SHADOWLANDS, a project by John Raymond and S. Carey, joined KGNU’s Indra Raj in the studio. S. Carey, known for his work with Bon Iver, shared how he first connected with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. John Raymond, a jazz trumpeter recognized for his innovative work, discussed how he blends various musical influences into his jazz style. The band performed live tracks and discussed their musical journeys, influences, and formal training in jazz and classical music (Interview date: 9/25/2024)
Indra Raj: I’m really excited to welcome in our live studio session SHADOWLANDS, which is the project featuring trumpeter John Raymond and percussionist S. Carey. Welcome to the studio.
SHADOWLANDS: How’s it going? Thanks for having us.
Indra Raj: Great. It’s wonderful to have you all. You’re going to be at Swallow Hill on Friday performing and I’m just so pleased that we were able to get you in the studio today to hear some of your music and talk more about your journeys as musicians.
So before we talk about a bunch of stuff, why don’t we hear a bit of music from y’all?
You’re listening to SHADOWLANDS live here in the KGNU studios. That was super beautiful. SHADOWLANDS featuring S. Carey and John Raymond. Both of you have such interesting careers in music, but you met at the University of Wisconsin, is that right?
SHADOWLANDS (S. Carey): Yeah, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Indra Raj: Nice. And 20 years later, tell me a little bit about how this collaboration has gone throughout the years.
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): Sean and I have stayed in touch over the years as he went his route in the music that he’s made and and likewise for me. Maybe five or six years ago now, we reconnected and started playing a little bit here and there. I sat in a couple times with Sean when he would come through on the road where I’m currently living in Bloomington, Indiana, and then out again in LA, I think it was.
We just started talking about making some music together and what that could sound like. It started out as a very experimental thing, and the more we kept making the music that we were working on, the more things started to take shape into what now is this album that was released a little over a year ago called SHADOWLANDS.
Indra Raj: And just a little bit individually for our listeners so they know a little bit more about both of you. Sean, you go by S. Carey. Notably you have worked with Bon Iver for many years and I was just reading about how you got involved with him. It’s such an interesting story, so I’m wondering if you could share that with our audience.
SHADOWLANDS (S. Carey): Yeah, the short version is that he’s from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where we went to college, and he moved away. He had a band called DeYarmond Edison, and they were the band that we always looked up to. He moved back to Eau Claire, went to his dad’s cabin, made the record, and didn’t have a band.
I basically just took it upon myself to learn the album front to back as well as I could. I used my music student energy to just study it and approached him at his first gig when a band that I was playing in was opening. I just was like, “Hey Justin, if you want someone to play with you tonight, I know all the songs.” We sound checked a few songs and he was surprised and taken aback at how good it sounded right away and played half the set that night and the rest was history.
Indra Raj: Yeah, and you all are still working together now, is that right?
SHADOWLANDS (S. Carey): Yeah.
Indra Raj: That’s wonderful. That’s so cool. It ties into the whole organic story of Bon Iver and the woods, making that album in a cabin and how you got to work with him. That’s really amazing.
John Raymond, you’re a jazz trumpeter and DownBeat has said you are “steering jazz in the right direction.” So I want to hear from you why you think that is.
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): I don’t know if I think that, but I’m thankful that somebody does. I’ve always seen my view as an artist, as a quote unquote “jazz musician”, as somebody who’s trying to bring in all the influences of music that I like. And Sean’s music, the music of Bon Iver and many others is wrapped into that. I’ve always tried to make music from that place of just being honest to myself and who I am and what I’m hearing. And so I guess if that means it’s whatever DownBeat says, then that’s cool.
Indra Raj: Yeah, thanks DownBeat. No, that’s great. I’m very curious to talk more about both of your origins in music, but before we do that, I would love to hear some more music. So maybe we can do a couple songs in a row.
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): You got it. This one’s called “Steadfast”.
Indra Raj: You’re listening to SHADOWLANDS live here in the KGNU studios. They will be performing at Swallow Hill this Friday. We’re really happy to have you guys and this is really beautiful. I’m loving it. SHADOWLANDS features S. Carey and John Raymond, but there’s also some other excellent musicians in the room with you all, so I’d love to acknowledge them. Could you tell me who else is playing with you, even though they don’t have mics in front of them?
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): Yeah, totally. We have an incredible band, and there are people from all around the country that are on tour with really great artists, and we just so happen to have them with us today and on Friday night.
So on piano, we have Roman Collin, who lives in New York currently. On bass and vocals from Chicago, Illinois, Katie Ernst, and our hometown Denver hero on guitar and synth and just general good vibes, Dave Devine Jr.
Indra Raj: Amazing. You guys obviously sound great. I don’t need to tell you that. I’m always curious about this, because I grew up in the classical tradition and stuff like that, and felt that it was stifling for myself creatively. But both of you studied music formally, classical jazz.
Sean, you already referenced being a good music student in your work. A lot of people can get stuck in those spaces, but obviously you two have gone into very different spaces with your music, explored all sorts of things. So I’m curious to hear about how your formal training in jazz and classical music has helped inform where you are now as musicians or your journey. And then also maybe some ways in which maybe it might have held you back and maybe it didn’t at all. So go ahead.
SHADOWLANDS (S. Carey): I guess I think back to college years as just being exposed to a bunch of different kinds of music and that has continued. Being a touring musician for the last 15 years has really helped that too, where you’re hanging out with different musicians all the time. They’re like, “Hey, have you heard this? Have you heard this?” So when I think back to school, it’s like diving into all these classical composers I’d never heard of. It’s going to date me, but going over to the library and checking out CDs. “I don’t know what this is, but I’m going to check it out for a couple of weeks and listen to it.” I think that was the biggest takeaway for me. And then just having the time to really, practice and focus on my craft.
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): Yeah. I would add to that and just say that I think school or formal training for me was really helpful to give me an understanding of how to go deeper into the music. Not just from a listening sense, like what Sean was talking about, but just honing a craft. I was joking with these folks earlier that I woke up early this morning and played an hour just to warm up because it’s what you have to do as a trumpet player. Just giving me that appreciation for that kind of routine and being able to find a meditative place in that, so that it doesn’t become homework, but it’s something that allows me to go deeper into my own mind, into my own body and my imagination too.
Indra Raj: I love that. And speaking of going deeper into your mind and body, Sean, you’re a percussionist, but you’re also a vocalist. When did you find singing and realize you’re such a great singer?
SHADOWLANDS (S. Carey): I always sang, but I kept it secret for many years. I was in choir as a kid and I sang a little bit in high school, like in bands. But during my time in Eau Claire, in college, I never sang, and I don’t think anyone knew that I did. I got lucky and both my parents were singers, and I guess once I started touring and playing with Justin, I really started to think of that as an instrument for me, and something that I could do and could focus on. I don’t know. It’s always a work in progress.
Indra Raj: Yeah. Great to hear it all this morning. You’re listening to SHADOWLANDS, who are live in the studio featuring S. Carey and John Raymond and other musicians. And y’all are going to be live at Swallow Hill this Friday. What can our listeners expect from the show? Are you going to play everything off of the record from last year? Other stuff? Tell me about it.
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): Yeah, I think we’ll play most of the music from the record. We also have a couple new songs that we’ve been toying with the past few days as we’ve been on the road so we may play those as well. But yeah, this is our official Denver release party I guess you could say. It feels like a long time coming especially because Dave is, as I mentioned, from here, and so it feels like this is like a homecoming show in a certain way. So we really hope people can come out and check it out and be a part of this music with us.
Indra Raj: Absolutely. All right, let’s hear one more piece of music. I wish we could hear the whole record, but one more for today.
SHADOWLANDS (S. Carey): All right. Thanks so much. This is called “Blood Orange”.
Indra Raj: Thank you all so much for being in the studio today. Just really lovely to have you. How can our listeners find out more about what you’re up to? Hopefully new music or other things happening in the future.
SHADOWLANDS (John Raymond): Yeah you can follow us on social media, we have a SHADOWLANDS band page. It’s not to be confused with this dark goth metal Shadowlands band. So you have to make sure it’s us. But yeah, you can follow us on social media and we’re hopefully gonna be putting out some new music relatively soon.
Indra Raj: Great. I’m on the Instagram and it’s @shadowlandsband if you don’t want the dark metal, which I’m sure is also great. Thank you all so much. Swallow Hill this Friday, more information about that on Swallow Hill’s website on SHADOWLANDS’ social media and the rest. I can’t thank you guys enough for being here. Thank you so much.
SHADOWLANDS: Thanks for having us.
