A CirdecSongs Chat with Jason Blake (Aziola Cry)

Spend enough time in music and you’ll learn that some of your favorite discoveries will take place completely by accident or happenstance. Having said that, it would seem that I have unintentionally — albeit very pleasantly — fallen into the international touch guitar scene.

Touch guitars — in which I will group the Chapman Stick, the Warr Guitar, and the U8 — are an instrument I deeply admire both from the standpoint of what the instrument is capable of and the artists capable of playing them. But I know for a fact that I don’t have the attention span to learn how to play one myself. I struggle hard enough with six strings, let alone eight, ten, twelve, or more!

Which is how I’ve come to admire the likes of Tony Levin, Markus Reuter, Nick Beggs, Matt Tate, Marc Pelath, and now JASON BLAKE. I had the pleasure of meeting Jason in Chicago, where we both reside, and seeing him and his band, Aziola Cry, at Progstock in Rutherford, New Jersey. My mind was positively BLOWN!!! He brings the fire-drenched riffs of progressive metal along with the delicate touch of ambient music, all while bringing bass and guitar riffs simultaneously!

Jason has a variety of irons in the musical fire, both with his band and on his own. I’ll let him tell you about them. Once you’re done here, hop over to the Jason Blake Music channel and take on all he has to offer there. It’s always great to talk to good people, and Jason is good people. I’d like to thank him for taking the time to take part in this CirdecSongs interview.