In the Eastern townships of Quebec, just outside of Ayer’s Cliff, Shazam Fest took place over the July 13-16th weekend. Thursday through Sunday, and I had the opportunity to check out Friday’s lineup. Since its humble beginnings eighteen years ago the festival of circus and music has grown up to become one of Quebec’s best kept secrets. Held on one of the most idyllic festival sites around, with a hidden valley that leads to a natural amphitheater and the Shazam village which hosts the festival’s stages and vendors.

1993 was a good year to be a music fan: MTV was arguably at the peak of its cultural influence, CD's were flying off the shelves every day, and music fans were spoiled for choice when it came to what they could listen to. If you were among those who enjoyed alternative music, you were probably anticipating the releases of Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins and In Utero by Nirvana on July 27 and September 12 of that year.

My favourite part about making playlists on Spotify is finding the one “thing” that connects the songs to one another. The general theme of the playlist is probably the most important part, and from there, the rest flows freely. “Beyond Genre” was created in the same way. As a musician and lover of jazz, it’s interesting to see the many ways artists take the jazz genre and tweak it to create new waves of music that can’t be classified into one section or another. This playlist is a compilation of music that isn’t necessarily jazz, but where we can recognize influences through chords, melodies, or harmonization. 

“I felt awkward and weird most of the time because I didn't know shit, but now I know shit,” Ryan Olcott tells me, referring to how much has changed since he and his band, 12 Rods, last released new music. “My Year (This is Going to Be)”, came as a happy surprise to a devout, yet ever-growing fan base upon its release back in April; being the first new 12 Rods single in over 20 years.  I had the opportunity to talk with the Minneapolis musician, producer, singer, and lyricist over what lapsed into a two-hour phone call to inquire about his latest album If We Stayed Alive, releasing July 7.