Band Nonagram puts an original spin on jazz melodies

After playing in several jazz groups in which the names of the bands were anagrams of the musicians’ names, the members of Los Angeles-based jazz trio Nonagram decided the band’s name would be not another anagram.

The same diversifying spirit that led fourth-year UCLA jazz studies student Owen Clapp, second-year UCLA cognitive science student Colin McDaniel and California Institute of the Arts student Greg Uhlmann to the band’s name drives their music as well. Nonagram incorporates jazz and Western classical music with sounds influenced by singer-songwriters. The band’s blend of these styles will be showcased in the newest addition of Fowler Out Loud on Thursday.

“We have a lot of different kinds of songs,” McDaniel said. “Some of them might be very high-energy and rhythmically complex, and some other ones are more somber and introverted.”

McDaniel, who plays drums for the group, first met guitarist Uhlmann at a summer music program for high school students. After Uhlmann met bassist Clapp through a friend and discovered they both knew McDaniel, the three were soon playing together as a band.

“I remember playing with (Uhlmann) for the first time,” Clapp said. “And just thinking, ‘he has such a unique approach to playing guitar.’ There’s something very soulful and honest about his playing.”

Clapp, McDaniel and Uhlmann decided to use a trio format for their new group, allowing them to focus on the different sounds and textures that can be extracted from guitar, bass and drums, Clapp said. And while the band consists of three jazz musicians, the original music from the group takes on many elements.

Rather than sticking to a particular genre, the band prides itself on playing the type of music they like, McDaniel said. Whether taking influences from the unpredictability of Radiohead, the smooth voice of Elliott Smith or the harmonic palette of Bill Frisell’s guitar, Nonagram writes the songs it wants to hear.

At the core of the band, however, the musicians still have a jazz connection and use their abilities for creative improvisation to expand the band’s sound. The original music the band writes tends to employ a simple foundation, leaving room for the band’s improvisation to bring about excitement and intrigue, Uhlmann said.

McDaniel said he attributes the band’s improvisation to a strong sense of intuition. Rather than using verbal communication while playing together, McDaniel said the band feels out the improvised sections through musical instinct.

“Usually jazz (musicians) start their solos off by working their way down to a lower energy, and then as the solo grows, (they) get more active and interact with the other musicians,” McDaniel said.

Beyond improvising, all three members of the band assume the composer role, which creates a more diverse repertoire. Clapp, who started playing bass after listening to Led Zeppelin, Sublime and Nirvana, brings an indie rock methodology to the group, while Uhlmann writes a lot of guitar melodies that are influenced by singer-songwriters like Smith and Nick Drake.

“When any of us … bring in a composition, we’ll read through it once, interpret it and try to bring it to life,” Clapp said. “It comes down to how it’s  interpreted
(because) music on the page can go in so many different directions. We try to add some of our own concept into it, but also try to honor the composer’s idea.”

To incorporate the influence of many singer-songwriters, Nonagram uses Uhlmann’s guitar to create vocal-like melodies. McDaniel said he points to Uhlmann’s ability to play the guitar in a way that highlights the vocal influences that drive the band.

“The history of jazz is very much about taking vocal music and making it instrumental,” Uhlmann said. “And also, just taking inspiration from vocal music – the strongest melodies come from people that are really in touch with their voice.”

As the band prepares for its upcoming performance, the future for the trio includes a short tour of California and the Northwest, and possibly a summer album. McDaniel said the band’s success and camaraderie come from the friendship behind the music. As Uhlmann makes clear, however, there’s a challenge when playing with friends.

“Everything is so exposed,” Uhlmann said. “You can’t hide behind anything with this trio. … It’s a really fun challenge.”