Jason Mraz is one of the few young musical artists that combines tongue-twisting lyrics and delicately perfected vocals to come up with creative, catchy compositions for his listeners. This talented singer/songwriter quenched his thirst for music by participating in musical theatre. Mraz was a student at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York after he graduated from high school. However, he dropped out after one year when he picked up a six-string. Although the training from one year at school proved to be tremendous by the articulationand range of his vocals, he wanted to focus more of his time on writing his own songs. Mraz soon heard the west coast calling his name and moved to San Diego, CA, leaving the Big Apple behind to pursue his career. In 1999, he met Toca Rivera who would become his long-time friend and drummer. The two performed acoustic shows together earning a weekly spot at Java Joe’s in San Diego, and traveled to Los Angeles only to gain the interest of record labels. A few years into performing with Rivera, Mraz was signed by Elektra Records and returned to Virginia to work with John Alagia, a producer who also teamed with the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer, to record his first album. Waiting for My Rocket to Come hit the stores in November, 2002, and his first single, “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry),” put Mraz in the limelight. This debut album went platinum and showcased his folk, jazz, hip-hop and country-rock style. Mraz played arenas all over the country and released a live album in 2004 to prepare his audience for his 2005 release, Mr. A-Z. In a recent interview with MTV’s Brandee Tecson, Mraz said, “These songs are kind of a peek into my life. It’s like, I don’t really have the time to explain myself, so I’m just going to tell you how it is and how I’m feeling on these different topics and you can interpret it for yourself.”
Not only does his new album allow his fans to learn more about the man behind the mic, but it also shows off his plethora of musical tastes. Mr. A-Z provides the ear with everything from hip-hop beats, operatic vocals, and wordplay like you wouldn’t believe. The album is incredibly crafted by the 28- year-old musical genius, and it stands on its own, sounding like nothing you’ve heard before.
The beauty, humor and carefree sound of Jason Mraz will echo throughout crowded concert halls this fall as he begins his cross-country tour. He’ll be performing at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on Oct. 12. Mraz’s laid-back nature lets him patiently wait to see what kind of impression his new album will make and hopefully many will hear a lyrical, vocal and musical phenomenon.