Jagwar Ma

Jagwar Ma
2013
Background information
Origin	Sydney, Australia
Genres	Psychedelic rock, acid house, baggy, experimental, Madchester, alternative dance, trip hop
Years active	2011–present
Labels	Future Classic Mom + Pop Music Marathon Artists
Associated acts	Lost Valentinos, Ghostwood, The xx, Foals
Website	www.jagwarma.com
Members	Gabriel Winterfield Jono Ma Jack Freeman

Jagwar Ma is an Australian psychedelic dance band formed in Sydney in 2011. It consists of Gabriel Winterfield (lead vocalist, guitarist), Jono Ma (guitar, beats, synths, production), and bass guitarist Jack Freeman, who joined 2012.^[1] The band name is derived from a satirical compound of the word "jaguar" and Jono's surname.^[2][3] In 2013 Jagwar Ma signed with record labels Mom+Pop (US) Marathon Artists (EU) and Future Classic (Australia) and released their debut album Howlin'. They released their second album Every Now and Then on 14 October 2016.^[4]

Career

Ma and Winterfield met in 2007. At this time both were playing in different groups, Lost Valentinos and Ghostwood. It would be until mid-2010 at an FLRL performance that the two shared the stage. FLRL was a locally based krautrock experimental pop group - initially founded by Jono Ma, Kirin J Callinan and Julian Sudek - local musicians would get together, curate an evening of new music, and perform it to an audience. One night Winterfield took vocals and guitar and Ma generated sounds from the use of vintage drum machines, radio frequency manipulation, improvised percussion, and other esoteric methods of creating sound. By 2011, Ma and Winterfield began frequently getting together at a studio (often a living room) and recording sounds and melodies, whilst also swapping old demos from unfinished side projects, "Jaguar Paw" and "Flintstone". Subsequently, loose jams and recordings started as anything from Motown to electronica. It would be during these recording sessions that the band's first songs "Come Save Me" and "What Love" would emerge. At this point the pair decided to semi relocate to France and to extend what was originally "going to be a one off 7 inch single" to a full LP.^[5] Jack Freeman, a London-based musician and old friend joined the live lineup mid-2012. In June 2013 the band released Howlin',^[6] which reached the UK album chart.^[7] In 2015 the band toured as support to Tame Impala.^[8]

The duo began writing material at their Crescent Head studio rural Australia, before returning to the farmhouse in La Briche, France to record.^[4][9] The record was finalised in London and featured guest appearances by Stella Mozgawa, Ewan Pearson and James Ford.^[4] In May 2016, Ma confirmed that the second album would be released in the second half of 2016.^[8] The band released the first single, "OB1" in July, followed by a second "Give Me A Reason" in August 2016.^[10] The eleven track album Every Now and Then was released on 14 October 2016.^[4] Musicfeeds maintainted that it "rewards a dedicated listener with a fine-tuned ear".^[11] The band embarked on a headlining tour in support.^[12]

Touring

Jagwar Ma played the Summer Festival circuit throughout the UK, EU and Australia including Reading and Leeds, Glastonbury, Pukkelpop, Latitude, Bestival, Paredes de Coura Festival, The Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass among others. Jagwar Ma have played sold out headline tours in the UK, France, Australia and the US.

Members

• Gabriel Winterfield – lead vocals, guitar
• Jono Ma – guitar, synths, drum machines, samplers, producer
• Jack Freeman – bass

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

• The Time and Space Dub Sessions (Rough Trade Records/Marathon Artists, [UK], 2013)

Singles

• "Come Save Me" (November 2011)
• "The Throw" (27 January 2013)
• "Man I Need" (29 April 2013)
• "Come Save Me" (re-release) (28 October 2013)
• "Uncertainty" (Feb 2014)
• "O B 1" (15 July 2016)
• "Give Me a Reason" (19 August 2016)

References

External links

• Official website