Jagwar Ma is an Australian psychedelicdance band formed in Sydney in 2011. It consists of Gabriel Winterfield (lead vocalist, guitarist), Jono Ma (guitar, beats, synths, production), and bass guitarist Jack Freeman, who joined in 2012.[1] The band name is derived from a satirical compound of the word "jaguar" and Jono's surname.[2][3] In 2013, Jagwar Ma signed with record labels Mom+Pop (US), Marathon Artists (EU), and Future Classic (Australia) and released its debut album Howlin'. It released its second album Every Now and Then on 14 October 2016.[4][5]
Career
Ma and Winterfield met in 2007. At this time, both were playing in different groups, Lost Valentinos and Ghostwood. It would be until mid-2010 at an FLRL performance that the two shared the stage. FLRL was a locally based krautrockexperimental pop group - initially founded by Jono Ma, Kirin J. Callinan and Julian Sudek - local musicians would get together, curate an evening of new music, and perform it to an audience. One night, Winterfield took vocals and guitar and Ma generated sounds from the use of vintage drum machines, radio frequency manipulation, improvised percussion, and other esoteric methods of creating sound. By 2011, Ma and Winterfield began frequently getting together at a studio (often a living room) and recording sounds and melodies, whilst also swapping old demos from unfinished side projects, "Jaguar Paw" and "Flintstone". Subsequently, loose jams and recordings started as anything from Motown to electronica. It would be during these recording sessions that the band's first songs "Come Save Me" and "What Love" would emerge. At this point, the pair decided to semi-relocate to France and to extend what was originally "going to be a one off 7 inch single" to a full LP.[6] Jack Freeman, a London-based musician and old friend, joined the live lineup in mid-2012. In June 2013, the band released Howlin',[7] which reached the UK album chart.[8] In 2015, the band toured as support to Tame Impala.[9]
The duo began writing material at their Crescent Head studio in rural Australia, before returning to the farmhouse in La Briche, France to record.[4][10] The record was finalised in London and featured guest appearances by Stella Mozgawa, Ewan Pearson and James Ford.[4] In May 2016, Ma confirmed that the second album would be released in the second half of 2016.[9] The band released the first single, "O B 1" in July, followed by a second "Give Me A Reason" in August 2016.[11] The 11-track album, Every Now & Then, was released on 14 October 2016.[4] Musicfeeds maintained that it "rewards a dedicated listener with a fine-tuned ear".[12]NME gave the album four out of five stars, calling it "a mind-altering second album with melody at its heart"[13]DIY Magazine said the album had Jagwar Ma "on a process of self-discovery, just a couple of steps away from striking gold."[14] The band embarked on a headlining tour in support.[15]
In 2018, the band began recording sessions in Iceland,[16] however further tours and recordings were delayed by an illness which confined Ma to Australia. According to Jono, the band has "by no means disbanded".[17] Both members have embarked on separate projects. Winterfield began a "surf blues" solo project as Golf Alpha Bravo, releasing singles "Groove Baby Groove", "Unwind", and "Blue Wave" via Mom+Pop Records in 2019. His full length debut album, The Sundog, was released on his own label, Treasured Recordings, on 12 June 2020.[18] Jono Ma started an ongoing project with Jonti called Mystics, who released their first single, "Steppers" in 2019, and performed live at Carriageworks in 2022. He also released an EP in collaboration with Dreems titled The Dreemas on Kompact in 2018, and a cover of Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights" on Bandcamp in 2020, in memory of Florian Schneider and Andrew Weatherall, with proceeds benefiting The Aboriginal Legal Service.[19]
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The commenced in 2005.
^"Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
