Radarhill is a name that has been on my, ah, radar for a while (no pun intended, but let’s go with that). The jazz collective takes a unique approach to their music, such that they hope to get themselves in the ears of as many people as possible – not just the refined jazz lovers.

Plus, the band is inspired by M83, and you just have to love that. Don’t worry, we asked them about that. And some other things. Read on:

Tuned Up: On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel about the new Star Wars?

Jordan from Radarhill: I’d say it’s a 10, but maybe a quiet 10. This is only because I haven’t bought a t-shirt, a remote controlled BB-8, etc.

You mention wanting to bridge a gap between “the conservatory and the local dive” – what’s the most memorable way you’ve seen that happen?

We played a show in Cleveland at Happy Dog 2, which is inside of the historic Euclid Tavern. We played ou standard set of tunes from our first album and we had big crowd of people dancing up front. That, at least for me, was some great affirmation.

Who are three artists/bands you wish would get their due?

I think most of these groups are getting their dues to a certain level but could maybe get, like, you know, a lot more dues. Double-dues.
In no particular order:
Liver Quiver (Columbus-based post-jazz/free trio. Three great musicians writing the saddest and angstiest music today. They’re great.)
The Leboeuf Brothers (twin brothers on saxophone and keys with a rotating ensemble. Really great writing and improvising. They manage to blend a lot of relevant styles, outside of jazz, extremely well.)
The Bellflowers (rock group out of Northeast Ohio. Personal friends. They REALLY like playing music. Their passion is infectious.)

Where was the most memorable dive you played and why?

Happy Dog in Cleveland for sure. They treated us very well, the crowd was receptive, and they danced?!?!

You list M83 as an influence – what is your favorite M83 song?

ANYTHING off of ‘Hurry up, we’re dreaming”.  …..anything!

What are your favorite holiday season TV specials? 

The Purina Dog Show that airs every Thanksgiving is hands down the greatest holiday program to date. Dogs.

Will people on your current tour hear a Christmas tune?

If you buy him a nice glass of port, or talk to him about France, our drummer, Troy, would happily serenade you.

Do you have any pre-show or touring rituals? What’s one you’re comfortable sharing with the internet?
I think our only pre-show ritual is to make a set list that we feel plays to the room well. If it’s a divey place we tend to not program our slower-moving/headier stuff only because we want to keep the energy level high in the room. Not saying that those tunes we have aren’t energetic, because they’re arguably just as, if not more, energetic than our quicker tunes just in an entirely different way.

Since we are in festival announcement season, is there there one lineup you’re particularly curious about or stoked on?

The only concert announcement that I’ve heard of is Animal Collective in Columbus sometime in February. :^D

What are your go-to sources for music discovery?

My wife, Lindsey, always seems to have these golden nugget recommendations for bands. She was the one who told me about Passion Pit a few years ago and, hey, they’re real nice. Also, my band mates are constantly listening to/talking about groups that I’ve never heard of. They could honestly be making all of it up as part of some odd, anticlimactic joke on me. Who knows?

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