The Velvet Jimis

The Velvet Jimis are a party jam band capable of navigating the intersection of soul, funk, blues, rock, and a sidecar of hip-hop. On the 12-track The Distance Between Us, they can be slow-burn bluesy, as on “Sweet Angeline,” with seductive, harmonizing vocals, or they can combine scat-singing and funk, as on “When I Get Home.” “Shoot Shoot Bang Bang” is gloves-off garage rock – these guys are up for anything and they generally deliver. (velvetjimis.com)
– Jason Scales - Illinois Entertainer

upporting the Arts: Local Music Video Shot
Oak Parker, Jim Darley of the Velvet Jimis band, likes to tell a story of three frogs sitting on a log when one decides to jump in. “How many are left on the log?” he asks.
“Three. Just because one decided to jump, doesn’t mean he did it”, says Darley.
So one evening when he invited his friend and photographer Mark Segal and family over for dinner, they decided to make a music video. Darley couldn’t believe that Segal proposed a shoot date within 2 weeks time. “This guy is a jumper”, says Darley.
The band consists of 7 players most of whom reside in Oak Park. “We basically met on the playground”, says band mate Rick Renner, “3 of us have kids in the same grade at the same school.” Since the band’s inception three years ago, the Velvet Jimis have played numerous local venues, fests and shared the bill with national acts such as Trombone Shorty and Grammy Award winner Terrence Simien.
Segal has co-produced feature films & television spots and has won international acclaim as a photographer, working closely with art directors & designers in over 40 countries. He founded Mark Segal Photography in 1981, SkyPan International in 1989 and Panoramicimages.com in 1987; one of the largest libraries of large format images in the world.
“I thought it would be fun to do something different”, said Segal, “ I’d seen the Velvet Jimis play around town and I enjoy listening to their cd. I thought it would be a great opportunity to support them and the local art scene.”
“We didn’t really have much a plan but Segal was confident he could pull a crew together and get it done. I said great. I’ll get a location”, says Darley.
Darley didn’t have to go far. The video was shot at Fitzgerald’s Night Club in Berwyn. The club has been the host of other film projects including pivotal scenes in The Color of Money, Blink, A League of Their Own and Adventures in Baby Sitting. It was also home to the 2007 Bon Jovi music video “Lost Highway”.
“I was kind of surprised when I saw all the lights and cameras that these guys brought in. It seemed like a pretty big ordeal for a local production”, says owner Bill Fitzgerald.
Segal convinced the band to perform with a more formal look wearing jackets and ties. “I spoke with local producer Kevin James who was hip to what we were trying to do. He suggested a few videos that really helped focus my vision. We shot a lot of close ups and edited the film trying to keep each clip to no more than 3 or 4 seconds”. The video includes colored freeze frames (stop gaps) focusing on individual players. The look is similar to the screen credits of Guy Ritchie’s 1998 British crime film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Though it would be easiest to simply lip sync a song off the Velvet Jimis’ debut album, “The Distance Between Us” released in May 2010, the band decided they wanted to perform a new song they were working on but had not yet recorded.
“We weren’t even done writing it”, says guitarist Loren Middleton, “but when we started kicking around what song would work well with Mark’s vision. We knew we needed something punchy and decided to work out the kinks and add a hook”.
The work in progress became the video’s song, “Just a Little” and can be seen at www.velvetjimis.com or at www.segalphoto.com.
The Velvet Jimis will playing at Fitzgerald’s Night Club on Saturday May 28 (9:30) and the following Saturday June 4, at the Forest Park Summer Fest (5pm) and O’Sullivans (10pm).

- Trib Local

No longer the gypsies of their youth, The Velvet Jimis, founded by Jim Darley- vocals /harmonica and Loren Middleton - lead guitar & vocals, are comprised of seven local musicians who mostly met through their kids. 
The band started when pump salesman/front man Darley, and Middleton, a criminal defense attorney, were joined by advertising man and bass player, Randy Hess. The three were invited to play one song with a few members of local favorites, YellowHammers at Friendly’s in Berwyn.
The three, who met as a result of having kids enrolled at Beye School in Oak Park, added Shure electronics salesman Rick Renner on rhythm guitar and the band was up and running.
Initially, Darley played percussion using a cajon. A Cajon (pronounced 'ka.HONE') is a wooden box drum that stands on the floor and is played by slapping the front face and sides with the hands. Cajons have been used by musicians and bands such as Ben Harper, Fleetwood Mac and Los Lobos among others.
In order to get a full band sound, the group added drummer Jason Edwards. In addition to his work as an attorney, Middleton, who is known as LoJazz, also owns an independent record label LoJazz Records. Edwards came to the band as a result of his connections with various recording artists. It was also the path that brought rapper Emile Williams, who spends his days teaching in a local grammar school.
Finally, they added singer Christopher Styles. Originally a gospel singer from the south side of Chicago, Styles was recently flown to Italy to sing at Oprah’s birthday party.
Their music is as diverse as their backgrounds and day gigs. It is a mixture of R &B, Rock ‘n’ Soul and new school styles served up with an ever-infectious beat that makes people want to hit the dance floor. Funkaphile or not. And it is clear that the band is having as much fun as the audience.
“We’re all about mixing it up,” says Middleton, “Between the seven musicians we probably have about 150 years of experience and in a lot of different genres including rock, funk, hip hop, soul, jazz, and gospel. We’re pretty much a melting pot and try to capitalize on that diversity.”
?The Velvet Jimis, play every third Thursday of the month (Feb.18th) at Friendly Tap, 6733 W. Roosevelt Road in Berwyn. This month, on Friday the 19th, they will be sharing the bill with Grammy Award winning Zydeco stalwart Terrance Simien at Fitzgerald’s Nightclub, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.
For more info visit their website www.velvetjimis.com.? 
- Tribune