Jane N' The Jungle

There’s a magic in the air around Christmastime, and I think it has to do with the love and hope for a brighter future. This song sings about people coming together, uniting as one, singing about world peace, which is quite powerful and helps me to connect to the beauty and all the wishes and prayers surrounded by the holidays. I hope one day that the wars can be over and we can all live in peace. It’s about a time of giving and helping others in need and helping create a better world. This song gives me those emotions when it’s often so easy to disconnect about why we celebrate Christmas all together. Also, there’s something angelic and haunting when you hear the children singing in this song that’s truly beautiful and gives me hope for our future. - Chris Coplan

Local rockers Jane N’ the Jungle have placed a soulful reinvention of “The Man” by Aloe Blacc in the local indie film “SHE.”

The song was selected by the film's director and frequent Jane N’ the Jungle collaborator Will Goldstein.

“The original song is sung by a man, with male dominating lyrics,” says Jordan White, the group’s leader lead vocalist. “When we perform it, the song takes on an opposing point of view.”

Having a woman perform such a male-centric song is intended to spark discussion about a male-dominated culture, much like the film itself, the tale of an Airbnb owner who uses her sexuality to manipulate her male guest into doing her evil bidding.

“She” is screening at FilmBar at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 5 - Ed Masley

With the 15th annual McDowell Mountain Music Festival quickly approaching March 2-4, 2018, here are a few notable facts about the festival now known as M3F.The event is situated in downtown Phoenix at Margaret T. Hance Park (1200 N 1st Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004).
Several types of tickets are still available:
1-Day general admission
1-Day VIP admission
3-Day general admission
3-Day VIP admission
Gates to the festival open at 3 p.m. on Friday and open at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. They close at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and close at 9:30 p.m on Sunday.
The lineup for this year’s festival features artists like Nick Murphy (also known as Chet Faker), Griz and Jane N The Jungle. Here are the set times throughout the weekend.
Here’s what you can bring into the festival: sealed or empty reusable water bottles, umbrellas, low-backed chairs (for designated areas only), picnic blankets, non-framed backpacks, hula hoops, selfie sticks, totems and crazy costumes.
Here’s what you can’t bring in: pets (besides service animals), outside beverages and food, outside ice chests, open alcohol outside festival grounds, illegal drugs, weapons, unlicensed vending, professional photo or video equipment without a press pass, laser pens and motorized vehicles (with the exception of ADA vehicles).
Food vendors in attendance include Even Stevens, Paletas Betty and Pho King.
Within the grounds, there will also be a marketplace made up of local vendors with a range of products. Not only is there apparel available, but handmade jewelry and a body art tent.
There will be a merch tent selling shirts and more from the bands, groups and festival.
Live art from local artists will featured throughout the three-day event.
The Kid Zone is available for children 10 and under to participate in some hands-on activities.
DeSoto Central Market is hosting ticketed After Hours events Friday and Saturday night.
To keep updated with their Instagram before and during the McDowell Festival click here.

Image by Jason Siegel Photography. Courtesy of the M3F Fest Facebook page. - Maya Foxall

These Phoenix rockers are blessed with a powerful female presence on lead vocals, Jordan White, whose voice is a natural fit for their brand of melodic alternative-rock. She can whisper as well as she rages, pout with attitude and wail with authority.

That voice was put to brilliant use on a string of singles they released last year, from "Faded Stars," a bittersweet ballad whose verses make the most of the vulnerability White is so good at conveying, to "Killed Someone," an emotional power ballad inspired by the Netflix series "13 Reasons Why," whose title refers to the 13 reasons why a high-school girl committed suicide.
And they ended the year on a high note when Huffington Post premiered their latest video, for "One Time," an understated, acoustic-guitar-and-voice recording.

White says they're currently working on a record in L.A. and they're "really excited to share our new music at the Rock N Roll Marathon." This is their first time playing the event, she says, and they're happy to be part of it.

Details: 8:25-11:20 a.m. Northeast corner of N. 64th Street and E. Thomas Road, Scottsdale (alternating with the Black Tapes). - Ed Masley

Jane N’ The Jungle premiere their new music video today. It’s entitled “One Time.” And it’s premium! The band hails from Phoenix, Arizona, and is made up of Jordan White and Brian Dellis.

Jane N’ The Jungle dropped their self-titled debut EP last year, with songs like “Killed Someone” and “Faded Stars” and “Walking Cleopatra.” Honda scooped up two of their songs for prime time television ads, and the band has performed on 3TV, AZTV 7 and Fox 10.

Influenced by Alanis Morissette, The Cranberries and Florence and The Machine, the band’s music mixes elements of 90’s alt rock with contemporary rock into a one-off sound embodying progressive melodies, exceptional rhythmic components and inventive lyrics, along with the peerless voice of Jordan White.

“One Time” begins with a gentle acoustic guitar. When White’s revealing voice enters, the essence of the song is set. The alt rock melody rides the guitar, without any other instrumental embellishment, giving the tune a starkly austere ambiance that’s intensified by the tattered rawness of White’s voice, rich, reedy, frosty, frayed and chaffering for terms. As the song progresses, her voice takes on more and more passion until it becomes an aching, maddening, glorious paroxysm of emotion.


PHOTO CREDIT: JANE N’ THE JUNGLE
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Two factors make “One Time” wickedly powerful and evocative: first, the song’s Spartan melody, which is totally bereft of harmonic layering and digital enhancement, just a single acoustic guitar. And second, the spine-chilling, devouring potency of White’s highly charged vocals.

The lyrics of “One Time” speak to the peculiar singularity of life, displaying the basic paucity of options.

“Where is the music that is hiding the beat / Where are the children that were walking in the street / You should know / Yeah, you should know / Sometimes I like to look the other way / Sometimes in life I often like to stray / You should know / Yeah, you should know / If I was a cloud I would cry / If I was bird I would fly / If I was human I’d die / To live it over again / One time is all we’re worth / One time we’re not falling short.”

The video, directed and filmed by Brian Dellis, is as plainly pure and unpretentious as the melody. Jordan walks down the street singing, as cars pass by in the distance. The most poignant moments of the video are when she puts out her arms, like wings, and twirls as if flying, and when she leans against a building silhouetted against the glare of the sun. Together, the sparse melody and the unadorned video pack a powerful emotional punch.

Jane N’ The Jungle expose their musical gifts on “One Time.” The austerity of the melody acts as a capacitor for the palpable emotional energy flowing forth in White’s vocals. The result is overpowering, impressive and haunting. “One Time” is splendid!

Find out more about Jane N’ The Jungle here and here and here.


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It’s been a good year for Jane N’ the Jungle. And it ended on a high note with Huffington Post premiering their new video for “One Time,” which the critic hailed as “premium!”

The article goes on to say, “Two factors make ‘One Time’ wickedly powerful and evocative: first, the song’s Spartan melody, which is totally bereft of harmonic layering and digital enhancement, just a single acoustic guitar. And second, the spine-chilling, devouring potency of (Jordan) White’s highly charged vocals.”

It's a striking video, shot by Brian Dellis, who complements the understated, acoustic-guitar-and-voice recording by keeping the camera trained on White, a captivating presence, as she walks the streets singing the bittersweet lyrics (in a really nice coat).


The song was recorded at Switchblade Studios in Tempe as a demo while working on pre-production for the upcoming Jane N' The Jungle project. As White says, the "raw demo recording captured something uniquely beautiful and pure with having no added effects, overdubs, vocal correction, and very little production."

They also felt it didn't really fit the album they plan to release in 2018, so they decided to share it as a single and release it as "an end-of-the-year reflective song."

The video was directed by Dellis with the same intention as the demo, to keep it simple hoping to capture raw authentic moments. - Ed Masely

Jane N’ The Jungle releases their new music video today, called “Killed Someone.” And it’s killer good! Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Jane N’ The Jungle possesses a reputation for intense and unstoppable live performances. The band translates that same live energy into their recordings. Jane N’ The Jungle is made up of: Jordan White, Brian Dellis, Davis Carpenter and William Unkefer.

Stylistically, Jane N’ The Jungle fall under the umbrella of alternative rock, with roots that encompass influences from punk rock, along with cogent melodies that ride on potent guitars pumping out power chords, pealing riffs, and buzz and fuzz. The percussive elements of alt rock range from moderate to John Boham-like intensity, with Jane N’ The Jungle inhabiting the Bonham end of the spectrum.

“Killed Someone” starts off with a simple, yet dark guitar oozing a sense of malevolence, and a solid groove, followed by the entrance of Jordan White’s muscular voice. Riding the brawny malice of the guitar, the melody radiates a tang of wickedness that reminds me of a Robert Rodriquez movie, as if leaking a smear of evil. Initially, the melody is soft with immoral flavor, but the intensity of the melody increases until it explodes with sonic malice. The explosion travels on the formidable guitars and White’s growling vocals. As the explosion occurs, the drums ramp up ferociously, as the man in the pocket hammers with Thor-like vigor. Dellis provides an intoxicating, snarling guitar solo, rife with rude, harsh-textured energy, making the hair on the back of your neck stand upright.White’s voice is nonpareil, exuding a superb predatory essence that’s simply chilling. Her voice pulses with emotive strength, emanating dynamic tones ranging from soft and reckless, like the manipulative maneuverings of Cruella de Vil, to the full-bore fulminations of raging Medusa. It’s a rich voice, full of a growling metallic undertone that can strip paint off wood like a sonic sandblaster. White definitely retains one of the premiere female voices in rock.

The video opens at a party in Phoenix, where the band is playing. A handsome young man stands in the hallway, just inside the entrance, with friends, drinking beer from a plastic cup. Meanwhile, a group of young women arrives and makes their way in, passing the young man, who smiles as he checks them out. As the party progresses, he sits on a couch next to one of the young women. They converse and drink. Later, they excuse themselves and seek out privacy in a back hallway of the house. As they flirt in the hallway, the young woman suddenly droops, almost passing out. The implication is he slipped her something. He helps her down the hallway to one of the back bedrooms. Taking her inside, he closes the door.

The aura projected by the video is the insouciance of a party, which quickly gives way to dismal foreboding with somber intensity. Evil lurks at the party.

“Killed Someone” has it going on! Full of dark scintillance, susceptibility, fervor and urgency, the song delivers a potent melody thrumming with energy, along with evocative lyrics and the raspy growling of White’s incomparable vocals. We can only hope Jane N’ The Jungle drop an EP or album very soon. - Randy Radic

Jane N' The Jungle
In this modern age, a musician never knows where they will find their next fan. Jane N’ The Jungle found one of their supporters in their spam folder.

According to the band’s lead singer, Jordan White, soon after the alt-rock band’s song “Open Road Blues” was featured in a Metro Oklahoma City Honda Dealers commercial, a mysterious e-mail arrived.

White, whose vocals on the folk-rock ditty are as powerful as the cars being advertised, mistook the unexpected message as junk. In actuality, it was a new fan located in the Sooner State’s capital city asking when the track would be available.

“We thought that was so cool someone followed up on it,” guitarist Brian Dellis gushes.

White hopes “Open Road Blues” will be ready for release later this year.

Meanwhile, it has been a pretty wild ride for the alt-rock quartet, which also features bassist Leah Brooks.

The band was formed in 2015 after White returned to Phoenix from studying musical theater in Los Angeles. They plan to keep pushing their exuberant, heartfelt, self-titled EP, which came out last October, through regional gigs and several showcases at this spring’s SXSW in Austin, Texas.

That does not mean that Jane N’ The Jungle are focusing all their efforts outside of the Valley. Dellis feels the opening of Charlie Levy’s latest venue, the Van Buren, is his way of doubling-down on what local music has to offer.

“It shows me he believes the local music scene is on the upswing,” he says. “People will want to invest their time in seeing local and regional acts.” Jason Keil - Phoenix New Times music writers

These Phoenix rockers are blessed with a powerful female presence on lead vocals, Jordan White, whose voice is a natural fit for their brand of melodic alternative-rock. She can whisper as well as she rages, pout with attitude and wail with authority. They’re releasing a self-titled album in October. In the meantime, there’s a brand new video for “Smoke & Dust,” a track from the album that shows off the heavier, more raucous side of what they have to offer. They’re joined at Crescent Ballroom by California rockers Puff Puff Beer and locals Field Tripp and Talent Scout. Have I mentioned that Field Tripp is among my favorite Phoenix bands in six or seven of these columns? Yeah, I thought so, too.

Details: 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $5. Free before 9 p.m. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com. - Ed Masley

Jane N' The Jungle — "Smoke & Dust"
The anticipation for the debut album from Jane N' The Jungle is maddening. In a year's time, JNTJ has gone from a fringe group on the sidelines of the music scene to one of the hottest tickets in town for a guaranteed good time. I was overjoyed at the release of "Smoke & Dust" this week, because it brings us one song closer to having the record, and it gives us something to enjoy and play to death. It's another raving rock 'n' roller like "Shake Me Out" was previously, and here it's the melody that sticks to your skull throughout, rather than the chorus. Brian Tuffy in particular brings a vicious guitar delivery to this track, Leah Brooks pounds the bass, while Jordan White sings with some slight restraint, compared to how this sounds from the stage. The results are a propulsive tornado of rock 'n' roll. Rachael Smith of Ray² Photography went on tour with Jane N' The Jungle this year and took a ton of footage, film and photos, and some of those results are showing up in this beautiful video of the band in their natural element, letting loose on stage and laying it down in the studio. - Mitchell Hillman

Local music Jane in the Jungle performs in the 3TV studio. The band will be playing at The Rebel Lounge Aug. 17 with artists IAMWE, Civil Youth and more. - AZ Family 3 TV

Jane N' The Jungle — "Shake Me Out"
I have been eagerly anticipating the release of new material from Jane N' The Jungle all year, and a brand new video for "Shake Me Out" is the first taste of what's to come. It took me way too long to catch up to this band, but once I finally did, it was difficult to let go. They make memorable, catchy indie rock that runs a stylistic gamut from near Americana to nearly hard rock, and they do it well. I've seen them so many times live now that I know a dozen of their songs, and while "Shake Me Out" isn't their greatest tune, it is the perfect choice for the first single for the record. And that's not criticism of the song. It's praise for the band. This is the perfect dose to get people hooked, get them to a show, and realize that this is the tip of the musical iceberg with this group. Not only is the song addictive, but the video is beautifully directed by Rachael Smith (Ray² Photography) showing the band rocking out and getting their groove on in a warehouse. Check it out below. - Phoenix New Times

Alternative Rock Band from Phoenix Arizona For more info: http://www.sonicbids.com/band/jane-n-the-jungle/audio/

- Posted Past show info - Time Out Partner

Phoenix-based alternative rock band Jane N’ The Jungle announces a signature performance in Tucson following performances at South By Southwest (SXSW). Jane N’ The Jungle is a female-fronted alternative rock band formed by lead singer Jordan White, promoted by Independent Music LA. - Tucson Weekly

Jane N' the Jungle
On the last Tuesday night of the month I caught a show at Crescent Ballroom, the venue I’m most familiar with in Phoenix, and it was by far my favorite night of the month. There were two local artists who played that night and now they are both bands who I will definitely see again in the future. Jane N’ the Jungle started off with a bang. Their songs put me in the dancing mood and their lead singer gave a passionate performance accompanied by the other skilled musicians in the band. A highlight for me was when the guitarist and even the lead singer would stand up on these boxes that illuminated with the beats they would step. I’d never seen those before at a live show so they were a joy to witness. - Rachael Smith

SxSW primer- Jane N' the Jungle, Cure for Gravity, Rivermaker
When: Sat., March 21, 6-11 p.m. 2015
Phone: 520 207 2429
Email: stage@montereycourtaz.com
Price: $5
www.montereycourtaz.com
3 bands from California on their way to Austin's famed SxSW festival drop in to jam. Stone IPA tap takeover with 4 delicious IPA's on tap. -

SXSW Phoenix Kickoff Show

With KM, Dirt Moon, The Sink or Swim, Jane 'n' the Jungle, & Warriors of the Month

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DETAILS

Time: 8:00 p.m. March 12
$5
Indie Rock
LOCATION INFO:

Rogue Bar
423 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
480-947-3580
South Scottsdale -

Song produced by Kube Music, video directed by Ray² Photography.

Jane N’ The Jungle have been making a memorable impression these last few months in Arizona and they released their very first music video yesterday. They recently recorded this song and an album at Saltmine Studios and have been gaining a fanbase from quite a few local shows including a concert with Lacey Sturm from Flyleaf.
If you like what you hear, be sure to check out Jane N’ The Jungle June 4th at Wasted Grain in Scottsdale, AZ for a Wounded Warriors charity event! - Rachael Smith

Dani Cutler, a DJ is a tireless supporter of the local scene through her show on KWSS-FM (93.9) and this show celebrates her 10 years in the trenches with performances by Manic Monkeys (who I finally saw last month and they were really fun), Sarah Robinson Band, the Pleasure Victims, Jane N' the Jungle, Upsahl Acoustic and Ruca Music Acoustic. Amy Donahue, billed for the occasion as "Dani's good friend and first KWSS sister," hosts and proceeds benefit the station, which is non-profit and 100 percent independent, supported by sponsors and listeners. It's a great bill for a good cause. Upsahl is fresh from a main-stage appearance at McDowell Mountain Music Festival that left me wondering why she isn't famous yet (unless it's because she's in high school in Phoenix) and Jane N' the Jungle recently released a great new video directed by Ray Squared Photography for their best song, a gritty, soulful, stately, timeless-on-arrival ballad titled "Walking Cleopatra." - Ed Masley

Valley band debuts new song “Kissed the Beast” on FOX 10. -

Jane N' The Jungle - "Walking Cleopatra"
Long before Jane N' The Jungle released their debut EP, in fact right from the first show of theirs I ever saw, one song by them stood out above the rest. "Walking Cleopatra" is finally the single and the video I always hoped it would be. For my money, it's still the finest song the band has recorded. While I adore the rockers JNTJ throw down like "Shake Me Out" and "Smoke & Dust," their talents and songwriting really come through in their slower numbers. "Walking Cleopatra" is the finest example of this, and I think it spotlights Jordan White's vocal prowess in a way that a rocker wouldn't allow. It also gives you a chance to really absorb the powerful lyricism. This song sounds like a bit of a confessional, but regardless, it's a story song and no matter how many times I've heard it, I love hearing the story again and again. "My mother said to be nice, and a little stupid, you can have the moon" has to be one of the best lines ever fit into a song locally. Over a year on since I first heard this tune it still gives me goosebumps, and now we get to enjoy it with a visually powerful video from Rachel Smith of Ray Squared Productions. - Mitchell Hillman

Local rockers Jane N’ the Jungle have placed a soulful reinvention of “The Man” by Aloe Blacc in the local indie film “SHE.”

The song was selected by the film's director and frequent Jane N’ the Jungle collaborator Will Goldstein.

“The original song is sung by a man, with male dominating lyrics,” says Jordan White, the group’s leader lead vocalist. “When we perform it, the song takes on an opposing point of view.Having a woman perform such a male-centric song is intended to spark discussion about a male-dominated culture, much like the film itself, the tale of an Airbnb owner who uses her sexuality to manipulate her male guest into doing her evil bidding.

“She” is screening at FilmBar at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 5 - Ed Masely

JT’s Bar and Grill in the Arcadia District of Phoenix is a rather unassuming kind of place. It is small, just a hall way more or less where the bar runs the length of one side, and the seating is lined along the other. Patrons spill out the front door, and the air is thick with joviality. Nobody seems to care that the place is packed; that is the point, JT’s offers some of the best wings in town.As a guy who prides himself on being an Arizona Native, I have to admit, I am not a Phoenix native. I have been prowling around the Valley of the Sun more or less for the last twenty years, but in many cases, as is the case with just about anywhere I am sure, you don’t know what you don’t know. So when Brian Dellis of Jane ‘n the Jungle suggested the grub and subs location, I readily accepted without necessarily knowing the treat that was in store.

Some months before, on a whim, I went to see a lineup that would eventually pave my way back into paying attention to the Underground Arizona music scene. Jane ‘n the Jungle were playing a show at The Rebel Lounge along with Civil Youth, New Chums, and IAMWE. It was Jane’s first time being “the headliner”. It was a great night, and once again I felt something of an electricity that just needed the right catalyst, and these kids were ready to explode to amazing places.

Sometimes a story comes along out of the world of music that makes you believe that perhaps, just perhaps, music still has a soul worth saving. Whether it is the pure insane and immediate genius of Jimi Hendrix or the never ending drum-god debate between Neil Peart and Jon Bonham. Sometimes, music can still catch your soul on fire. Such was the case that night at the Rebel in Phoenix, that I first sat down with Billy and Jordan and heard their band Jane n the Jungle. At the time, I didn’t realize I would be sitting having wings with the band talking about the Arizona Indie Music less than a year later.

Jason Keil recently wrote a piece for the Phoenix New Times highlighting some of the bands that you really ought to be paying attention to in 2017; Jane ‘n the Jungle made that list. You can take the time to peruse the article here.
Years ago, I was a staple of the Tempe Music Scene here in Arizona. Stephen Ashbrook and Satellite were playing around town, Roger Clyne was still the Refreshments, and the Gin Blossoms were on the radio. Long Wongs on Mill still held the cultural diorama of the scene: a hand written “blog” scrawled on the bathroom wall chronicling the rise and fall of a very iconic time in Arizona’s musical history. Not since the mid 90s, have I felt this degree of excitement for the level of creativity coming out of Phoenix!

One of these days she is going to get tired of my sharing this story, but I was sitting with my wife at the bar that first night at The Rebel, and we got talking to the beaming, proud, father of the lead singer, Jordan White. He was a cool dude, and we enjoyed talking to him. What I was inspired by, as a father, was the man’s sheer glowing over his daughter’s stage prowess, hard work, and business acumen. As I got talking to his daughter and her charismatic guitarist, months later, it was easy to see that it was exactly those qualities noticed in her by her father, that are proving to be Jane ‘n the Jungle’s golden ticket when it comes to raising from the ranks of Indie Obscurity.
The fact that I had sat and visited with Jordan and Brian before, certainly chipped the ice off of doing an actual interview quickly, and before I knew it, conversation had whipped up around the table as we waiting for the waitress to bring us our drinks. I had come with an outline of questions, but I was more concerned with having a real dialog and taking some notes, than I was about asking specific questions and getting specific rote answers. I quickly established that the two of them were long time friends, and Arizona natives, who grew up together and attended Shadow Mountain High School in Paradise Valley.

“So, some history”, I asked, as Jordan’s wine arrived just ahead of Brian’s Dos Equis and my own Modus Operandi. “Whose garage was the first garage, and talk to me about the name Jane ‘n the Jungle. I have a hard time believing you are both just awesome Tarzan fans!”

Brian laughed, “Jordan’s house was the first and only garage: complete with both entertained and non-so-entertained neighbors.” The band’s original name was Skybrook, and under that title they played their first gig at Whiskey GoGo, just over two years ago. Soon after the name was changed to Jane n’ the Jungle, and it was on a suggestion from a friend that they needed a name that would almost characterize Jordan as a character in her own experience.

Jordan is non assuming, non emotive, pixie-ish, and quite possibly underestimated. She almost seems like a porcelain doll from a beautifully civilized place lost in a jungle of business… sheer business. Like Tarzan’s Jane, underestimating the quiet Jordan, is only easily done for as long as it takes to watch her burst to life on stage where she is a commanding presence, and in all ways at home in the jungle she had chosen to grace with her talent and tenacity. As Jane n the Jungle, the band’s first gig was at North Mountain Brewery.

One of the recurring elements in our conversation that stood out to me was the number of times various eateries were mentioned as gig locations. “When I think back to the hey days of the Tempe Music Scene in the mid 1990s”, I asked trying to seem much more Peter Pan than Old Guy asking questions about a bygone time. “Several live music venues immediately jump to mind: Minder Binders, The Electric Ballroom, Long Wongs on Mill, Bash of Ash, Nita’s Hideaway: these places defined the large part of a decade for me, going to ASU, learning to love live local music, and watching the town literally have a pulse with the vibe of the music scene.” Not for the first time, sitting there visiting with my two young friends born in 1989 and 1990, I wondered how many of my references were simply too far out of the frame of reference to be relevant. “First, would you say that there is a new pulse in the Phoenix music scene, and if so, what live venues form the new core of that scene?”

Brian quickly nodded an affirmation over a bite of the recently arrived wings. (And the wings! Oh my! Like I said, I had no idea the treat to which I was being subjected, but those double done wings are to die for JT!) “Absolutely there is a very real pulse in the Valley for music.”

Jordan continued from her story about North Mountain Brewery from earlier. “Because of the variety of venues, there are many indie showcasing radio shows, the local news is very supportive of local arts, and with so many restaurants and breweries providing live music venues it is easy for a band to find places to play if they have the tenacity to chase after the gigs.”
Both agreed, almost immediately as to the heart of the Phoenix music scene. The Crescent Ballroom, The Rebel Lounge, and the Rogue Bar…. there it is…. from the horses mouth…. those three venues will show you the pulse. Personally, I was excited to have the information, as …. well….. many of the old dives have gone into history, and there is much to be sad about when one thinks of the inevitable passage of time. Just the bathroom wall of the men’s bathroom in Long Wongs on Mill was enough to be considered a museum piece for a time when Tempe was just about on the cusp of a Seattle-esque explosion in the 1990s.

With food on the table, and conversation rolling naturally right along, I began to segway from the historical aspect of questions to those themed more around the influential nature of music. Brian mentioned both Third Eye Blind and Brand New as influences both musically and lyrically. In terms of guitar, the band Jawbreaker also deserved mention: much to my delight! Jordan then threw me for a loop admitting that she has seen Celine Dion in Las Vegas twice with her parents. I chuckled through my wings, but seriously…. what better influence for a girl who from a very young age wanted to grow up and be a singer? Jordan followed it up by voicing her appreciation of Florence and the Machine… and the vision was fairly complete. Jordan is the rock star; she is the beautiful singer commanding the stage with a powerful and versatile voice. The influence of Celine has done her well…. and then Deloris D’ Riordan, Alanis Morrisette, and Florence growls out and one is fully able to see it is a musical versatility that molds together in an artist to meld into something new.

It was when we moved on to talk about live shows, and one of my worst fears about music was somewhat realized. I asked the question of what touring bands, like big bands, they would like to go see. You know, like what concerts do the concert performers get excited about. “We don’t really take in many shows”, said Jordan. “Most of our nights are writing, working, resting, or touring. Playing shows. The bands we see are the bands we play with.”

“So Lollapallooza has kinda become our thing”, said Brian. “That is the one show we try to clear out our schedule for and allow ourselves to be able to take in.” The answer made me a bit melancholy, honestly, but it reminded me in many ways that no matter what any of us do, we in many ways all labor in our own salt mines. As a music fan, I would be totally bummed to remove live music, being able to feed off of that energy, from my slate of fun outlets, but Brian and Jordan somewhat forced a reality check about thinking about that world from the perspective of those who actually put off that energy.

The exchange solidified how important it is to do something that you truly love with your life. No matter what we chose to do, whether we are rock stars, writers, or stockers at Costco, we give so much of our blood, sweat, and tears to what it is we make a living at. Even creative people. Even the artists. Perhaps especially so, as most of us are doing what we have to do to hopefully discover a way to do want we want to do…. well…. on second thought, that is pretty much everyone’s dream. All of us, regardless of walks of life, are more alike than we tend to acknowledge, and it is cool to have a moment, sitting with people that in many ways you are inspired by, to realize that many of us are having the same thoughts.

“Talk to me a bit about the creative process,” I asked moving into my final group of questions. “ Are you a jam band?” I almost laughed out loud at the emotion lurching across Jordan’s face. No. Jordan instantly shook her head like I had broached onto some sort of treacherous territory. I got the impression she locked those shenanigans down pretty quickly. So I followed up with a related question, “Is there a unified vision, or is it more of an organic process?”

It is an organic process, was their mutual conclusion. Sometimes Brian comes in with a rift, and Jordan will see it as a verse or a chorus. “As a poet, I have no problem imagining this type of writing, but I do not hear my verse as a song.” I continued. “Do you hear your words as lyrics, already as a song in your head, as you are writing them?” Jordan nodded, “Yes, always, and for us I think sometimes too much forcing on a particular song just shows that the magic is not there with it. So we set it aside and move on. I like to be able to write and work out a song in one sitting, if it goes much past that – you start to wonder if you are putting too much effort into one that isn’t meant to be.” The writer in me understood immediately, but winced at the loss of possibility. As a writer, Jordan was describing something with which I am intimately involved… too many ideas and not enough time to write them all down. My answer, a list called Next-Project-Up starts to set up in your mind which you are continually chipping away at. Jordan’s answer, a notebook full of Gibberish and passed up moments, so that nothing is lost while she continually chases the muse of inspiration. Not that different actually. That is one of the goals of this blog…. to show the intimate relationship and need for community in Independent Arts.
The wings were almost gone, Brian and I had both ordered a second and final beer, and as our conversation started to roll towards its conclusion, some of the most profound parts of our dialog ensued. My good friend Stephen Ashbrook wrote a song all about the more you think you know the less you learn, and as my interview with Jane ‘n the Jungle turned to the state of modern music, Brian offered me one of those moments when that lyric really resounds. I consider myself a life long learner, and Brian Dellis taught me something that day at JT’s Bar and Grill.

“There is this huge disingenuous feeling in music, or rather, there seems like there is this rush to judgment that modern music has become disingenuous,” Brian began as he answered my question about his thoughts about the state of the radio. “I struggle with that. I don’t really want to hear Bieber anymore on the radio either, and he certainly doesn’t inspire me to do much besides turn the radio off, but diversity in art forces a realization about inspiration.”

He had me, and I was simply writing the words down on my note pages as fast as I could so as not to miss what he was laying down.

“I don’t have to commit to something to make it genuine to somebody else. I’m not Bieber’s audience, but because I am not, does that make his work less impactful on those who are?”

For someone who prides himself on his open mind, musical taste, and general ability to criticically think, sometimes I am humbled by others’ ability to put simple clarity to an issue. I too, as someone who thought the best part of Zoolander 2 was watching Bieber’s ludicrous death scene, have very little appreciation for Bieber’s talent, but perhaps allowing that view to color my respect for musical creativity has cast some shade on my own ability to truly see the beauty if art – simply for the reason that it is art.

“So you two have just come home from touring to the South by Southwest music festival. You shared the same stages as some huge acts. You were asked to meet with Snoop about future show possibilities. You have two commercials with Honda running across the United States. What did you learn the most from this most recent tour?” My final question hung in the air for a moment, as two two musicians allowed their thoughts to formulate.

“That we are exactly where we need to be”, Jordan answered. “We toured on our own this time, not with another band, and it was awesome to have some time to really ponder on some heavy questions. Are we any good? Are we wasting our time? Do we have fun doing this?”

“The answer to those questions was yeah, we are. We are the hardest on ourselves, and that is what is necessary for good artists to get better.”

“We learned that everybody has a job, and it is everybody else’s job”, Brian added. “We learned a lot about what we can do and what we can handle. We learned that we have to be a team to succeed. We learned that the most important parts are the human connections you make a long the way.” Jane ‘n the Jungle will next be seen here in the Valley on May 26th, at a show that is sure to NOT DISAPPOINT ! Get your Presale Tickets here! - Ryan B Clark

The local rock continued with Jane N the Jungle, whose singer, Jordan White, turned in the day's most awe-inspiring show of force on vocals. It was like hearing a young Pat Benatar belting it out at the helm of a '90s alternative-rock band.

And she did it while constantly moving as she led her four-piece band in such highlights as "Fire Away," which may have her most impressive vocal of the day, and an emotional reading of the power ballad, "Killed Someone."

After playing their latest single, "Open Road," White thanked the crowd and told them, "If you really like the music, I will give you a CD." - Ed Masley

The local rock continued with Jane N the Jungle, whose singer, Jordan White, turned in the day's most awe-inspiring show of force on vocals. It was like hearing a young Pat Benatar belting it out at the helm of a '90s alternative-rock band.

And she did it while constantly moving as she led her four-piece band in such highlights as "Fire Away," which may have her most impressive vocal of the day, and an emotional reading of the power ballad, "Killed Someone."

After playing their latest single, "Open Road," White thanked the crowd and told them, "If you really like the music, I will give you a CD." - Ed Masley

Ever since 2013, Phoenix alternative rock band Jane N’ The Jungle have been paving their own path. Lead singer Jordan White and her bandmates, Brian Dellis and Bryan Dague, have created a unique sound that blends 90s rock like No Doubt and The Cranberries with modern favorites like Paramore, Dorothy, and Florence + The Machine. While you may think you know Jane N’ The Jungle already, the truth is that they’re just getting started – 2019 is the year of Jane N’ The Jungle

Known for powerful live performances that are both electric and raw, Jane N’ The Jungle has built an impressive stage resume. Highlights include Rock N Roll Marathon, McDowell Mountain Music Festival, multiple SXSW performances, Phoenix Pride Festival, Whisky A Go Go, The Viper Room, and more. They’ve also opened for acts like Dreamers, Night Riots, Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf, and From Ashes to New. Lead singer Jordan White was even a part of the 2019 Season 2 of ABC’s American Idol. They’ve been recognized locally (named by the Phoenix New Times as one of “17 Metro Phoenix Bands to Watch in 2017” and performing on 3TV, AZTV 7, and Fox 100) and nationally (“Smoke & Dust” and “Open Road Blues” were featured in Honda prime time commercials), and this year, the band will be releasing their new full-length record. The album was recorded in part at Gravity Studios in Chicago, IL and 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica, CA, sponsored by Ford Motor Co.

Jane N’ The Jungle has always knew how to rock, but in their latest clip for “Little Blue,” we see it on screen. Here, White, Dellis, and Dague take the stage at the famous Viper Room in West Hollywood. Gritty and edgy, polished and cool, Jane N’ The Jungle are in their prime here. When she’s not rocking out on stage, White shows her stuff on the streets, decked out in her leather jacket and leather shoes. White says about “Little Blue,” “‘Little Blue’ is the opening track off our upcoming record. It brings the fire out of the gate and grabs the audience in with its energy and attitude.” - RJ Frometa

Nick Murphy (the artist formerly known as Chet Faker), Big Gigantic and Griz are among the headlining artists at McDowell Mountain Music Festival the weekend of Friday-Sunday, March 2-4.

Gorgon City, Cut Copy, O.A.R., Mura Masa, Dr. Dog, Washed Out, Lemaitre, Anderson East, the Motet, the Marcus King Band, the Russ Liquid Test, Com Truise, Lucky Chops, Seratones and Brasstracks are among the other acts performing.

And there are plenty of local artists in the mix as always: Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, the Uncommon Good, Wyves, the Lonesome Wilderness, Treasurefruit, Jane N' the Jungle, Jerusafunk, Scattered Melodies, Spark Jack Daddy, Romen Buffalo and the Loyal Order, and Daisy. - Ed Masley

Phoenix, Arizona’s “wild” alternative rock group, Jane N’ The Jungle have a new “Little Blue” music video for you to consume. Led by the powerful and charismatic Jordan White, the band blends the spirit of ‘90s acts such as The Cranberries with more modern indie rock like Florence + The Machine and Paramore. Commenting on the video, White highlighted what “Little Blue” means to her and describes the recording process; “I used to let people’s opinions of me and the band get under my skin and feel insecure... ‘Little Blue’ is about not caring about other’s perception of you and owning all your faults even if that makes you seem a ‘Little Blue.”

She continues, “The song was one of the first we recorded off our upcoming record tracked at 4th Street Recording Studio in Santa Monica with producer Bruce Monical and engineer Ruben Valle. The initial recording was for a couple of singles but later led to the start of our full-length record which took more than a year and a half to finish.” Enjoy our video premiere and look for the “Little Blue” single right now on iTunes here.

“Little Blue” will be included as the lead track off of Jane N’ The Jungle’s upcoming new record Concrete Jungle. What makes the music video memorable is that it’s just so reminiscent of the flair that is missing from so much of today’s rock n’ roll. It features the band performing at West Hollywood’s Viper Room, along with shots of White out on the streets in torn jeans, a leather jacket, and leather shoes. It reminds you of the days when punk rock was actually “punk rock” and you were full of youthful exuberance. It’s the perfect song to start off an album to and it gives you a sample of the type of energy you’ll find at a live Jane N’ The Jungle gig. Concrete Jungle was recorded both at Gravity Studios in Chicago and 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica, California, sponsored by Ford Motor Co. - Christopher Gonda

The sound of emotion blasts through as rock n roll hits hard with guitars, rhythm, and lyrics. A powerhouse comes smoking hot from this female fronted Arizona band, known as Jane N The Jungle. In jogging outfits made from neon colored spandex, flashy tutu’s and lavender wigs Jane and her “Tribe” took on Sunset Blvd as they produced their exclusive video hit to premiere on AntiHero Magazine. The rawness of true alternative rock made its way as the band rocked out at the Whiskey a Go Go and delivered their cheekiness with their neon spandex jog down Sunset Blvd into a music video that states this is rock n roll life.The rock music passion Jane N The Jungle consistently presents is always spot on. Their flamboyant humor blends with the live rock footage and produces the rock on stamp for their new video “Wild Side.” Get ready to spin it and get your “Wild Side” on!Alternative rock band Jane N The Jungle, from Phoenix, AZ, set fire to the indie alternative music scene with their electric performances and powerful female vocals. The band released their debut EP in October 2016 with influences such as Alanis Morissette,The Cranberries, and Florence and The Machine. Jane and her “Tribe” have received rave reviews on their unique sound, mixing between 90’s alternative and modern rock. - Video Premiere: Jane N The Jungle – “Wild Side”