A multi-instrumentalist whose talents include upright bass, trumpet, piano, and guitar, Jar-E fuses elements of jazz, reggae, worldbeat, and pop/rock into his hybridized music. While attending Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC, the musician began performing with a quintet that melded hip-hop and jazz with elements of rock, a combination that would later inform the sound of his solo material. The band's popularity helped elevate Jar-E's status in the Asheville music scene, allowing him to secure a record deal several years later for his follow-up group, the Jar-E Quartet. After recording a three-song demo, Jar-E left his quartet behind and traveled to Europe, where he spent six months traveling and crafting the debut album Heartache. He then returned home and set to work on a second release, 2007's sample-heavy War Songs and the Muse. After the release of his sophomore album, Jar-E packed his bags once again and trekked through Greece, Cuba, and Britain, collecting inspiration for another album along the way. He then settled in Mexico, where Chicas Malas was born. Recorded in a converted barn with longtime producer Keith Saunders, the album traded in the experimental sounds of War Songs for the raw sound of Jar-E's live shows. ~ Andrew Leahey