Episode 41 of Hooked on Creek features my interview with Jamemurrell Stanley. Jay plays percussion in Max Creek, but also performs in several other bands and musical ensembles, including his own group Jamemurrell Stanley and the Drummers of Peace & Equality.
In this episode, you will hear Jay talk about his background in west African music and his perspectives on Max Creek.
Links to learn more:
- Jamemurrell Stanley’s album Sketches of Africa
- Jamemurrell Stanley’s album My little Music Box
- Max Creek performing Yellow Moon on June 8, 2019
- Max Creek performing Into the Ocean on January 17, 2015
- Jamemurrell Stanley and the Drummers of Peace & Equality performing Afunga on May 28, 2017
Transcript of episode 41
You’re listening to Hooked on Creek, a podcast celebrating the music, history and fans of the legendary jam band Max Creek. I am your host, Korre Johnson, and you are listening to episode 41.
Thank you for joining me on another very special episode of Hooked on Creek. Today, I am excited to share my interview with Jamemurrell Stanley. Jay has been playing percussion in Max Creek since 2011, but Jay has performed, and continues to perform, in many different bands and musical ensembles, including his own group the Drummers of Peace & Equality.
During my recent trip to Camp Creek, I had the opportunity to meet Jay and talk about his background in west African music and his perspectives on Max Creek. Because of his musical studies, education and experiences traveling to west Africa, Jay has been able to take his knowledge of African culture and music and shape the sound of the music he creates, including with Max Creek. Jay has a deep appreciation of the power of music and I think that really comes through when you listen to our conversation.
As a reminder, you can read a full transcript of my interview with Jay Stanley by visiting the Hooked on Creek website at hookedoncreek.com. Alright, here it is.
Korre: Jamemurrell Stanley, welcome to Hooked on Creek.
Jay: Oh, thank you for having me. I’m so happy to finally be here. You know, it took quite some time, but I’m happy. I’m finally here speaking with you.
Korre: Well, it’s Saturday at Camp Creek. How are things going for you so far?
Jay: Things are going awesome. I had a great set yesterday with my percussion troop. It was amazing. I got to play with a lot of my close friends who I haven’t really got to see during this whole pandemic thing because I’m up in Maine, now. But it’s been great. I have some other friends here. We’ve just been having a great time and enjoying the whole Creek family. It’s like an amazing thing every year to see.
Korre: This is one of the most special things I’ve ever encountered — Camp Creek. It’s so cool. Jay, when you’re up on stage right before Max Creek performs and you look out at that crowd, what are you thinking? What are you feeling as you see those Creek Freaks?
Jay: I feel blessed, first of all, because it’s just nice to be like wanted, to have people that actually appreciate what you do. And, I feel a lot of love and companionship because I have a lot of friends who I’ve met in the scene. I have a lot of friends who were in the scene before I was even in the scene. So yeah, it’s nice to share that with lots of people and be able to like share the music and vibe. It’s all about the vibe at a Creek show for me.
Korre: When I saw you yesterday in your band Jamemurrell Stanley and the Drummers of Peace & Equality, you said something that kind of touched me. You talked about the power of music and in a sense through your music, you never die. Can you talk more about what you meant by that?
Jay: I forget where I heard it, but somebody said something to the likeness of you only die when someone stops speaking your name. It’s funny for a number of reasons. First of all, because I have been playing in this band for a while and it took a while to get my own kind of like motion built up or whatever you may call it. And as soon as I started building that up, I was given this name, Chocolate Thunder. I didn’t come up with it. I didn’t make it. Somebody just gave it to me, then it just stuck.
So with that being said, it’s like when I heard that — you’ll only live on as long as people speak your name — like I do want to live forever. I want people to remember me and the things I’ve done. I want be here to do enough good deeds so that I’ll be able to live on forever and to fill people’s hearts with enough music so they’ll never forget me, and so their kids will remember me and their kids’ kids and that they’ll hear the stories and they’ll pass them down. So they literally never die.
Like look at Jesus. Look at how long we’ve been speaking his name. Or like, I don’t know, the pharaohs. The more people speak your name, the more energy is generated and the longer and longer I think, like I said, you’ll live on. And you can live on forever as long as people never forget your name, you know?
Korre: Well, I think through Max Creek and the type of community that surrounds this band and the passion the fans have and all the recordings, I have a feeling that’s going to work for you.
Jay: I hope so. And yeah, Max Creek is definitely an inspiration to that because they’ve been going for so long. And, I know so many generations of families who have come to Max Creek — fathers, sons and their son’s sons and so on and so forth. And it keeps growing. I think that’s what’s kept Max Creek growing, just being able to reach the hearts of many generations and keep going and going. And, Max Creek will live on forever like I said, you know?
Korre: Take me back. What was the spark for you, probably in your childhood, that led you towards music?
Jay: Well, it was definitely my mother. She has everything to do with it because when I was with her in her stomach, she danced African dance with me in her stomach. So I came out, literally in her stomach, like talking rhythms. And, I didn’t speak for weeks. You know, I talked the rhythms of the drums and I sat on my back and tried to play them. So, yeah, that was definitely the spark — my mother, in the belly, just taking me to hear the drums. I probably heard the echoes and stuff while I was in her womb.
And another great spark for me, I must say, was with my mother, again, brought me a drum back from Africa because I asked her to. And she said, “Yeah, I’ll bring it back to you and I’ll give it to you, but you have to learn how to play it.” So I learned how to play it and I still have that drum. But yeah, so it’s all my mother’s fault.
Korre: Tell me about this influence that west African music has on you as a person or your music. Talk about that.
Jay: It has a lot to do with it because west African music is all about community. It’s all about togetherness. It’s all about lessons, principles, family, you know? So, it plays a big part in my music in the Max Creek scene, because I feel like when I’m here, I don’t feel like there’s like any kind of color barrier or anything. We’re just like — we’re all like one people. And that’s kind of like what Africa’s like, too. There’s many different countries, many different languages, sections — but they’re all one people.
So yeah, it plays a big part in my music and the music I create as well, because I want to have content and to have principles and to have stories and lessons that people can remember and pass on to like their kids and their kids and their kids. That thing of living on forever and ever, it comes up again, you know? So yeah, that’s the part it definitely plays in my music — a very big part.
Korre: Is it fair to say that Bill Carbone had a pretty heavy hand in your introduction to Max Creek? And if so, talk about that relationship with Bill and sort of how you found your way to Max Creek.
Jay: Yes. I’ve known Bill for quite a while. I remember I was playing in this other band in western Mass. and we had this gig we had at Middletown, Connecticut, at Wesleyan University where he used to work. It was somebody in the band that Bill was playing in that had called us down to help fill the bill. And, we did the show. And then after Bill’s band played, we had like a four-piece band. It was just a four piece — percussion, drums, bass and guitar, and the guitar player did vocals. And Bill’s band was a huge band. It had like two or three percussionist and huge horns and everything.
And after the gig, Bill basically was like, “Wow.” He saw me playing percussion with my group and he was like, “Wow, this kid’s really good. He can literally do the job of like all these three percussionist — like this one person.” So that’s where I met Bill and that’s how we came connected and started playing music for years, all throughout new England with many different groups.
And then eventually Bill got hooked up with Max Creek. Because one of their drummers was leaving. He had got it somehow. I think he did an audition. And then it was like one night after one of our gigs we did, he said, “Oh, I got my first gig with this new group I’m gonna start playing with.” And he was like, “You know what, Jay, they might need a percussionist one day.” And I was like, “Yeah, well keep me in mind.” He was like, “Oh, you want to come out to the gig to check it out?” And I was like, “Oh no, I got to go back home, Bill.”
So like literally a year later, he’s like, “Hey Jay, remember that band?” I guess he let them listen to my CD and they were like, “Yeah, this is great. Let’s try it out.” And I did a number of shows with them at Arch Street Tavern. I think we did like a month residency and they never told me I was fired and they never told me I was hired. So, I’ve been here ever since.
Korre: You mentioned you had some CDs already. I’m going to see if I can remember these, My Little Music Box.
Jay: Yep.
Korre: And, Sketches of Africa.
Jay: Sketches of Africa. Yeah.
Korre: I purchased both of those. They’re incredible. I love them. So is it fair to say after reflecting on that music, that the jam band scene kind of wasn’t your — were you listening to jam band music at that time? Or was this sort of a new genre for you to step into?
Jay: It was definitely a new genre, but at the same time, like my west African background — it’s kind of like the same thing. I mean in west Africa, they have like the griot and the griot is somebody who passes down knowledge. He’s like a literal family tree, like speaking talking and he sings songs. And some of the songs, he will have like 300 different verses and sections. Just like one song. And it can be very improvisational and things of that nature. And you have to just be in tune to the music to understand and to know the language and the calls. And, things can change at the drop of a dime.
So, I think west African music and the jam band music are one and the same because there’s like a skeleton, but there’s no set, like nothing set in stone. So there’s just the frame and you can paint a different picture every time within the frame. And I think that’s what jam band music is somewhat based upon. And that’s like the foundation of west African music. And, there’s tons of similarities between west African music and jam band music in just the ways they’re created and the methods and the styles. And you have to be very skilled to do either. Like you have to know and understand lots of things before you can attempt to do some of the things that west African music and jam band music does.
Korre: When you are on stage with Bill — well, you two are friends, right, — so how do the two of you communicate and pull together a sound that advances the music and listens to the other players? What type of relationship do the two of you have on stage to make that combination work?
Jay: Well, it first started with just playing with each other for a number of years, in many different groups of many styles. We played in like west African ensembles slash reggae ensembles slash like funk slash new Orleans style music. So just playing together for a number of years, as well as camaraderie — just talking with each other and understanding what we like and don’t like. There’s no real talking or no real anything.
I think we had like one rehearsal because he was trying to explain to me, he was like, “Yeah, Jay. It’s a band, but it’s like Grateful Dead. And there’s going to be parts where we’re gonna have drums and things like that. And it’s not like a typical drum solo, you know? So we had this one small rehearsal in this practice room at Wesleyan with like a few instruments. We just did all these kind of like feels and styles he just kind of wanted to explain to me and to get a vibe of. And just off that one rehearsal, we built so much.
And you know, the music changes over time, too. And the different styles and different feels we are in. You know, I like to say Max Creek, we can get on a roll, we can have this vibe, we can have this style — these many things we do within the music, they can go on for a while. And then we do them, then they kind of climax and we might kind of like grudge through them a little. But then like they might totally switch up. I feel like every once in a while, it’s like a refresh or restart over with the music and the styles within it. So, yeah.
Korre: Jay, what are some of your favorite Max Creek songs to perform?
Jay: Obviously some of the favorites, like Just a Rose. I really, really like Devil’s Heart. Mark has a few good ones. Mark has a lot of good ones, actually, and he pulls them out of nowhere. I don’t know how he does it. And then there’s — did I say Cruel World?
Korre: Not yet, but that’s a good one.
Jay: Yeah, Cruel World is a good one. And some of Scott’s ones he doesn’t play too often, like Chains of Life. Yeah, Scott has a few good ones. Just anything that has like sections that you can change through. And obviously it needs like a good jam in there. And yeah, Emerald Eyes. Yeah. There’s a lot of good songs. There’s too many, Mark alone I think one year he had all the songs that he knew written down on a piece of paper. It was like fucking 240 songs, at least — just the songs he knew that he could write down on a piece of paper, not just the songs he had in his head and the songs he can learn, like he kind of knows like. So yeah, it’s pretty wild.
Korre: What are some things about Max Creek or your band members that you don’t think most people know? Because you’ve gotten to know them pretty well. I would imagine, you know these guys, right?
Jay: Yeah. I know that Scott likes to eat peanut butter before he goes to bed. I’m just kidding. They’re all really pretty cool, family-oriented men. Obviously Bill, I’ve known him before Max Creek. So, I know his family. He’s very family oriented. He’s hardworking. He’s actually someone who’s out there, an ally for just people in general to live good lives and be respected and stuff like that. John Rider is an incredible family man. He works with his family and they do great things all over Connecticut for tons of people. Yeah. Mark is incredibly just funny. Like, I don’t want to say dad jokes, but he’s got infinite jokes. And he’s definitely a really great people person.
Korre: On the way over here, Jay, I was talking to a couple people, letting them know I was going to interview you. And a couple of them had some suggestions for questions. First one is, well everybody likes your song — is it Into the Ocean or Down in the Jungle? First, what is the name of the song? I need to know.
Jay: I’ve never named it.
Korre: It’s whatever we want to call it.
Jay: Whatever they call it is whatever it is.
Korre: So the question though is, are you writing music? Can we expect in the future some more of your songs in the set list?
Jay: Yeah. I’ve written tons of music, like I perform with tons of other groups. But yeah, that’s the only song I’ve really written with Max Creek. And yeah, I do have some more music I’d like to bring to the table. But the past few years I’ve been living in Maine, so it’s been really hard to just get down to even the rehearse, which we rarely ever do. But, hopefully we can get some new music. These guys have been putting a lot of new music in. And yeah, there’s some tunes I even played yesterday that I want to bring to Max Creek. But, we’ll see.
Korre: When you’re up on stage, how do you know that it’s clicking, that it’s working, that you’re getting the right feeling from the audience? Is there something you’re listening for or you are seeing in the crowd?
Jay: Not really. Sometimes, I do look at the crowd. It is nice because as you see them moving. I am rhythmic, so there are some rhythms and some things I might try and imitate that I might see. But for the most part, I’m glad people appreciate music. I’m glad people feel it. But like if there were thousands of people out there or if there was nobody out there, I still play it the same. You know what I mean? It’s hard to say. I’m just thankful they can appreciate it. If they’re there, if they’re not there — it’s still going to be played the same. No questions asked.
Korre: What message do you have for all the fans that have come out to see you and the band, over and over, for all these years?
Jay: That we’re still here. Max Creek is still here. As well as, it’s something that isn’t gonna be done again for a long time. So while it’s here, you should come and enjoy it. Yeah, come have fun that with Max Creek. Come see what it’s all about. You know, they are the forefathers of the so-called jam band scene. Even the music festival scene in New England, I’m not a 100 percent sure, but I’m pretty sure they are one of the first groups in New England to do a overnight camping festival. Like nobody else was doing it before Max Creek. So with that being said, I think they deserve to be seen and heard and understood.
Korre: Well, Jamemurrell Stanley, thank you so much for joining me on Hooked on Creek. It means the world to me that you took the time to talk with me about this band and everything you’re doing to support the music.
Jay: Oh, thank you so much, Korre. You deserve it. You’re a great person. And yeah, I’m glad we finally got to chop it up here and on Hooked on Creek music.
Huge thanks again to Jay Stanley for talking with me and thanks to you for listening. I really hope you enjoyed our conversation. But stick with me now, because I have a few songs I want to play to round off this episode and showcase some of Jay’s talents. Coming up, I am going to play the song Into the Ocean performed live by Max Creek at the Westcott Theatre in Syracuse, New York, back on January 17, 2015. And then after that, I am going play the song Afunga performed live by Jamemurrell Stanley and the Drummers of Peace & Equality at Strange Creek in Greenfield, Massachusetts, back on May 28, 2017. I think you are going to love both of these live recordings.
This is Max Creek performing Into the Ocean.
And now, this is Jamemurrell Stanley and the Drummers of Peace & Equality performing Afunga.
And that concluded episode 41 of Hooked on Creek. If you are curious, during the introduction to this episode, I played a portion of Yellow Moon performed live by Max Creek at Hygienic Art Park in New London, Connecticut, back on June 8, 2019. You can stream or download all the music featured in this episode by clicking the links in the episode show notes. As always, if you have feedback about this episode, I would love to hear from you. You can get in touch with me via the contact link on the Hooked on Creek website at hookedoncreek.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just search for Hooked on Creek to get connected. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for tuning in.