I recently had the pleasure of giving Bobbie Morrone’s brand new 3-track EP a well-deserved 9/10 review, and shortly after, I got the chance to speak with the up-and-coming singer/songwriter about the release, his move back to Philly, and what he has in store for 2014.

So read through the break below and get acquainted with a real talent that is sure to be making waves in recent months with The Best I Can Be and performances around Philadelphia and beyond.

First off, Bobbie, can you tell me about your musical background a little bit? What originally inspired you to want to be involved with music and how did you get your start?

Surely! Ironically enough, my Mother is an opera singer and a vocal coach, so since day one I was surrounded by music. On the flip side of that, however, since I was around music so much, I didn’t really take it seriously. I was fond of the guitar, so in 9th grade or so I began taking lessons, but had no initial aspirations about pursuing a music career. Writing music was always my area of passion, rather than guitar playing specifically. Come senior year of high school it was time for me to make a choice on what I wanted to study in college. Thus, I decided to buckle down on my guitar playing and began studying jazz in hopes to pursue a bachelors degree in jazz guitar. This is when I really dove into music head first, acknowledging all there is to learn and create. During school I began to let my jazz guitar influences and playing affect the harmonic input of my songwriting, which really helped push me in all areas of musicianship. So here I am, four years later, ready to leave my musical imprint!

Don’t call me Shirley. So I’m seeing the name “Bobbie Morrone Trio” here and there but your Facebook and Bandcamp pages are simply labeled with “Bobbie Morrone” so can you tell us about the other two guys involved with the project and how you came to work together?

You know, my whole time in high school, even some of college, I couldn’t find ‘bandmates’. Either things didn’t click, or we weren’t on the same page aurally. However, come junior year of college, I met two great musicians that I ended up recording my first, self-titled album with (Bobbie Morrone Trio). Josh Townsend on bass, and Joe Heeb on drums. After gigging out a bit around the Indianapolis area, they found themselves busy with school, and we didn’t continue playing, but they still remain to be dear friends. I then met Isaac Vining (drums), Mzee Mbathi (bass), and Jonathan Class (keys), and the music really began to develop. With Isaac’s impeccable groove, Mzee’s island influences, and Jonathan’s beautiful production ear and keyboard playing, we recorded a series of live music videos, one of which is currently released on YouTube, called “Holding On.” I then decided that it was time to record a few songs with these gentleman at Jonathan’s Anderson, Indiana based studio, The Varsity Recording Co. With what I would consider the perfect drum room, we laid down these three tracks with ease. Isaac on drums/bass, Jonathan on keys/production/mixing/mastering, and myself on vox/guitar. Afterwords, however, graduation came and I moved back to Philadelphia, PA to begin my full-time musical pursuit. I now play with brothers Alex (drums) and Paul (bass) Mashett, and we’re currently preparing to hit the Philly music scene this Spring! Each of the aforementioned guys, whom I am blessed to call dear friends, have made a tremendous impact on me as both a person and musician, making their contribution and recognition all the more worthy.

Living in Philadelphia, it’d be easy to assume that you have a lot of great local influences for your music. Are there any artists in particular from the area that you feel have had an important affect on the way you create?

Man, Philadelphia is the home of so many talents. I’d say two Philly-based artists in particular have had an incredible impact on the way I create, although their influences may not exactly be audible. First is Dr. Dog. They are such an incredible group of musicians that blow my mind in terms of the way they all compliment each other in such a raw and tasteful way. Dr. Dog is the most played artist on my iTunes (next to Vince Guaraldi, of course), and have challenged me to create in such a way that is perfectly real in every way (arrangement, vocal quality, lyrics, groove).

Philly-based G. Love has had an extremely similar impact on the way I create. He takes that ‘real’ vibe and plays it out in a groovy, happy, feel-good kind of way that would make anyone want to sip on some lemonade and take in the good things in life. Having both of those influences here in the city, I have no choice but to make something more than sound; we make music.

The Best I Can Be just came out on Friday (Jan. 10). What can you tell us about the EP in terms of how it compares to your previous works and any themes it may have musically or lyrically?

Compared to my previous works, I think The Best I Can Be is but a polished, more developed version of what I have done in the past. My first distributed release, Bobbie Morrone Trio, I purposefully kept simple. I wanted it to be raw and pure, so that it would serve as a foundation on which I can build musically, and also so that my listeners can get a taste of who I am as a musician and person for what is to come. I produced that album so that in no place will you hear anything that you wouldn’t hear live. There is only one guitar playing, one person singing, and absolutely no over-dubs of any sort. The Best I Can Be is an extension of that, with Jonathan Class lending his production ear, incorporating beautiful layers of keys, guitars, and harmonies that I otherwise would not have picked out, creating a soundscape to get lost in by embellishing the raw characteristics of the original compositions.

Was it a conscious decision to make it only three songs in length or is that just the way it came together organically?

I would say that it was a little bit of both. My previous album was more of an extended EP than an LP, so rather than jump into full-length, I wanted to introduce my ‘developed’ sound in a short, tasteful release that widens my boundaries as a songwriter and guitar player. So, essentially, I hoped for it to be a creative sampler that fits together in a unique way, and most importantly, goes down easy.

Bandcamp has been a massive entity in independent music over the past couple of years and has helped bring a lot of money back into artists’ hands. What is your reasoning for releasing the EP for free through that platform?

My main reason for using Bandcamp isn’t as thoughtful as the overlying concept of doing a free release. At this stage of the game, for me, it is of utmost importance to get this music in the ears of the right audience; people that will appreciate it and enjoy it for what it really is. Over time, I’ve found that it’s hard enough to get people to listen, so adding a monetary value to something like this lessens the chances of gaining listeners even further. I think of it like this: I didn’t start making music to make money; I started because I loved it. And while some day I hope to make a living doing this, these songs mean far too much to me to turn away a listener because they don’t feel comfortable giving me $3 to get these songs on their hard drive.

As far as Bandcamp is concerned, I prefer the layout, and ‘vibe’ of the site compared to others. They use simplicity to create an environment where the listener doesn’t mind hanging out for a little while. The other crucial feature is the ‘pay what you wish’ function. Through this whole concept of the free releases, I often find myself still receiving money for the album when downloaded (often times more than $0.99/song), because the listener isn’t pressured or told to pay for something; they decide what the music is worth to them.

Do you have plans for physical releases of the EP or will this be strictly a digital download?

This first EP will be strictly a digital download, however, it will be distributed nationally through CD Baby!

So now that the EP is finished and released, are you already in the process of working on the next effort? Do you think you’ll follow up with another EP or a full-length?

The next effort will most definitely be a full-length release. As a songwriter, I have tons and tons of music written that I would love to get on an album, however, the way these songs fit together is absolutely crucial. I also think that an album should describe where you are musically and personally. With that said, I am currently almost done writing a fresh batch of music, and am growing increasingly excited for what is in store. I’m always letting my guitar studies affect the way in which I create harmonic structure and guitar parts, and this ever-growing process helps me stay fresh creatively.

Have you guys been playing any shows or have plans to tour this year in support of the new music?

Seeing as my move back to Philadelphia was so recent, we haven’t been playing any shows, however, we are in the preparation stage of gigging in the Philadelphia area this coming Spring. Details on that will be posted on my artist page!

Are you working on any other projects outside of this particular one or does this take up most of your free time?

As of right now, this music project is taking up most of my free time between practice, writing, and of course, the business side of things. I have been writing some solo guitar stuff and have been writing songs for other people, but this project takes priority. Still pursuing my studies in jazz guitar has me itching to get a combo going, so only time will tell what is to come in that respect!

If someone that had never heard your music before asked you what your work sounded like, how would you explain it to get their attention and make them want to take the time to listen to your new EP?

You know, I’ve had trouble describing this in the past, however, someone described it far better than I would ever be able to.

“Jack Johnson bumps into John Mayer at a jazz club overlooking a beautiful and soothing ocean view which is owned by Jason Mraz. The Bobbie Morrone Trio would be the house band providing the soundscape for that night.” – Joshua Smotherman

My try at it:

The Bobbie Morrone Trio is comprised of three guys that just love music and want to share it with the world. With their extensive musical knowledge and backgrounds, they work together as a musical blender. First you throw in pop, soul, funk, blues, and folk music. You thoroughly blend those ingredients together, pour them into a cup, add whipped cream, then sprinkle some jazz on top. You call that beverage the Bobbie Morrone Trio.

With a fresh new year entirely in front of you, what goals do you hope to obtain for this project? Anything in particular that you plan to accomplish before 2014 comes to an end?

Man, does it feel good to have a fresh new year ahead. I have some smaller goals, and some bigger goals. I want to be playing out at least a few times a week at some decent venues. My whole life up to this point has been a rehearsal, and now that school is done, it is my utmost priority to hit the ground running as far as playing live is concerned. Before 2014 ends, my bigger goal is to play in a music festival this summer (’14). Whether it be Musik Fest in Bethlehem, Philly Folk Fest, or Stir Fry, I want to play at least one festival. Last but not least, I hope to have the full-length album tracked by the new year! Cheers to a good year and much progress to come!

Written and conducted by: Brian Lion – Follow him on Twitter

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Brian Leak

Editor-In-Chief. King of forgetting drinks in the freezer. Pop culture pack rat. X-Phile. LOST apologist.

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