We caught up with James Poyser to talk about his latest musical experiment, Nexxt: a recurring jam session curated by Poyser that will feature the best current and up and coming DJs and musicians from Philly, New York City, and D.C. Read what Poyser had to say about what we can expect from Nexxt, what is so special about the Philly music scene, and what musicians he’d pick for one heck of a historical and hypothetical jam session.
PSL: So what is Nexxt?
Poyser: The simple explanation is it’s a jam session but coming from a different way. When I came up as a younger musician we would have jam sessions where it was really about playing and trying to create songs spontaneously off the top of our heads. Instead of “hey let’s call a tune out”, nah let’s create a tune and try to make it something interesting and we don’t know what’s gonna happen next. Pun intended. Let’s just flow and see what happens and the synergy of the musicians just made the music next level. Pun intended again.
Trying to hark back to those days of doing that but put a spin on it. Instead of a lot of notes just flying all over the place, everyone can enjoy it. Not just improvisation but improvisational composition.
PSL: Anything else that the audience can expect?
Poyser: Just a fun time. I don’t know what to expect.
*Laughs* I say let’s get up there and play and whoever is in the house, jump on stage. It’s gonna be curated. It might not be everyone comes in with their harmonica and banjo like “Can I get on?” It might not happen like that . But the people I know who can jump in and swim like this, can jump in and swim. It should be fun.
PSL: Did you want to reveal any of the artists that are going to be a part of Nexxt?
Poyser: Oh I don’t know. Whoever’s around playing. It’s the night before Thanksgiving. Philadelphia is renowned for the musicians that we have that are out touring and working all over the world so a lot of these guys hopefully are home for the holidays and they may come down.
PSL: Why did you choose Philly for Nexxt?
Poyser: Well this is where I’m from. I’m still based outside of Philly. Even though I work in New York everyday, I still come home to Philly every night. It’s funny, a lot of young guys heard about what we used to do back in the day at spots like Wilhemina’s and The Five Spot and have said that they wish we could have that again. It seems like there is not a whole lot happening like how it used to be in the past so I wanted to do something like this and see what happens.
PSL: Speaking of Wilhelmina’s days, you’ve seen quite a few different eras of music. Sound wise, what do you feel is next in regards to where music is going?
Poyser: You know, I try to keep my ears to the streets. My twelve year old asks me about artists and I’m like “Who?” and I’m in the music business. *Laughs* I think where it is now we’ve been on this sonic wave where it’s about sound and the manipulation of the sonic but I really feel that more music knowledge and theory and actual playing will be thrown more into the mix. I can’t really say that it’s going to be a world beat thing or a dance thing- but the world is so small with technology that every sound from every area of the world is accessible so I think it’s going to be a melting of all of those things. But with that, technology is going to push the sound and sonic envelope and musicianship, hopefully, will come back to the forefront.
PSL: What would you say is so special about Philly Soul? Do you feel like there is a specific Philly Soul sound?
Poyser: I wouldn’t even say “Philly Soul”. Philly EVERYTHING really. There’s a soul aspect definitely but I just like the term… Philly?
PSL: Is there a sound or something specific that Philly contributes to contemporary American music? Philly has such a rich musical history. Do you feel like there’s something special in particular that Philly carries?
Poyser: We are renowned for having some really incredible musicians. There was one point where any touring band in the United States had a musician from the Philly area. It was incredible and still is. You look at Adam Blackstone who is the musical director for…everything!
We have guys like Derrick Hodge, Brian Moore, and Lil’ John Roberts and then of course The Roots and Jill (Scott), Musiq, and Jazzy Jeff. It’s just this thing. I really don’t know how to quantify it. There’s something special that came out of the (High School of Creative and) Performing Arts school and that came out of the Clef Club experience. Then all of the guys like myself who came out of the church where you know, we just sort of know how to play. And we had some elders who taught us and showed us the way like Gamble and Huff and some of other great musicians that the average Joe may not know but these guys need the credit. There were a lot of those guys around whose careers we watched and learned from by just talking to them. That’s how we learned and we pass it on. I learned from Dexter Wansel and from Steven Ford and guys of that ilk. Again, those that the average listener may not know but those that know, know. I tried to watch their careers and thought, let me approach it this way. And then when I learned it, I tried to pass it on to someone that’s watching me. It’s that kind of energy that just goes through Philly I guess.
PSL: And then what you’ll be able to do with Nexxt, as far creating this platform for other musicians, is continue to pass that knowledge on and that’s how you are hoping the tradition will continue?
Poyser: That’s the hope! I mean it’s still going on but this is something else where I can bring my old behind self and play somewhere too. Part of it too is I just want to play more. I mean, I am still writing, producing and of course still doing the TV show. But I just want to be able to play with some guys. Even though I am not retired, it’s like the retired NBA guy who will still go to the gym and play ball. I just want to play.
PSL: I have to ask you about your gifs. Do your friends ever send you gifs of you in response to things you say?
Poyser: At least two or three times a week. Whenever they see them on the internet, they’ll send them to me or when my sports team loses.
PSL: Finally, if you could put together a five piece jam session band of anyone that’s passed away, musicians and singers, who would be in it? You can go as far back as King David in the bible if you want to.
Poyser: Oh wow! I’ve never thought about that. That’s funny that you say King David because he would probably spit some hot fire on the mic.
PSL: Right! And he could play too! Didn’t he play the harp for King Saul?
Poyser: Yeah but put King David on the mic. Look at those songs in Psalms that he wrote. I’m just saying. Miles Davis, Prince, MJ… (pauses)
PSL: You have at least two people in there who can play EVERYTHING.
Poyser: Okay, MJ on vocals, Prince on guitar, Miles playing whatever Miles wants to play. Jaco Pastorius on bass and on keys….Bill… Evans? Bill Evans on keys maybe? Or Beethoven.
PSL: I honestly thought you were going to say Billy Preston for a second there.
Poyser: Aah! Billy Preston. You know people ask me who my favorite keyboardist is and it’s hard to name just one. I’ve learned so much from so many people. I could start listing my favorites and then three hours later I wouldn’t even be finished.
PSL: And finally, who do you have on drums?
Poyser: Tony Williams. Tony Williams or the first dude who invented the drums in Africa, whoever he was.
Nexxt takes place this Wednesday night at Green Soul at 8 PM. Tickets are $10 online. For more information, visit www.greensoulliving.com.