Olympic gold medalist long jumper Bob Beamon and Stix Bones chatted about their new music and their jazz album “Olimpik Soul.”
This is Bones’ third EP, which blends jazz, soul and hip-hop beats.
The Bone Squad is an acronym for “Brothers of Noble Excellence.” The band is made up of Stix Bones on drums, Bob Beamon on percussion, Densen “Meighstro” Curwen on piano/synths/strings, Albert Brisbane on bass, Steven Brown on guitar, Sean Taylor (Sxntylr) on trumpet, Melvin Smith on the saxophone, Abiodun Oyewole on vocals, and Khadejia Bass on vocals.
Backed by The Bone Squad, the EP showcases Bob Beamon: the 77-year-old Olympic long jump champion, who in 1968 in Mexico City, leaped to the still-standing Olympic record of 8.90 meters, in his recording debut as a percussionist.
Music and songwriting inspirations
On their music and songwriting inspirations, Stix said, “Our music is a combination of jazz, funk, and a little bit of hip-hop. That is the core, but the key is soul music, which is R&B. That is the nuance between our sounds. We are more of an instrumental group but our source in our songs deals with soul music.”
On working with Bob Beamon, Stix said, “Bob is still up in the air from the jumps, so I would tell him ‘Bob, come down to play some percussion’.”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Beamon said, “If you ask me, I will tell you ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’ Stix knows about the digital world, while I’m just learning how to turn the computer on these days.”
“It is quite interesting how it has changed since 1968. It is always a very quick process to get your information over the Internet or via a Zoom call,” Beamon noted.
Beamon continued, “You can get really good things very quickly now, and be able to distribute it to who you want, whether it is to a newspaper or to thousands of fans out there. It has been quite different to look at things in the digital age.”
“I am looking forward to learning more things about it and enjoying it as well. This is a great opportunity to spread the information,” Beamon said.
“The digital age is a double-edged sword,” Stix said. “It is beneficial in some way, and horrible in another way.”
“In the independent world, there is so much noise to dig through to find the real talent because now, there are no record label barriers. With streaming, you can work from your bedroom as long as you have a reputable company to put you on Spotify and Apple Music,” Stix elaborated.
Future plans
On their future plans, Stix said, “Our plans for the future are to tour around the world. We want to go to Europe, and we want the music to be heard. We will hit the stages, and we will continue to release new music to get likeminded fans to the stages to see us perform.”
Beamon is looking forward to the summer of 2024 being an Olympic year, where the Summer Olympic Games will be held in Paris. “We can look forward to some very exciting things across the world in all sports,” he said.
Stix Bones revealed that “breakdancing” is an Olympic competition sport this year. “It is groundbreaking and history,” Stix admitted. “That says a lot from when hip-hop had started in the Bronx. It is going to be very amazing, and the one to watch. It will have a great mix of competitors, both men and women, that are very flexible and athletic.”
Stix is thrilled that the “Olimpik Soul” album will be in the running for a Grammy Award in the jazz category.
“This is the debut album of Bob Beamon and he is officially on a recording release, which has been on the radio from here to Germany and beyond,” Stix said.
The Cutting Room show in New York
“We debuted the concert in New York back in January at The Cutting Room,” Stix said. “The Bone Squad will be headlining on October 5th at 3 p.m. at the Queens County Farm in Fresh Meadows, New York.”
“This record reunited Beamon with Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets, who was one of his longtime friends, and it also reconnected me to Abiodun since I hadn’t seen him in over 15 years,” Stix said.
“We landed on JazzWeek charts and we climbed all the way to No. 67. Now, we are pushing forward,” Stix said.
Success
On his definition of success, Stix said, “People think success is your wealth. The pandemic taught us that health is your real wealth. You can have all the money in the world but without your health, you can’t do anything.”
“Success, to me, is being in good health and being able to do my job as a father and as a husband, and to care for my family. Also, being able to do what I love and being able to share my gift; furthermore, being able to make a difference to those that you are connected with,” Stix elaborated.
Message for their fans about their new music
For the fans, they said, “We hope they buy our record, and come to our shows. Thank you for supporting us the way that you have been supporting us. This journey is long and it’s not over yet.”
“We hope they share our music with somebody else, and let them know about us. Be proud and spread the word. Play our songs at your events. Continue to support us,” they concluded.
“Olimpik Soul” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.
To learn more about Stix Bones, follow him on Instagram.
