photos: Michael Mann
Jahcoozi is a multinational band from Berlin, consisting of MC Sasha Perera (London / Sri Lanka), producer Robot Koch (Berlin) and bass player Oren Gerlitz (Tel Aviv). In April they released their latest album Barefoot Wanderer.
Jahcoozi’s music merges genres like Grime, Dubstep Punk Rock, Hip Hop and various blends of electronica to create a unique definition of pop music. For their new album, they also collaborated with a Kenyan dancehall/reggae crew and an Israeli clay pot percussionist (this is the first time I use that term).
For more information about World Music 2.0, check out our interview with Robot Koch and Oren Gerlitz.
Oren, Sasha, Robot
Please introduce yourself: where did you grow up, where did you live and why did you come to Berlin?
Oren: I grew up in a small city around Tel-Aviv. In the 90’s I spent a lot of time in India hippie style, and lived in the old city of Jaffa before coming to Berlin in 2001. I had an electronic music project back in the days which was called PI, and we’re looking to progress with it in Berlin.
Robot: I grew up in Kassel, and I came to Berlin via Hamburg and New York in 2000. With a love for music I finally became a music producer, I used to be a Death Metal drummer before. I stuck to music and I was also lucky…
In your opinion, what are the best and the worst parts about being a musician?
Oren: For me the best parts are making music in the studio, and performimg. On the flip side, some shows, especially the travelling to the shows can be a real drag.
Robot: The best thing: that you can do what you really want. The worst thing: that you have to make compromises.
Which were your best performances?
Oren: We had a gig in Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. That is one of the biggest slums in Africa. We had a generator and a small sound system and we set it up in front of the church. Many Kids from the neighborhood came and we had a really good vibe. Gebrüder Teichmann played as well. 2 kids went free style on the mics and were really cool, so we recorded a tune with them the next day. They are 13 years old from a group called ‘gospel warriors’ – amazing!
Robot: I always enjoyed France, Marseille really rocked and Switzerland has always been good to us.
What are you looking forward to in spring and summer?
Oren: I’m excited about the concert at Splash Festival with Anti-Pop Consortium.
Robot: A lot of festivals, sitting under a tree in the shadow.
What is your favourite video on YouTube?
Oren:
Robot:
What are your favorite places in Berlin?
Oren: There are a lot. But I really like the hood around the corner from my house – the big part of the Kanal in Kreuzberg next to the Urban Krankenhaus.
Robot: The Paul Lincke Ufer in Kreuzberg and the Indian restaurant on Lausitzer Straße.
What are your plans for the future?
Oren: There is a big tour in the making, two remix EPs and in the future more exciting collabos, remixes and stuff like that.
We are also involved in a project called NRBLN, alongside with Modeselektor and Gebrüder Teichmann.
Together we will release a compilation album of the tracks we all made there next year. It’s supported by the German Goethe Institut. This project will involve artists from Nairobi / Kenya and Berlin, making music together. World music 2.0.
We were back in Nairobi in March to play and record music… That was great. In November the Kenyan artists will come here for a joint concert.
Robot: There are many things to come: the NRBLN project with Modeselektor and Gebrüder Teichmann, composing new material for Jahcoozi, a lot of remixes, a new Robot Koch Album…
What does freedom mean to you?
Oren: Nature. No cell phone connection and no internet.
Robot: To decide autonomously.
Free (and legal!) track here.
Their next gigs will be on July 2 at Maria and on July 18 at Bar25.
