Being born during the hip-hop movement, Jaspects integrates their youthful skill to progress music and build a bridge between musical genres in ways parallel to Earth, Wind, and Fire, Tony Toni Tone, and The Roots. Formally trained jazz students at the illustrious Morehouse College, Jaspects’ goal is to produce an exhaustive musical experience that involves TRUE freedom of expression via musical and lyrical creativity.
Jaspects' most recent single "Unifunk" stretches its musicianship to a new realm of musical freedom and experimentation that debunks the music industry's notion of genres. Techno meshed with soulful horns, a grooving bass line, and T. Brown's futuristic vocoder stylings engulf "Unifunk" and provide an opportunity for serious social commentary to entrench the listener during this dance's delight. "Unifunk's" lyrics focus on the state of the world today and spread the message of unity through "universal funk" or "Unifunk". Simply put, things would be much better if we work to understand our commonalities instead of fixating on our differences.
Jaspects works to rescue the struggling concept of musicianship while breaking down the structural constraints of hip-hop. The band promotes the idea that the culture of hip-hop can support an entity that focuses on musical depth without ostracizing the mainstream fan of hip-hop. Jaspects uses music as an agent for change in a way pioneers such as Public Enemy, Outkast, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder have. Whether they're playing at the legendary Bohemian Caverns in Washington DC or talking to a group of high schoolers in southwest Atlanta, the message conveyed by their voice is the same, "make your music mean something to the world at-large."
While the men are fresh out of college, they have thrived for six years on the music scene. The band operates out of Atlanta, GA and consists of pianist/music director T. Brown (Memphis, TN), bassist Jon-Christopher Sowells (Dallas, TX), drummer Henry “HC3” Conerway, III (Detroit, MI), tenor saxophonist Dwayne “Spacey” Dugger (Queens, NY), alto saxophonist Stagolee (Aniston, AL), and trumpeter James E. King (Stamford, CT). Jaspects has released three independent albums (2005’s “In ‘House’ Sessions, 2006’s “Broadcasting the Definition,” and 2007’s “Double Consciousness”) and conducted six self-promoted tours of the eastern United States.
Individually, Jaspects’ works have appeared in the 2005 major motion picture “Hustle & Flow,” on Chamillionaire’s platinum albums “Chamillitary” and “Sound of Revenge,” on Carlos Santana’s “All That I Am,” with platinum recording artists David Banner, Wyclef Jean, Big Boi (“Kryptonite”), Mary J. Blige (“Just Fine”) and newcomers Janelle Monae, Algebra, PJ Morton, and Fonzworth Bentley.
Collectively, Jaspects has performed on bills with Herbie Hancock, Eric Roberson, Patti LaBelle, George Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, Regina Bell, Yolanda Adams, Dwele, Bilal, Mike Phillips, the late Gerald Levert and blues legend Francine Reed. After playing for jazz lover Bill Cosby, the band was selected to perform during the Ray Charles Tribute held in Beverly Hills, California, where Samuel L. Jackson and Quincy Jones attended. Jaspects is a two-time Atlanta Jazz Festival “Future of Jazz” winner (2005 & 2006) and was awarded the critic's pick for “Best Atlanta Jazz Band” for 2007 & 2008 by Atlanta weekly magazine Creative Loafing.
CNN featured four selections of Jaspects’ music in the 2008 documentary “Black in America.” The National Urban League featured Jaspects during the 2008 National Urban League Gala honoring Nancy Wilson in Orlando, Florida.
