Hot Summer Questions for JaRon Marshall + the Collective, Felt Out, and Jane Leo
The free, Chron-curated lineup pops up Saturday at the 13th Floor
By Rachel Rascoe, Fri., July 21, 2023
Like Free Week in the winter, the no-cost, high-temp musical festival Hot Summer Nights returns to Downtown Austin Thursday, July 20, through Sunday, July 23. For this sixth edition, the hosting Red River Cultural District invited The Austin Chronicle to throw a pop-up party at the 13th Floor on Saturday, July 22, at 7pm. The Chron-curated lineup includes JaRon Marshall + the Collective, Felt Out, and Jane Leo. At 8pm, Black Angels guitarist Jake Garcia kicks off the show with a DJ set at his Red River venue (previously home to Beerland).
We polled the players with a series of summery questions. Read their replies below, and find more festival picks on p.42.
JaRon Marshall + the Collective
Known as a member of both Black Pumas and Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodélicos band, keyboard maestro JaRon Marshall delivered his debut album, earth sounds, in April, with support from his Collective of talented players. (Revisit "Journeyman: JaRon Marshall's Path From Black Pumas to Jazz-Hop Debut," April 21, 2023.)
Most summery release: "Constellations" from my last album, earth sounds. A super chill instrumental tune that's perfect to cruise to with the windows down on a sunny day.
Song of the summer: "Wharf Talk" by Tyler, the Creator feat. A$AP Rocky. Tyler is Pharrell reincarnated, so the vibes are strong.
Excited to see at HSN: Some of my favorite artists on the bill are David Shabani, CAZAYOUX, Moody Bank$, Money Chicha, and LeTrainiump.
Dreaming of the heat: Just bought a Jeep so I'm feeling super outdoorsy at the moment. But we have a newborn so that's been keeping me indoors for the most part.
Filling July days with: NY Times crossword, morning smoothies, piano, Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act, and Ted Lasso.
Felt Out
Organically synth-led duo of Walter Nichols and Sowmya Somanath, Felt Out graced the Chronicle cover in April on the occasion of their second album Until I'm Light. (Revisit "Felt Out Follows Their Shape-Shifting Pop Intuition," April 28, 2023.)
Most summery release: "At Best" feels bright/fizzy/steamy/fun. Like sinking your teeth into a prickly pear and feeling the juice drip down your chin. There's a romantic heat swirling around.
Song of the summer: "Tumbleweed" by Test Subjects, also light/bright/wet/fun, great windows-down song, reminiscent of childhood and summer vacay no-school vibes.
Excited to see at HSN: Witches Exist, because we stumbled upon them once when they played with our buds Laveda at Hotel Vegas and loved 'em.
Leaning into the heat with: Homemade sorbet, Campari sodas, marinated zucchini, iced home lattes, dunking our heads in water before we go onstage (or before stepping outside).
Filling July days with: Basins of ice water, dog training books/videos, yo-yo practice, chess, smoked mozzarella, swimming and online shopping for flippers, rewatching TÁR with a new friend every week, making sangria, listening to classical on vinyl, Goodwill trips, flatbreads in the wood-fire oven.
Jane Leo
Jane Ellen Bryant and Daniel Leopold's musical collaboration bloomed into a shared alt-pop nom de plume last year, Jane Leo. Recapping tracks that would later be tied into their self-titled February debut album, the Chronicle described "a kaleidoscope of avant-garde lyrics and grandiose soundscapes." Before performing at ACL Fest come October, the duo joins L.A. electro-pop act Cannons on a month of major touring dates.
Most summery release: "Big Life" gives real big hot-fun-in-the-summertime vibes. Greasy suntan lotion and limousine rides.
Song of the summer: "More Bounce to the Ounce" by ZAPP because nothing can go wrong while listening to this song.
Excited to see at HSN: Amplified Heat, Flyer Club, Dossey – good people, good groves, good moves.
Beating the heat: We've been holed up in our home studio gratefully losing track of time and temperatures.
Filling July days with: Focaccia bread and coffee ice cream. Reading Larry McMurtry, Maya Angelou, Michelle Zauner, and John McEnroe. Attempting to not be terrible at tennis.
