Mraz talks music, his book -- and salads
By Mesfin Fekadu Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK -- To record his third studio CD, Jason Mraz withdrew from the music industry so he wouldn't be affected by album sales and charts. Instead, the pop singer went to his hometown of San Diego and traveled to London while disconnecting himself from his phone and e-mail.Mraz has also released a book, A Thousand Things: Photographs by Jason Mraz.
The result: We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Mraz -- playing Aug. 2 at the Constellation Brands Marvin Sands PAC in Canandaigua, calls the CD his most personal yet.
Months after its release, the album's first single, "I'm Yours," is still a hit on those charts Mraz tried to avoid, it's No. 32 this week on the Billboard Hot 100 after peaking at No. 6 (As late as Feb. 5, it topped Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Track list -- 11 months after the song's release).
AP: What's been your most memorable moment on tour?
Mraz: When I first started touring, I got to tour with Jewel for many long weeks and on our last night she invited me on stage to do a duet and we shared a microphone, and I always thought that was so great because I could clearly see in her mouth while she's singing. I'm like right there in her face. Like up her nose at times and feeling her breath in my face. Maybe it was kind of perverted for me to have those experiences but it was great as a fan and fellow musician. It's a great opportunity to be that close to other musicians.
AP: Talk more about this book of photos.
Mraz: For the past five years that I've been touring, I've taken Polaroid instant film; Polaroid 600, the cheapest kind you can buy. And there's really something quite novelty and interesting about this film, and now I've taken thousands and thousands of pictures.
AP: Between studio sessions, live shows and the book, what's Jason doing in his free time?
Mraz: I spend a lot of my time, most of time, preparing food, believe it or not. I wake up everyday and I start my day with a super smoothie, which has about 24 ingredients in it, everything from a whole avocado to various powders and formulas and everything is raw. I also prepare raw salads. Most people think you get bored eating salads all the time, but these are some of the most hi-def salads you'll ever lay your eyes on. My hotel rooms essentially become little kitchens -- and I travel with what I call my little movable feast, which is this flight case full kitchen set-up. I've got a big blender, cutting board, knife (and) all these extra things.
AP: Speaking of foods, I hear you have an avocado farm.
Mraz: About five years ago, I moved to the wilderness just outside of San Diego (and) I just really wanted to live amongst the trees. In this area I found (that) all the trees were avocados. The trees produce about two, three times a year and different acreages have different kinds of avocados. ... It's kind of a magical place.
A quick look
WHAT: Jason Mraz, in concert. With G. Love and Special Sauce.
WHERE: Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, 4355 Lakeshore Drive, Canandaigua.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Aug. 2.
TICKETS: $25 lawn, $35 and $45 reserved. Available from www.CMACevents.com, Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 1 (800) 745-3000 and the Blue Cross Arena box office, Rochester.
ON THE NET: www.jasonmraz.com
Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz’s single “I’m Yours” was nominated for three Grammy Awards earlier this year. He appears Sunday at the CMAC.Daily MessengerHopewell, N.Y. —It’s a song that has burned up the charts since last summer and been nominated for a “Song of the Year” Grammy, but its creator never dreamed it would have the success it has.
Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz’s single, “I’m Yours,” is currently the fifth best selling digital single of all time; it was also nominated for three Grammys earlier this year.
“I’m real tickled that it’s doing what it’s doing still,” Mraz said in a phone interview. When he debuted the song at a concert five years ago, he didn’t know what to expect.
“I have no expectations about anything ever,” he said. “I certainly didn’t feel that way about ‘I’m Yours.’ I knew it was a cool song, and I knew it had reggae inspirations and it was a real sing-along campfire song. I knew it was cool and I knew I would play it live, sure, but I didn’t think it would make the record.”
The song is one of 12 songs on his most current album: “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.” Released in May 2008, the album includes “Lucky,” a collaboration with singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat; and “Details in the Fabric,” featuring British guitarist James Morrison.
Mraz will perform songs from his newest album as part of the “Gratitude Cafe Tour,” which also features alternative hip-hop band G. Love & Special Sauce. On Sunday, Aug. 2, the tour makes its way to the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center.
Mraz’s love for music started when he was about 3 or 4, and is due to the influence of his mom.
“We had a piano in my house, and she would mold my fingers to play a chord,” he said. “I would feel the vibrations going through my body.”
Mraz, now 32, said he’s been involved with music ever since. He remembers playing trumpet in band and singing in the choir during his school years.
Due to his involvement in school music that a portion of ticket sales will be donated to VH1 Save the Music Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental-music education programs in U.S. public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education. Since 1997, the organization has provided $43 million in music instruments to public schools across the country.
Mraz, who primarily plays guitar, has been employed as a professional musician since the age of 21.
“I still don’t think I’m involved in the professional music scene,” he laughed.
He left school to pursue music and traveling, with a desire to be a “well traveled writer” — “Even though I had no experience, I was just out there doing it.”
Mraz’s debut label album, “Waiting for My Rocket to Come,” was released in October 2002 and featured the songs, “Remedy (I Won’t Worry),” “You and I Both” and “Curbside Prophet.” His second album, the Grammy-nominated “Mr. A-Z” (a take on his last name), features “Wordplay,” “Geek in the Pink” and “Did you Get My Message?”
Mraz’s single “I’m Yours” inspired the release of “Yours Truly: The I’m Yours Collection,” a digital EP that includes four versions of “I’m Yours,” which dropped July 14.
Mraz will also take part in Farm Aid, a benefit concert that started in Illinois in 1985. Willie Nelson is one of the board members, along with Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews — all of whom will perform at the Oct. 4 concert in St. Louis, Mo. The concert raises money to support programs that help farmers thrive and to promote food from family farms.
Mraz was interested in being a part of Farm Aid because his grandfathers were both engineers and farmers, because it’s about keeping food local and organic, and because it supports families.
“(It) always brings the attention back to the farms,” he said. “It takes (people) away from fast food for a second.”
The San Diego-based songsmith said that he wants his fans to know that he really loves what he does, calling himself “awkwardly serious.”
“I look at it as like customer service. When people come to a show, it’s like, ‘how can I help you?’”
If you go
WHAT Jason Mraz in concert, with G. Love & Special Sauce
WHEN Sunday, Aug. 2, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and show starting at 7 p.m.
WHERE Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, on the Finger Lakes Community College campus, 4355 Lakeshore Drive, Hopewell
TICKETS $35-$45 ($25 lawn seating), available from www.ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000; Blue Cross Arena box office (1 War Memorial Square, Rochester), (585) 758-5330, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays; or CMAC box offices starting at noon on show days only
PARKING $10 general parking, $20 VIP parking); additional parking and shuttle service available at Roseland Waterpark ($5 per car) on an as-needed basis; watch for signs as you approach CMAC for parking information
DETAILS www.cmacevents.com, (585) 393-4880
