Description
In a landscape characterized by the ever-evolving song of the cosmos, the renowned music maestro, Joe Armon-Jones, makes a comeback after a hiatus of six years with a groundbreaking album, All the Quiet (Part II), set to release on 13th June 2025. Known for his experimental and innovative approach to music, his latest work is a testament to his exemplary skill, creative courage, and earnest devotion to his craft. His music is deeply colored by his rich experience, where he has drawn inspiration from multiple genres.
The work retains his signature style but is also heavily influenced by the exceptional artists he collaborated with. Asheber’s melodious voice breathes life into Armon-Jones’ music, while the talented singer-songwriters Greentea Peng, Yazmin Lacey, Wu Lu, and Hak Baker infused their unique flavor, giving this magnum opus a more tailored and authentic feel. With this, Joe’s versatile talent in jazz, funk, and dub, significantly supported by his capacity as a keyboardist, improviser, and producer, find perfect harmony, breathing a fresh lease of life into the music scene.
During a six-year gap, Armon-Jones has been anything but quiet, instead, he has honed his skills to become a more astute musician. He plunged into music, learning the ropes of a production studio and influenced by the magical hands of King Tubby—an exploration that ultimately led him down the path of creating a marvelous blend of jazz and the dub techniques. Here, he forges a new path in music, extrapolating the wide-ranging capacity of jazz improvisation and dub, magnets that never fail to attract avid aficionados of music.
Remarkably, the album was conceptualized during the lockdown, where Armon-Jones, inflamed by a desire to push his boundaries, ventured into the technology behind mixing musical scores. This endeavor led to an exciting journey of testing his compositions on cutting-edge sound systems and finally amalgamating all his learned skills to produce his finest work yet. Just as jazz notes danced on the chords of spontaneity, he too flowed with the same fluidity, going with the spontaneous bursts of creativity.
Joe worked on the principle of community and collective innovation, drawing together a team of extraordinary artists such as Natcyet Wakili, Mutale Chashi, Kwake Bass, Nubya Garcia, James Mollison and Ife Ogunjobi from Ezra Collective. The ensemble collaborated for four whole days at Livingstone Studios and Press Play to finalise recordings of the album. Once theharmonies were set, he ventured into adding his unique touch to the music with the mesmerizing blend of dub delay and echo techniques.
A significant characteristic of Joe’s music is his profound adoration for evocative narratives. All the Quiet, in particular, captures a fantastical tale of far-reaching valor for musical freedom, combatting the hostility towards the spirit of creativity. His concept protests against the commodification of music, a battle he fights alongside long-time partners in crime, Divya Scialo and Ralph Berryman. Together, they wove this narrative into a comic book commemorating the album’s deluxe vinyl editions, providing a tangible reflection of his visionary narrative.
Manifesting his vision through music, Armon-Jones leads his listeners on a journey through tranquility and the cosmic battle for music, marking the two parts of the creation All the Quiet. Regular collaborators such as Hak Baker and Greentea Peng contribute their individual specialties, transforming his vision into reality. The album oscillates between the serene melodies in the first part and the direct confrontation in the second part, exemplifying his belief in the inherent vitality of music to human existence.
Looking back at his roots, we find his background steeped in music. Born to parents who shared a passion for music, they nurtured Joe’s talent from an early age. Moreover, having been a part of Ezra Collective, as well as Nubya Garcia’s band, Armon-Jones’ music has evolved, his experiences converging to create a sound distinctively his own.
In conclusion, All the Quiet (Part II), is indeed a bold statement from Joe Armon-Jones – a clear message that the spirit of creativity and the power of music are forces worthy of standing their grounds against commodification. As it hits the scenes on June 13th, 2025, it serves as a testament to Joe’s unwavering promise to his art. Not only will it be remembered for its fearless approach to music but also as a striking emblem of the enchanting journey of Joe Armon-Jones, the extraordinary musician and the relentless warrior for the cause of music.
