Keyboardist Tryezz melds dreams into a cityscape of music
“Scenic Groove” is what keyboardist Jonathan “Tryezz” Fowlkes calls his style of music—a unique and eclectic blend of fusion jazz, modern funk and electronic dance—that has a specific aim: to transport listeners to different locations in their minds.
These vivid settings, which evoke shiny, sophisticated cityscapes that could come straight out of immersive video games, are the result of Fowlkes’ distinct musical vision—an amalgam of the sights he’s witnessed in reality along with those from his imagination and dreams.
“Many places in my dreams border on full-on reality...amazing and incredible places,” said Fowlkes, in advance of his April 1st show at Gig City Sunsets at the Edney Building Rooftop. “That lends to the space, depth and movement in my sound.”
“A lot of places around Chattanooga have been a great influence. The ‘Scenic City’ is quite a fitting name for Chattanooga—another reason why I call them ‘Scenic Grooves,’” said Fowlkes. “Scenic grooves from the Scenic City. Born and raised.”
Fowlkes started playing the keyboard as a young child on an old Casio SK-1 sampling keyboard and was creating original compositions before he was a teenager.
“I was exposed to many different genres of music, namely jazz, classical, reggae and world sounds,” said Fowlkes. “During my teenage years, I got hip to the many various genres of electronic music and the funk. Needless to say, an instant connection was made.”
Fowlkes cited George Clinton and especially Miles Davis—specifically, Davis’ late-career output—as two important artists for him. “The main thing about Miles is that he stayed true to his sound and his art. He was influenced by other sounds and artists, but never left who he was,” said Fowlkes. “He pushed the boundaries.”
However, when it comes to primary factors and influences that drive his creative output, for Fowlkes it’s more experiential and even non-musical. “The main influence for me always comes from scenery and events,” said Fowlkes.
A year after graduating from the Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences, Fowlkes took the plunge in 2004 to pursue music, along with visual arts and dance, as a career choice. “Since then, I put out a large number of self-released works and label-based works, have had the honor of connecting and working with people from all over the world, and even took my first trip overseas and had some music pressed on vinyl,” said Fowlkes. “The humble grind...”
Fowlkes’ music is often characterized by his smooth and swift melody lines with expressive pitch-wheel note-bending, and a deep dive into his catalog reveals his wide eclecticism, from his Japanese-style hip-hop album Amezakura (translated as “Cherry Blossom in Rain”) with piano and strings, to his album Sonic’s Poppin’ Groove comprised of original tunes inspired by the sound of Sonic the Hedgehog video games.
The work of Tryezz is intended to serve multiple purposes for listeners, and a single song, almost paradoxically, can be a cool-down for some or an energizer for others; depending on what listeners want from the music, it can inspire dancing, clear listeners’ minds or revitalize them.
While Fowlkes is a tireless performer, playing frequent local gigs, he also puts effort into licensing his music for use in international media. “It’s a long-term game that takes a lot of trying and dedication,” said Fowlkes.
Most recently, his music was used in the online street dance video series “Yak Like We Do” created by the California-based film crew YAKfilms, which spotlights b-boys, poppers, waackers, krumpers and other urban dancers from South Korea, Japan, the U.S.A. and other countries worldwide.
Tryezz can also be heard on the Finnish television show “Magnus ja Petski” and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk’s “DailyVee” docu-series, and Fowlkes is working on a contribution for an upcoming Zapp & Roger tribute album.
When asked about the local music scene, Fowlkes expressed nothing but positivity and optimism. “I believe in a very short time Chattanooga will be the go-to spot for all different artists and events,” said Fowlkes.
“Artists, venues and businesses are all starting to link up which is wonderful,” he continued. “And with organizations like SoundCorps, it’s really opening a lot of doors and giving artists a voice and networking opportunities where they may not have had it before.”
“If you have a dream or an aspiration, no matter what, don’t give up,” said Fowlkes. “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, and it’s never a waste of time. And if you ever have anybody tell you that what you’re doing is a waste of time, just smile and say ‘time will tell’...and keep on grinding with humility. And when you make your mistakes, do a tuck-and-roll, and keep it moving.”
From his “Scenic Groove” tunes to his own aspirations, Fowlkes is about turning imagination and dreams into reality and also bringing something new to the place where you are.