Music

>>Comprised of four friends with a mutual passion for musical exploration, JD Project is a thirteen-year experiment in the making. And it seems that nothing is off-limits: blues, rock, country, punk, reggae, even rap, have been twisted and molded into a unique, distinguishable JD sound. The band started off with four members who had names that each began with a “J” or a “D.” Today, three of the four “J’s” and “D’s” remain: Jon Scholl (bass and vocals); Dan Ernst (guitar and vocals); and Doug Groshart (lead vocals and keyboard). While the group is difficult to classify into a particular genre, they have been likened to familiar acts such as the Allman Brothers, The Band, and the Zac Brown Band; but a case could also be made for Led Zeppelin, and even Hank Williams Jr. Their unique sound was solidified five years ago with the addition of drummer David LaCaro who grew up in the Northern California punk music scene. Aside from putting another “D” in “JD,” he is also a rare find as a percussionist, his bandmates point out, in that he can play the ukulele and has an understanding of chords. Aside from their unique sound, it’s their great showmanship that continues to thrill Central Coast crowds and has led to gigs opening for notable bands passing through, such as Blues Traveler, the Fixx, Band of Heathens, Taylor Hicks (of American Idol fame), Nicki Bluhm, and Jackie Greene. But, it is the intimate local venues—wineries in particular—where JD Project really shows its personality. While at the piano, Groshart loves to improvise the lyrics when something or someone catches his eye in the crowd, which leads to all kinds of comedy and mischief. Aside from having fun with cover songs and playfully engaging the crowd, the band has a slew of originals that have made their mark locally. Some of the fan favorites include Ursula, Brakelights, and Radio Song. “We describe it as ‘California Roots Rock’ because it’s a little bit of everything, the mountains and the beach,” explains Scholl. “For example, we might take a reggae song and play it backwards just to see what happens.” If something does happen, and the music piques their interest, the group collaborates, twists and tweaks, until it comes up with something that has been sufficiently “JD-ified,” as they call the process.

Their song, Brakelights, is a great example of that sort of experimentation. Ernst wrote the chords, Groshart wrote the verses, and Scholl wrote the chorus. The song was inspired while being stuck in the middle of heavy Los Angles traffic while trying to get back home to San Luis Obispo. “Watching the brakelights, on the interstate is like… staring through a garden gate at the rows and rows of roses growing along the frozen road.” The song according to Groshart, “is about things that keep us from being where we want to be.” Which, judging from how much fun the band and their fans seem to be having, does not seem to happen often with JD Project.

JD

left to right Dan Ernst, Jon Scholl, Doug Groshart, and David LaCaro