FINDING IT

WITH JAZZ IS PHSH

The next episode from our time at High Sierra Music Festival with Jazz Is PHSH! We talk about the origins of the band and what its like to recreate Phish’s music from the inside out, finding the elusive ‘it’, music as a language, and how the spirit of Jazz lead to the ‘jam’, and a whole lot more!

Live Interview with: Adam Chase, Farnell Newton, Felix Pastorius & Jamar Woods.
Listen to the Full Interview on No Simple Road.

ALL ABOUT JAZZ

EXTENDED ANALYSIS WITH DOUG COLLETTE

One of the most significant of which is the fluidity with which the slightly varying instrumental lineups interact, each in its own inimitable fashion, on these dozen cuts. It speaks volumes for the individual players’ familiarity with tunes like “Cars Trucks Buses,” but as much or more so the generosity of spirit that places egos behind service to the songs, some of which, like “Lawn Boy” and “46 Days,” rise above the comparatively slightly level at which they reside in the hands of the band that originally wrote and recorded them. It’s a unique pleasure to follow the interweaving texture on such cuts. Full Album Review on All About Jazz.

KICK OFF PARTY

FOR TWIDDLE’S TUMBLE DOWN

On July 26th, Jazz Is Phsh is headed to Vermont, for a special performance at the iconic Burlington venue Higher Ground. Jazz Is Phsh’s headlining performance will serve as a kick-off party for Twiddle‘s Tumble Down Festival, which will return to the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain at Waterfront Park on July 27th and 28th. The show will also function as an afterparty for Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band and Midnight North‘s July 26th performance at Waterfront Park. Read more at Live For Live Music.

RELIX

ALBUM REVIEW BY MIKE AYERS

Perhaps there are times when you feel like mellowing out but don’t want to sacrifice Phish’s songwriting prowess. Jazz is Phsh’s debut album, He Never Spoke A Word, does just that, putting Phish originals into, well, jazzy moods. Formed in 2015 by brothers Adam and Matthew Chase and taking inspiration from the Jazz Is Dead group, the band features an all-star lineup of musicians with jam-scene roots, including Carl Gerhard (Giant Country Horns), Michael Ray (Cosmic Country Horns), Holly Bowling and Dave Matthews Band saxophonist Jeff Coffin. Read More in Relix Magazine, June 2017 Issue.

NO DEPRESSION

NEW RELEASES BY PHISH & JAZZ IS PHSH

The group’s debut He Never Spoke A Word is a diverse set of arrangements that both pays homage to the compositions of Phish while showcasing that talented cast of contributing artists. Fan favorite melodies are still here, but the arrangements leave plenty of room for exploration. On “Cars Trucks Buses” from Phish’s highly acclaimed Billy Breathes album, JAZZ is PHSH pays plenty of respect to the original tune before Derrick Johnson takes his trombone for a walk, eventually building to an excellent tenor saxophone feature by Chris Bullock. Read More on No Depression.

LIVE FOR LIVE MUSIC

ALBUM REVIEW BY DAVE MELAMED

The album is named from a lyric in the song “Ghost,” which is exactly where this album gets started. The many instrumental tracks on the album offer an alternative to Phish’s music, familiar enough to be identifiable yet unique enough to stand out on their own. “Ghost” is a great example, providing a strong funky backbone for the band members to work upon. The band hints at the melody of the lyrics throughout, but they never really need to play it outright. Read the full review on Live For Live Music.

THE SOUND PODCAST

EPISODE 15: WITH ADAM CHASE

Inspiration can come from all kinds of places. When Adam and his brother Matthew decided to put together Jazz is Phish, they weren’t only inspired by the music of Phish, but also the Jazz is Dead project.
The idea to bring a jazz sensibility to Phish’s music seemed like a natural way to tackle the band they love and the music they make.
Conversation begins at 6:06 after “Ghost”
Show closes with “46 Days”
Listen at The Sound Podcast

THE POKE AROUND

LIVE MUSIC NEWS

Chase originally came up with the idea for Jazz is Phsh while daydreaming one day, when he reimagined the Phish song “Foam” with steel drums and horns. As the idea solidified, Chase recognized that the vision was also inspired by a Grateful Dead tribute group known as Jazz is Dead. Chase stewed over the idea for a while, not wanting to follow directly in the footsteps of the name Jazz is Dead, until Trey Anastasio played lead guitar at the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows in 2015, when it occurred to him that “it was the right year to launch it,” being that the worlds between the Dead and Phish had officially collided. Read more at The Poke Around

THE COLLEGIAN

TRIBUTE BAND TAKES PHISH TO NEXT LEVEL

An excellent blend of Phish and instrumental jazz, He Never Spoke a Word does not disappoint.
The tribute band Jazz is Phish takes the blended music of Phish to a whole new level. In its debut album, the band takes an instrumental jazz fusion approach to cover a variety of Phish’s music. The songs featured on the album covers those starting from Phish’s 1986 self-titled debut album to its 2002 album Round Room. Read more at The Collegian

Glide Mag: Show Review

Stirs up Familiar Sounds at Higher Ground

From the stately to the uproarious, JazzIsPhsh put on such a show at Higher Ground on April 7th, it’s difficult to know where to begin, but to make note of the very start is appropriate, if only because the octet commenced with the same tune(s) with which they (essentially) resolved their excellent record He Never Spoke A Word, release earlier this year. Read more at Glide Magazine

MORNINGS WITH JOEL X101

A TALK WITH ADAM CHASE

Founded in 2015 by The Chase Brothers, Adam Chase and Matthew Chase, Jazz is Phish has quickly become a world renown tribute to Phish, attracting some of the most influential musicians in the jazz and jam scenes to take part in this collective approach to paying tribute to one of the most important and influential bands in Rock and Roll history. -With the music of Phish being both largely improvised as well as highly composed, the framework of Phish’s music is the perfect vehicle for exploring in an instrumental setting. The compositions are both challenging and adaptive. Jazz is Phish provides an exploration of Phish music unlike anything else. Hear the interview on X101 Always Classic

PERFORM NEW ALBUM LIVE

IN NEW YORK CITY

All-star instrumental tribute act Jazz Is Phsh will host a pair of concerts at The Cutting Room in New York City on November 26. The early show will be a seated album pre-release party, while the second show will be a mostly standing “rager.” The lineup will be Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band, The Flecktones), Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy), Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy), Adam Dotson (Rubblebucket), Jay Rodriguez (Miles Davis) and more. Read More on JamBase

ON THE BEAT

WITH ADAM CHASE OF JAZZ IS PHSH

Hello Modern Drummer world. My name is Adam Chase and I’m the drummer and bandleader for the Chase Brothers, Jazz Is Phsh, and the James Brown Dance Party, as well as a studio drummer and multi-instrumentalist. As a long-time touring drummer, I’ve had the good fortune to share the stage with some of the most prolific musicians in the business—Santana, Aerosmith, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Victor Wooten, Derek Trucks, Fred Wesley, and many others. Read More on Modern Drummer

PASTE STUDIO

LIVE SESSION IN NEW YORK CITY

Watch Jazz Is Phish live at Paste Studios! Featuring The Chase Brothers (James Brown Dance Party, Strange Design), Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy), Scott Flynn (Odesza), Chris DeAngelis (Kung Fu) and Josh Thomas (With Lions) performing Cars Trucks Buses, Weigh and 46 Days. Listen to the full session on Paste

TRIBUTE TO PRINCE

WITH ‘PURPLE RAIN’ ENCORE

Phish-inspired collective Jazz Is Phish took the stage at the Ardmore Music Hall outside of Philadelphia, PA last night, playing a monster set for the phans in attendance. The group is known for their instrumental interpretations of Phish classics, and they did not disappoint, bringing out classics like “You Enjoy Myself” and “Ghost” to open the show.

Among the many highlights from the Phishy performance was a cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain,” coming in to close out the show in the encore position.Read More on LiveForLiveMusic

DISCUSSING ALL THINGS AWESOME

WITH ADAM CHASE

What I love most about Adam and what he has created in his life is the fact that he took what he loves and is passionate about, invited people he loves and respects to collaborate with him and created something magical from that intention. He is an incredibly inspiring human that we all could learn something from so I obviously had to interview him.

Adam Chase is the founder of Jazz Is Phish as well as an accomplished drummer, percussionist, song writer, teacher and multi-instrumentalist. Read More on Huffington Post