SPILL FEATURE: THE ORIGINS OF A HIP-HOP SAMPLE – A CONVERSATION WITH JaRON MARSHALL

THE ORIGINS OF A HIP-HOP SAMPLE

A CONVERSATION WITH JaRON MARSHALL

Perhaps best known as the keyboardist for Black Pumas – the neo-soul folk rock band whose 2019 eponymous debut album made an impressive wave among popular music – JaRon Marshall is quickly rising as a prolific solo artist. Since making his debut in 2020 with The Gold Tapes, Vol. 1-3, Marshall has crafted a unique sound that rests where jazz and hip-hop meet, something that especially clear when comparing last year’s full-length album, Earth Sounds, to his most recent single, “A Win Is A Win”. In celebration of his most recent work, Marshall is currently in the midst of his first ever headlining tour.

“My journey, I’d say, started before I even picked up an instrument. When I was ten, I was already writing songs. When I was 11 years old, I learned music theory, picked up the piano and immediately felt like a composer and a producer” Marshall states when discussing his roots as a solo artist. His decision to begin releasing his own music, however, emerged in response to a unique performance opportunity. During Black Puma’s 2020 European tour, Marshall was given the chance to open the shows, but he had to release music first in order to do so. He described the shows as equally stressful as fulfilling, expanding, “It was me with a computer and a keyboard, playing beats and soloing over them.”

PURCHASE EARTH SOUNDS

If The Gold Tapes, Vol. 1-3 emerged out of necessity, Marshall has continued to release music out of the pursuit of his own creative desires. His most recent single, “A Win Is A Win”, released on October 4^th, was created largely in his home studio as a programed beat with various midi, electronic elements built upon it. As Marshall explains, “70 to 75% of the time, I start with a drum groove, it will guide me the whole way. The chord structure is very modal. The original beat went up to the end of the A section, I was just bouncing around on that, on E minor. Kevin Parker, I think he said in an interview once, ‘anything on the album was once my favourite thing in the world’ and I really felt that cause I just played that all the time.” After reaching out to featured artist, Jadanaë, who demoed vocals on the track, Marshall headed over to the studio, “we went into the studio and played over it, replaced all the midi stuff and she laid down her live vocals and that was it.” The result is a sleek R&B track built upon a track inspired by hip-hop but performed live by musicians. Marshall is quick to cite Madlib as one of his greatest influences and it certainly shows.

In contrast to his previous album, Earth Sounds, “A Win Is A Win”, along with his previous single, “Nostalgia” marks a significant shift from Earth Sounds, a full on jazz album that sees improvisation flourish in a live setting. Impressively, minus a few, minor overdubs, all 10 songs on the album were recorded in a single day. With a new, 10-track album set to drop next year, Marshall digs deeper into this creative shift, “This new era started with the Discotheques 001 EP from last year. I thought, ‘Let me be a real producer’ instead of trying to lead a band while jamming on keys. I had a demo made at home, and then brought it in for my band to record in the studio. It sounds like the origins of a hip-hop sample – it feels like beats, it feels sampled, but it’s all original music performed in that style.” He adds, “With the new album, there are going to be a lot of vocal moments. You get some live moments, some improvisation, add these vocal moments – hooks, a verse, a chorus. It feels like everything that I’ve previously done is combined in this thing.”

PHOTO CREDIT: MATHIEU DERANLOT

“I feel like I’m a producer living the life of a musician. Not long after I was playing, it was all about making tracks and being able to produce and compose.” Marshall explains the root of his artistry, continuing, “Treat your instrument as a means to an end. The people who arrange and compose are the people that history remembers. You don’t just want to play covers forever, and you don’t want to just be a sideman… You want to get your voice out there, say what you have to say.” With his recent work, Marshall continues to push the limits by bridging the lost connections between hip-hop and jazz. If his recent singles are any indication, his current tour and upcoming album are certain to be exciting musical endeavours.

Artist Links

Main Photo Credit: Alexandre Lopes | Background Photo Credit: Leon Barker Photography

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