By Gail McCarthy
Staff Writer
—
Jake Pardee, a 19-year-old guitarist from Rockport, knew his calling from the time he was 4 years old when he first heard the guitar of Jimi Hendrix in the song "Voodoo Child."
"I thought it was the most ridiculous thing — ridiculous meaning heavenly in this case," said Pardee. "I was fascinated and I love everything Jimi Hendrix. So that year, I asked for a guitar for Christmas. I made sure to ask for an actual guitar and I got a $70 Squier."
His parents found the boy a unique teacher for his first lessons starting when he was 6 years old. His teacher was Robert Bradshaw, who taught him how to play Hendrix tunes on guitar. Bradshaw, a Gloucester resident, is a diverse musician and composer, whose works have been performed around the world as well as at the Cape Ann Symphony.
Now, more than a decade later, Pardee, a student at Berklee College of Music, will have the opportunity to open for Livingston Taylor on Saturday night at the new $20 million Shalin Liu Performance Center in his hometown.
The Taylor concert has a few surprises in the opening act, which also will feature a noted "Steinway Artist" Jeff Franzel of New York City, who has written hit songs for Rascal Flatts, Josh Groban and others. Closing out the opening act will be special guest and "American Idol" finalist Ayla Brown who will join Pardee and Franzel to perform songs from her new CD.
Pardee said he is thrilled to be part of the concert featuring headliner Taylor, who first picked up a guitar at 13, and was soon on his way to a long career as a singer-songwriter. A professor at Berklee College of Music, Taylor is lesser known than his brother James, but he, too, began performing at coffeehouses and later with top performers around the world.
As a young musician, Pardee already performs with two groups, his trio and a group called Bingo Fridays, which performed this summer at Gloucester's free outdoor Harbor Loop concert series. Pardee also performed at Showcase Live at Patriot Place, as well as for local beachgoers at Wingaersheek Beach.
The young man has an introspective nature well beyond his years. He talks of his music as easily as he talks about his larger place in a global universe, where he believes every one can play a role in making the world a better place.
He tries to share his perspective with his original music.
"I love meeting people and sharing my message: That you don't need anyone to set you free. Freedom comes from within and you are already free," Pardee said in an interview this week.
"I'm me. I'm an individual but I'm part of a bigger whole," he said. "I'm a 6-billionth but that shouldn't be seen as insignificant. One life can have a big significance. Every person has a voice."
Even his tattoo on his back has deep meaning. It is an image of a lion — the conquering lion of Judah of the Bible — mixed with the way Hendrix used to paint his guitars, with a ball symbolizing yin and yang under one of the paws.
He enjoys playing everything from hard-hitting funk to blues to acoustic music.
"I like any music that's made with sincerity," he said as he prepared to play an acoustic version of Hendrix's "Hey Joe." His favorites include BB King, John Coltrane, Bob Marley, James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, as well as Claude Debussy.
"Hendrix and Coltrane have similar influences; I see them incredibly linked in my head," said Pardee, a second-year student at Berklee, where he is a professional music major.
In eighth grade, he played in his first band, Back Yard Swingset, a sort of punk band. His trio, with Sam Ward on drums and Joe Cardoza on bass, play what Pardee calls highly improvised roots music. He describes the music he performs with Bingo Fridays as "loud, improvised roots music." Pardee also works as a sideman for other bands.
Bradley Royds, a musician and producer, has recorded Pardee and was impressed with the guitarist.
"He is so young and it's incredible how proficient he is," he said. "He is so focused, and he and his friends are all gentlemen."
Pardee said he always felt a connection to music.
"I've always known without a doubt music is what I want to do," said Pardee who admitted that he is "hilariously bad at sports."
"I'm obsessed with it and will not function if you remove art from my life. I can express myself through music," he added. "Emotions and ideas can get trapped inside and music was the thing I could connect to most deeply."
Yet, he's also eager to learn new things and have new experiences. For example, he recently discovered a new pastime, fire spinning.
Pardee is fresh off of a fire-spinning retreat in Connecticut. He became acquainted with this art form about two months ago after he met an accomplished fire spinner from Gloucester, Anni Gale.
"I found it's a good way to clear my head," said Pardee.
Music, however, remains his passion.
"That's why I love life so much," he said. "Each day I can do what I love because I started so young."
Gail McCarthy can be reached at 978-283-7000 x3445, or gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com.
