Jason Mraz @ The Betsey Trotwood 19/03/03 Jason Mraz is the type of singer/songwriter that people just can't help but get obsessive about. You know the sort. Boyish looks, charming, great voice, passionate songs, don't you just hate them? Virginia born and raised, he moved to New York in his late teens, where he encountered a psychic in Central Park who told him to follow his instincts and "get experience". He grabbed his guitar and moved to San Diego, spending two years playing in coffee shops, streets and parks, honing his abilities. In 2002, he travelled to Los Angeles, partnered with percussionist Toca Rivera, and played his pop-country-folk here, there and everywhere, getting snapped up by Elektra along the way. He's mates with Dave Matthews, Jewel, and David Gray. He has an excellent taste in hats. He just recently supported Tracy Chapman at the Albert Hall. His name is difficult to say when you're drunk. Any questions? Tonight, Jason is accompanied by bassist Ian and the aforementioned Toca, who stands at the back of the stage like a Greek kouros with a massive drum attached to his belly. This is undoubtedly one of the most exciting shows that has ever taken place at the humble Betsey, and none of the fans can quite believe their luck in being here, now, INCHES AWAY FROM JASON…swoon. Yep, that's the kind of vibe down here, it's intense. Jason has been touring extensively since releasing his first album with Elektra, Waiting For My Rocket To Come, and the non-stop lifestyle is beginning to take its toll on a young musician who began his career with a strong desire to experience the world. "After you travel a lot, cities begin to look the same and you get a little jaded", says Jason, sipping on a beer before the show. However, he's just played two landmark shows in front of sell out crowds at the Albert Hall supporting Tracy Chapman; a pretty big deal for an artist still building a fan base in Britain, surely? "I'm really grateful for the opportunity but I don't get as excitedly nervous as I used to. Now I get professionally nervous. The biggest question was how it was going to translate over the pond, but they took to our humour and our music." While England is still in the process of warming to this new artist, back home in the states, things are really hotting up. After making it onto the Billboard charts, and getting played on MTV and VH1, Jason is reaching that stage in his career where guys want to know where he gets his hats, and girls want to know about his underwear. "I just tell them I don't wear any. It's easy for the music business to blow up someone, and blow up their ego especially, making them unavailable to people, but I would rather not be that guy, I'd rather just have a sense of humour about it." His fans seem to have an intimate knowledge of their new favourite artist. One fan on a website forum (www.mrazmerized.com) forwarded the question: "How's the giraffe?", a fairly puzzling enquiry, but Jason knows exactly what he means, and is more than happy to respond. "The giraffe is missed; he sleeps in my bed at home. I won't bring him on tour; he'll get lost or bruised. I grew up with this toy duck, and when I moved to California he disappeared, then about a year later, this giraffe just appeared in my bed. So I imagine he was reincarnated. His name is Longfellow." Continuing the animal theme, another fan asked: "Why are you so obsessed with roosters?" - Jason seems to enjoy the subject. "Firstly, it's related to Southern culture - my Mom decorates the house with roosters on plates and stuff, so I got a tattoo to brand me. And the rooster wakes the world up with a song - he's a very ambitious vocalist. I wanted to be as ambitious; I wanted to get up every day ready to sing. I also really like the sexual connotation. My album is a Southern culture record about this cocky individual who's just out to be ambitious with his voice and have lots of fun…and take care of the little hens." There is a distinct level of maturity and skill in this 26-year-old's songwriting, all the more remarkable given that he didn't start until the age of eighteen, a relatively late year for your average singer-songwriter. "I've always wanted to be in music, but I never really joined a band in high school, instead I joined the choir and focussed on singing. When I left school I needed something to accompany myself; I played some piano, but I couldn't really carry a piano to the park." In the short space of time between then and now, Jason has developed a character with almost Zen like qualities, and his songs are always positive and upbeat; is there anything that pisses him off? Does he ever get angry? "No, not really. There's no time. What's the point of doing anything if you're angry? I love doing this, from the smallest venue to the largest; it's just a good time. There's something about those two hours on stage, making music and getting down; it's like a drug, and I'm addicted." The story goes that one day his Father said to him: "Find something you love to do, son, and make it your living", and now Jason lives by that code. "I always look for it in everything. I knew what it was when he said that. I told him, "I want to be a singer", and he said, "Well, go do that". It was a lot of sacrifice at first, but now I've made singing my living. And it still applies, if I get into a situation that doesn't feel right, then I create a situation more suitable or enjoyable. Everybody already has a voice in the back of their head that tells them exactly what to do, but they're often scared of it, so they would rather have somebody else say that exact same thing to confirm it, but the trouble is that often you won't get that confirmation. Someone once told me, "Avoid the questioner and go with what you know". So go with that voice that says "do this", "buy this drink", "quit your job", whatever it is that will make you the most happy." Jason dedicates much of his life to sleep; on this particular day, it transpires, he slept until four in the afternoon. Not out of laziness, however. He is a dreamer. "The way I see it, anything you can have a memory from actually happened. If you accept a dream as real, then it is! Last night I had this dream where I was eating bloodworms. It was pretty disgusting, but we prepared them in a sugar cookie, so it was easier to eat. So we "sugared the bloody situation" - you can interpret dreams in so many ways." And how do these dreams relate to his music? "Well I'm not going to sing about worms. Sometimes it's just the feeling, and the free flow that dreams have, you never know where they're going to go. I'd rather make myself dream-like, so the listener can interpret it for themselves, the way they would a dream." Jason imbues a strong sense of promise, and for tonight's gig to be anything less than dazzling would be a severe let down, but fortunately Mr. Mraz doesn't disappoint. What is immediately remarkable about tonight's gig is that the band sound a great deal bigger than they actually are. Standing outside of the room, you could swear blind that the Betsey is playing host to a band with at least twice as many members than are actually on stage. The sheer richness and immensity of the music is quite breathtaking, especially when what you are seeing is essentially just an acoustic three-piece. And this is ultimately a much more satisfying experience than listening to the pristine super sheen overproduction of his album, which is in danger of scaring away many potential British fans who prefer their singer-songwriters to be a little more rough around the edges. Nevertheless, Jason has a remarkable talent for knocking you into a wide-eyed, jaw-open daze, and then whipping you up into an arm-flapping, bum-shaking frenzy, the way only someone as ambitious as Jason could do. And speaking of ambitious, tonight sees a spectacular range of covers, injected in between and often during Jason's own songs. As well as timeless classics such as 'One Love', and 'Rocket Man', the audience is also treated to snippets of 'Eye of the Tiger', John Lennon's 'Woman', and even a half-arsed attempt at Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful', which is almost as amusing as Toca's attempt at an English accent, or Ian's rendition of the theme from 'Super Mario Brothers'. There is an effortlessly smooth flow to the two-hour set; every move that is made seems as whimsical as the next. Watching Mraz getting down to it on stage gives you the distinct impression of someone making it up as they go along. The guys don't really seem to have a set list, just a level of understanding, guided by Jason's wandering imagination, which glides through an astonishing variety of songs and ideas. Though he is onstage for a full two hours, Jason's performance feels nothing like it, with each movement flowing effortlessly into the next and making unexpected twists and turns along the way, in much the same way as a dream. And it's a shared experience for everyone, with Jason involving the crowd as much as possible in the direction of the show, asking for requests, encouraging sing-alongs, talking to the crowd standing inches away from him, making everybody feel as much a part of the proceedings as the band. It's a shared dream, and no one, least of all Jason, wants the dream to end, but before anybody realises the time, he has to bid farewell, for the time being at least. But the Sandman will be back, with a guitar and a silly hat, ready to send good girls and boys off to the land of nod for another adventure soon. Keep an eye out. Reviews Archive: Laptop, Maroon 5, The Parkinsons, Guitar Vader, The Raveonettes, Mono, Dawn of the Replicants, Demo Workshops, The Jeevas, The Wannadies, Mclusky, Alanis Morissette, The Leaves & Phantom Planet, The Breeders, Freeheat, The Hives, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Peter Yorn, Mary Guibert					LIVE REVIEW The Betsey Trotwood Text by Matthew Grundy Photos courtesy of jasonmraz.com