Jason Mraz :: Just Say 'Yes'

Musicians have such a unique perspective; not often does one person have the ability to shape the experiences of so many.

Jason Mraz is one of those people. He takes that role very seriously, and it shows in everything that he does, through his music and performances, photography, filmmaking and his philanthropy... in every way, that he lives his life. The world is about living life in the affirmative, according to Mraz.

"Everything in life boils down to people saying, 'Yes.' 'Yes inspires creativity. It's what allows creativity to occur," he says. "Yes is love. Yes is what gave us life."

Such a simple, yet powerful creed... and, for this young man, it has been an
extremely successful one. Mraz has earned platinum or multi-platinum levels in twenty-plus countries for his various releases, sold 48 million singles and made pop history with his record-breaking classic single, "I'm Yours." He also managed to land two Grammy Awards among the six of his nominations and won the prestigious Hal David Songwriter Hall of Fame Award. Add to that his performances across the globe in amphitheaters and arenas and sold-out concerts in venues like The Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden and London's O2 Arena.

"Yes" has been very, very good to Mraz. The Rage Monthly had the chance to discuss it with him.

It's always interesting to find out what kind of history a musician has, how the medium first touched them and then, how it grew. For Mraz, it came a little later than some.

"Musically, I didn't even pick up a guitar until I was 18 years old. It was when I saw Dave Matthews play it, that I knew that I wanted to play it and make it my life."

It later took him through the many coffee houses and small performance spaces throughout San Diego's music scene, where the musician refined his talent and honed his voice. When asked if the California lifestyle was what solidified his commitment to performing, he had this to say: "Definitely. I had never been to the West Coast, and I was able to find inspiration in everything including the people, the nature, the geography. It gave me a sense of freedom and opportunity that really started my career."

This new album is unique in Mraz's cadre, in that it is his first totally acoustic recording. Though, as he says, the idea was not a new one: "It's taken me years to develop the right songs, musicians and arrangements."

He also told us that he turned to one of his favorite producers for help, the Omaha-based Mike Mogis, known for his work with Saddle Creek label artists, Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley.

"I'm a huge Bright Eyes and Saddle Creek Records fan," Mraz says. "I'm also a big fan of Mike as a musician, producer and arranger. I like that he can make these supersonic albums that still have the artistic integrity that's usually assigned to indie music. I wanted that experience."

One of the other major influences on his choices around the Yes album, related to his long association with the band and the members of Raining Jane. Mraz first met the cellist Mai Bloomfield, guitarist Chaska Potter, percussionist Mona Tavakoli and bassist Becky Gebhardt, back in 2006, when they performed on the same bill at a festival at Redlands University.

"I loved what they did," he opined, "I loved their musicianship. I loved their showmanship. Afterwards, I asked them if they would consider recording a demo with me."

It's an association that has, for the most part, been behind the scenes up until recently. He and, as Mraz calls them, "The Janes," had annual tradition of meeting for songwriting retreats. It's a collaboration that has had lasting effects. "Their influence has been a part of my work for a long time," he offered.

"A Beautiful Mess" appeared on his album "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things," which ended up being a landmark seller, earning him platinum and multi-platinum certifications worldwide. Raining Jane's influences can also be found in the title of the album.

"The whole album is the product of 'Yes,' " he says. "Whether it's Raining Jane saying yes to our annual songwriting retreats, which led to this collection of songs, or my label giving us the green light to let those songs become my next album. If anyone on our journey had said, "No," we wouldn't be where we are. The whole album is a product of the word yes... and that's why it made complete sense to choose it."

His approach to the song collection was like that of a book, with a beginning, middle and end. "There was a lot of thought put into the way the story and the songs unfold," he says. The intro song, "Rise," leads into "Love Someone," taking the listener on a journey that builds toward an emotional upset with "Out of My Hands," a song Mraz says was inspired by the breakdown of a friendship. "The album wraps up with a song called 'Shine,' which has this explosive energy that ends as sweet as the album began." It's a wonderful way to end what promises to be a very successful story.

He continued and expanded on the "affirmative" concept featured so prominently as the album's title: "Ultimately, everything in life boils down to people saying, 'Yes.' At the end of the day, we're all here because two people said, 'Yes.' " That attitude is reflected in every life-affirming lesson from each song.

"Our life experiences are going to be centered around our attitudes, our beliefs, our actions and our thoughts, so we can transform our experiences simply through a change in our language. I've always tried to be specific as a writer to put more thoughtful and positive lyrics in the songs, so that maybe I can shift the listener's attitude for a little bit or at least change the mood."

This conscientiousness is a part of Jason's overall outlook on life. Because of that, he has taken on many causes as an activist. His commitment is real on many different fronts, and in 2011 he founded the Jason Mraz Foundation, which supports everything that he is passionate about, from environmental preservation to education and equality worldwide.

He offered this as to why he is so focused: "I've had this feeling that we live in a really unique generation that can harness the power of technology and the Internet and, as a result, we really have this capability to transform the world so that future generations can be better off. That includes tearing down walls, but also being powerful and responsible in taking care of the environment, which sustains us."

I think this guy is the best kind of "yes" man. I'm looking forward to much, much more from this life-affirming and conscientious dude.

Rock on, Jason.

You can catch the Yes train with Jason Mraz and Raining Jane on Sunday, March 15, at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. For tickets and more information, go to scfta.org