TREEHOUSE - the debut jazz EP
from Australian piano-vocalist songwriter JACK HOLMES

TREEHOUSE is the debut jazz EP from Australian pianist, vocalist and songwriter Jack Holmes; written and recorded as an antidote to modern life.

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An established pop and theatre songwriter under his own name, Jonathon Holmes introduces 'Jack' as a new musical identity of traditional jazz with a relatable modern lyric.

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The title track, 'Treehouse', is a fantasy of escaping the grip of the news, e-mails, landlords and working for the man. It's a yearning for something real and tactile - a philosophy that runs through the record.

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The music could almost be mistaken for old jazz standards, if it weren't for the lyrics. Holmes writes with - what some might call - too much honesty. It's cheeky and self-deprecating; at other times, sweet and heartbreaking.

 

This integrity extends to the recording itself: a record of real musicians in a room, playing together. A rhythm section fronted by Holmes at the piano, alongside horn and string sections which he also arranges. The record also showcases Holmes and his band's improvisational skill, with plenty of swinging solos to be found.

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The record concludes with an unexpected reimagining of Sam Smith's 'Unholy', transformed into a Latin-inflected party piece that sends the listener off dancing through the jungle as they depart the treehouse for the real world.

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TREEHOUSE is a record of a jazz escapism. But ultimately, it's the candor and humour of lyric; and presence of musicianship in the room, that make it hit home.