Jason Mraz’s musical journey has come full circle: starting off playing in small coffee shops, he is now the proud owner of an 18-acre organic coffee and avocado farm, where he also records all of his music. Speaking to Headliner from the aptly named ‘Mranch,’ Mraz explains why reggae inspired his latest album.
Keeping Mraz productive of late has been working on his new album, Look For The Good, released today. Full of his signature optimism and positivity, the new project is heavily influenced by reggae music and features a guest appearance by Jamaican icon, Sister Carol and actress Tiffany Haddish.
Mraz has always loved the way reggae music brings people together, and was inspired by Bob Marley himself when it came to the way the album was recorded:
“Musicians have this ability to dance around different genres and speak different musical languages, and any time we were listening or dancing to the reggae genre, I would just light up,” he enthuses.
“I just felt so moved by reggae, and I noticed the audience would dance and smile more and settle into this unified rhythm, joy and appreciation. Something about reggae was affecting humans in a different way than typical pop, rock or other dance music.”
In 2004, Mraz took a tour of Bob Marley’s house whilst visiting Kingston, Jamaica, where he discovered a new way of creating music:
“His home had fruit trees, a herb garden and a little studio in the backyard,” he recalls. “It was a place where his whole family and band could live while they were recording albums or rehearsing for a tour. This became the model for the home that I wanted to build for myself: to have a small farm with a studio. So shortly after, I wrote I'm Yours in my little Bob Marley house!”