach, "Stronger", and the albums veers suddenly into "Nebraska"-era Springsteen territory. Any fears of Costa being a soft touch have been allayed for now. The title track returns to that sprightly sound that began the album while Costa works his harmonica nicely on "No Man's Land". Those Springsteen comparisons are getting harder and harder to avoid. The Boss apparently never smoked, but he sure sounded like he did. Somebody buy Mr Costa some cigarettes!
It would seem that Costa's real world observations serves as the primary source of his lyrics, and his craftsmanship - the way he brings the music and lyrics together - is to be admired. While probably not the finished article, Jared Costa has emerged on the scene at a good time. With the world in the state it's in, and Costa with his ability to observe and opine, he is sure to have plenty of songs for a follow-up. Of course, whether or not he does so is largely up to him. I hope he does.
I'll be on the show 5/17 @ 10pm.
TUNE IN!!
Singer-songwriter Jared Costa plays Philadelphia's Tin Angel this Friday, May 15
May 14, 8:52 AM
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Singer-songwriter Jared Costa
Singer-songwriter Jared Costa performs Friday at Philadelphia's Tin Angel
Newtown, Pa. native Jared Costa performs a 10:00 p.m. show at Philadelphia’s Tin Angel on Friday, May 15. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter recently released his debut CD, Onwards and Upwards, a collection of 12 well-written songs in the bluesy folk-rock vein.
A singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar is a tried and true pop music blueprint, but Costa distinguishes himself from the pack with memorable songs that not only sound good, but also have something to say.
On Onwards and Upwards, Costa keeps the arrangements clean and straightforward, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, harmonica, and an occasional keyboard. The style and instrumentation invite the inevitable comparisons to the work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Atlantic City-era Bruce Springsteen.
While those might seem like lofty comparisons for a first album, Costa’s work is up to the task. Costa succeeds specifically because he doesn’t try to sound like the “second coming” of any famous predecessor, concerned more with sounding like the first coming of Jared Costa.
For example, Costa’s “Love” talks about the subject in the broader sense, as it applies to “our fellow man”:
“Well you can't look down on another man unless you intend on helping him up/
And the Lord above says a window's always open whenever the door is shut/”
In a clever move, Costa weaves a melody line from the classical piece “Canon In D” (the popular wedding ceremony choice) into the song to make his point. Costa’s music is further distinguished by his rich, soulful singing. On “Take It All” his voice glides smoothly from a deep whisper to an emotional wail; on “Love” it gets gritty and real.
Costa recently took the time to answer a few questions about his career and music.
Q: Your bio says that you played in a number of rock bands before deciding to go solo. Was that decision made primarily so that you can have more control over your music, or are there other things that appeal to you about the solo acoustic format?
A: It wasn't so much a conscious decision to go solo as it was a somewhat natural progression. I was always the primary songwriter in those bands. I would sit and write on my acoustic: putting together the melodies and arranging the music. Over time, I found I was accomplishing my vision for those songs as they were on my own - just the guitar and vocals. I do enjoy having the control and being able to really go in any direction I want to go with the music. I think the ability to really explore dynamics is what makes it so appealing. Energy and intimacy can be achieved all in a single transition.
Q: Is there anything you miss about the band format?
A: There are some aspects I miss and I may put some of my music into a band project in the future. In the meantime, I enjoy the positive aspects of a band with some of my very good friends in Crow vs. Lion, a band I play with that is fronted by longtime friend and amazing songwriter, Dan Gallagher. It gives me the opportunity to collaborate and to play several instruments: mandolin, banjo, guitar, keys, and harmonica. It's a lot of fun and gives me some ideas for my own music to be applied to a band dynamic.
Q: Your song “Love” incorporates a bit of the famous classical piece "Canon in D" by Pachelbel. Are you classically trained?
A: I am not trained in any way, actually. I taught myself how to play guitar, harmonica, and a few other instruments. Although, I do feel I am constantly taking things from those around me and I am very fortunate to have always had people around me that were willing to answer questions, give me guidance, or offer advice.
And of course, I enjoy music across the board. Classical music, in particular, has themes and melodies that really lend themselves to interpretation and imitation. "Canon in D" is certainly a favorite of mine and a great example of how I was influenced by and able to incorporate my appreciation for a classical piece into my own songwriting.
Q: What is the writing process like for you? Are you someone who has creative ideas all the time, or do you need to be in a certain mood to be able to write?
A: I try not to be too scientific about the creative process. You risk losing something if you become too rigid about something that I think has to come pretty natural. I am someone that tends to be creative throughout the day. So when I sit down to put pen to paper, I usually have a good idea about a concept or direction.
Q: Do you usually start out with lyrics or music first, or is it a mix?
A: I'd say most often I start with with music and melody based on a feeling or thought I'm having. Then, I put the lyrics to the melody. For me, it's rarely a finished product right away. A song usually needs to be explored and maybe even played live before it's completely finished. Even when a song is done, I'll play it differently on stage from time to time. In that respect, a song is always a work in progress.
Q: The music business has changed quite a bit in the years that I’ve been covering it. These days, artists can be discovered or build an audience through a variety of nontraditional methods, sites like Sonicbids and MySpace. However I still feel that the most direct, lasting, and purest method is still through live performance. Are there any performances of yours that remain particularly memorable?
A: I agree. Live performance is the most important avenue for connecting to your fans. For me, every show I do has something about it that is special to me.
One that stands out immediately is my recent CD release show at Puck in Doylestown, PA. It was just an experience I really cherished. I had some close friends and family there as well as some great folks coming to check it out. The venue really allows the artist to play to the room rather than at it.
Puck is one of the top sound stages I have ever played and the room has a great vibe. Things really clicked from the onset and I was able to hit an intensity and energy level that was exactly what every performer hopes to get out of playing a show. The audience was so responsive; I felt that I was actually just reciprocating their energy at times. And any time you get an encore call, you've done your job. It was the perfect way to celebrate the release of the album.
I could go on and on about many nights because there are so many that stand out. Honestly, every show I play has something memorable for me. I really do try to approach every show as a different entity. If you come out to see me on any given night, I am going to try to make it the best show I've ever played. It's more important that the show will be memorable for the audience and that's exactly my goal. (interview continues below video)
Here's Jarod Costa performing "No Revolution" / "All Along the Watchtower" live at Philadelphia's North Star Bar on December 2, 2008:
No Revolution/All Along the Watchtower-Live
Q: Along those lines, now that your music is available to the public, I was wondering if you’ve been surprised by how it’s been received. For example, have you ever had someone talk to you after a show about your music, or perhaps write to you and express an interpretation they had, or tell you how it affected them in a way that surprised you?
A: First of all, for me there is nothing better than someone coming up to me after a set, saying hello, telling me what they think, and just hanging out. Live performance is the apex of the creative experience. It's the fruition of the whole songwriting process. Not to say recording isn't important or fulfilling, but playing live gives you the connectivity and excitement that you can't replicate any other way. You can really emote what the song was intended for.
I have had a few interpretations and some feedback that struck a chord with me. Feedback from the record is important as well. I put a lot of time and effort into this album and not just because this is my first album, but because anything I do musically represents the best of me.
Origivation Magazine said the album was "iconic" in a recent issue. That was a huge compliment and an honor. I had someone call a song on the album inspiring and say it touched them profoundly. And I always enjoy listening to someone's interpretation of a song. I believe that interpretation is how people participate in the art of music. It's the experience coming full circle. In that way, it's as necessary as anything else in the songwriting process. It makes the artist and listener connect to create something special together.
Jared Costa
by Brittany Sturges, Temple '08
Upon meeting Jared Costa (a 25-year-old acoustic musician from Bucks County), I was struck by how down-to-earth he was—not that I was expecting him to be any different. He took all of my questions in great stride, with a warm persona and a great sense of humor, and even worked in a joke here and there.
Dressed in jeans and a black shirt, he sat there as he explained how he got into music.
“I started playing harmonica when I was ten, and guitar when I was about thirteen. I borrowed my friend’s until I could play. Three years later, I gave it back.”
After playing in some rock bands (including one with Vershara’s Chris Cooney), Jared re-evaluated what he was doing and decided to go solo—something he said was a “pretty natural transition.”
His deep voice with a somewhat Southern sound gives his songs a raw, edgy feel. He describes his style as “bluesy, melodic, grassroots.”
About the writing process. “I’m pretty lucky,” he said, “The pen just hits the paper. I’m inspired by various things—movies, books, other bands.”
When asked what he would like people to get from his music, Jared said, “Positivity. There’s a lot of negativity in the world. Music is a beautiful medium…a breath of fresh air.”
Since he is somewhat new to the local scene, I asked Jared about the city’s music.
“People are becoming more impassioned…bands like Illinois are getting bigger. There’s more loyalty among bands to stay in the city,” he said.
What about the number of acoustic musicians in the city? Will it grow larger?
“If people are progressive, it could blossom into something popular,” Jared said.
Speaking of acoustic shows, what should one expect from him at a show? First of all, don’t be surprised—there is a harmonica involved. Laughing, Jared explained,
“The harmonica adds a bit of surprise. When I start to play, heads turn. People probably don’t know what to expect.”
He went on to say that he loves playing shows with local bands.
“There’s a connection with the audience and the fraternity with the other bands. It’s great.”
With his harmonica and acoustic guitar, Jared Costa is a breath of fresh air to the music scene. He’s one to keep your eye on.