05/06/08
Text: Nik Mercer
Vosotros, a small independent L.A. label, is merging the classical and pop, conceptual and straightforward, experimental and rock, to create an exciting new sound for the 21st century!
The company was formed with middle school friends, John Gillilan and Gabe Noel, with the intention of making music for "you all" (the literal translation of the label's Spanish name). While it sounds like some Guero's take on Fubu, Vosotros is a truly inspiring label that congeals classical, traditional sounds you might find at the Disney Hall and poppy, easy-to-digest aesthetics of today's indie music community. These guys have a lot to offer, so dive into their website, check out a live show when you've a chance, and read the below interview to fully understand what John and Gabe are all about.
I've the feeling that, before its inception, you came up with some sort of manifesto that would guide Vosotros. Tell me a little bit about why you made the label and what goals and aspirations you wished to fulfill through it.
John: Vosotros was created to support innovation in music. We aspire to bring new ideas to every aspect of running a label, from production to distribution and live performance. In a time of such uncertainty in the music industry, we saw an opportunity (and a necessity) for a fresh approach to making music and doing business. And while our “manifesto” is still evolving every day, above all, creating music with a clear vision is our goal.
Gabe: Initially we envisioned Vosotros as an avenue for my artistic pursuits, a way to get my music out. I had already completed my first record (six thirty) one year before we started vosotros, and as I continued to play we began to envision projects with specific goals in mind—placement in other media, live performance, and collaborative efforts, etc… I am a bassist and composer, and I see vosotros as composing a piece for bass and briefcase—John being the briefcase.
The first release―The Lazy Susan―is a hodge podge of genres, styles, and aesthetics. It jumps from avant garde orchestral experimentalism to a sort of trip-hop to indie hip-hop to folk-rock. It's all over the place! How does everything come together here? What's the common thread binding all the songs?
G: We wanted to craft a project that showcased my musical influences, and eventually it took form as sort of a compilation. The Lazy Susan consists of twelve songs by twelve bands featuring 32 musicians. I wrote all the music, sang on a few, and played bass, cello, keyboards, and programmed stuff as well. I guess the common thread would be that I am obsessed with sound. I love T-Pain. I love Luigi Nono. I love new jack swing. I love Oscar Peterson. And I wonder what it would sound like if they were mixed together... if T-Pain sang with The Mothers of Invention (masunday is kinda like that!). I find myself singing a song in my head and it seamlessly leading into another and another and another... The Lazy Susan is like that, combining elements of popular music and culture with the unexpected, the familiar with the unknown.
Why'd you name the label Vosotros? What does it mean to you and does it have any relation to L.A. [where you were formed and currently based]?
J: Gabe and I met in seventh grade Spanish class in Chicago. The Vosotros form is a verb conjugation roughly meaning "you-all." But since it is primarily used in Spain, it was always ignored―it was boxed out in our textbook and never on the test! Vosotros is music for you-all.
G: I wonder where Professora White is now…
What backgrounds do you all come from? One cannot help but think that Vosotros is comprised of some pretty skilled musicians... classically and otherwise.
G: I began playing cello when I was four. I come from a family of music lovers from Chicago―my brother is a journalist at the and former rock DJ, my mom grew up hearing to classical music at home, and my dad is a huge music fan and audiophile. When I was eleven I began playing bass (four strings, seemed natural) and suddenly a whole world of musical opportunity appeared…there’s bass in every kind of music! My brother would make me mixtapes of popular music and my dad turned me on to jazz. I began studying upright bass, continuing my classical training on both bass and cello. Eventually I was performing chamber music and in orchestras, jazz ensembles of different kinds, rock bands, Latin music, Indian music, and anything else I could get my hands on.
When I moved to Los Angeles four years ago I continued meeting musicians and learning new music—I now play in over ten different groups as well as create my own music through vosotros. I am very fortunate to have met many amazing musicians of various backgrounds who donated their artistry to The Lazy Susan. They collectively have worked with an astounding list of musicians that reads as a who’s who in modern music. It’s bananas.
J: I started playing the guitar when I was 12―and have been involved in music ever since. Since moving to LA, I have spent my time as a recording engineer and interning for a variety of music companies in digital media, marketing, and music supervision. Also, I am very interested in digital culture and a supporter of the Creative Commons movement, which has had a major influence on Vosotros.
How do you approach recording and producing? Do you sit down over the course of two weeks and crank out an album or is it a more laborious, concentrated effort that takes more time?
G: Yes! All the above! Every day is different, and I approach every project differently. I am a live musician first, so, as John I’m sure agrees, I really dig the first take. When something is done it’s done. After that it’s a fine line before unnecessary stuff starts getting added, which I call mayo. Mayo is what you use to make something go farther, like tuna fish, but doesn’t really serve the music/taste better. For instance, our newest project, The Years, was recorded in three days. We have over three hours of music! Now it’s evolved into at least two more projects in addition to The Years – an instrumental mixtape and the backing tracks for a hip-hop artist. Every day brings a different challenge.
J: The Lazy Susan recordings came together very quickly―always without rehearsal and with limited studio time. It was such a fun experience for us because we never knew what each month would bring. And I think this spontaneity is really apparent on the album.
How did you select the collaborators and who are they, exactly?
G: They are my colleagues and friends. They are musicians from the jazz community, people I met through teaching positions I have had, through producers, even just calling them based on music I heard or what someone else may have said about them... As each band on The Lazy Susan was different than the last, I would call the musicians I felt best served that particular song—and this would lead to some interesting configurations... for instance, a singer from Martinique, a sousaphone, a bassoon, a pump organ, a shredding guitarist, and a funky gospel drummer all together for one song...
In terms of influences and musical inspirations/interests, where does Vosotros come from? What were you listening to when you were kids? In high school? College? Additionally, whom do you look up to from a composition and production standpoint?
G: When I was very young, my influences revolved around the masters of the instruments I played; cellists Yo-Yo Ma, Rostropovich, and bassists Ray Brown, Jaco Pastorius, and Edgar Meyer all had a profound effect on me. When my brother began feeding me popular music I would listen to his favorite artists—Yo La Tengo, R.E.M., Ice Cube, and the like. I’ll never forget when my father played me Jackie McLean, the alto saxophonist. I wigged out. I think that’s when I decided there was no turning back... From a composition and production standpoint, I try to draw from everything I listen to. Lately I’ve been into: Stravinsky, Wayne Shorter, Brian Eno, J Dilla, Bulgarian wedding music, Henry Mancini, Georgia Ann Muldrow, and Bill Evans. I dunno, I could go on forever! However, I find as I get older I am less and less biased. Like I said before, I’m obsessed with sound. If I like something, I like it. That’s all. I feel somewhat influenced by everything I hear.
Ideally, whom would Vosotros appeal to? Is the label for "everyone" or for a more select, cultured group of music listeners? Did you have this demographic in mind during the label's creation and first release's recording/production?
J: I have always been supportive of labels that have earned my trust as a listener. Labels like Thrill Jockey or Nonesuch or Polyvinyl immediately come to mind. These labels don’t have a consistent "sound"―but they have maintained a reputation of quality with every release. It’s been exciting to follow these labels over the years―and I would hope to achieve a similar trust in our listeners.
I think Vosotros appeals to an adventurous listener, but certainly not in an elitist way. The Lazy Susan draws from so many different influences, but the consistent level of musicianship makes it accessible. This was especially evident in the success of our live residency. Gabe and I put a lot of effort into presenting a memorable night of music each month – and we developed a loyal (and eclectic!) audience because of it.
G: Yeah, Vosotros is music for you-all.
Vosotros has a great visual aesthetic component. Really appealing artwork, flyers, etc. Who does your design and is there any ulterior motive for making it all look like this [clean, crisp, minimalist, and bold]?
J: We do all of our own graphic design. This can be challenging because it takes a lot of time to reach a finished product, but outsourcing this work didn’t feel right. The process of designing our logo and packaging took months... but it was very rewarding for us. Simple design has always appealed to me because it doesn’t suggest too much. I think a consistent visual aesthetic is very important though.
Lastly, what's on the horizon for the label? More releases? Special concerts and tours? Exciting collaborations?
J: We’re currently working on a project called The Years, a concept album inspired by the music of each decade, starting in the past and ending in the future...
Also―stay tuned for a handful of new releases from the extended Vosotros family and some performances from Quiet Orchestra this fall.
