Steelbender.com- Biography of Jason A. Barker

Last Updated: 10/21/07

Jason Barker

Jason Barker is a guitarist and songwriter based out of the Raleigh-Durham and Chapel Hill area of North Carolina, also known as the Triangle. He composes lyrical and instrumental songs infused with a variety of styles including rock, progressive blues, and country-rock while embracing an improvisational spirit and intention to channel his musical influences into an original statement .

Barker, who attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has enjoyed steady activity as a session and live guitarist for more than a decade, and has been fortunate to work with many well-known and talented musicians. His versatility has allowed him to thrive in original and cover band situations. "Being a guitarist is a very challenging yet rewarding thing for me," says Barker. "I look at it as an ongoing learning experience. I've played with a lot of proficient people and have learned a great deal even in those situations that might not have developed as much as I would have liked them to," he reminisces. "The knowledge I've been able to gain by writing, recording, traveling and performing live with different people of varying styles has been invaluable to me both onstage and off."

In 1987 he founded the trio A2Z, which earned a spot in the finals of the 1992 Triangle Blues Society Talent Competition. After regional touring with Top 40/Country act the Ron Davis Band, Barker joined the Wicked Mojos, led by zydeco/blues harp player Mel Melton. Barker and renowned slide guitarist Sonny Landreth handled the guitar parts on the Mojos' New Moon Records release "Swamp Slinger," which was named as one of Top 20 Blues Albums of 1998 by "Best Blues" alongside offerings by B.B. King and The Brian Setzer Orchestra to name a couple. The album garnered radio airplay at stations throughout the world. During Barker's association with Melton, the Wicked Mojos worked with the late Luther Allison and W.C. Clark, the latter being a former mentor and bandmate to Stevie Ray Vaughan.

1996 saw Barker involved in an alternative/new wave studio project entitled "Heat Shock." Jason performed guitars and bass on the Bonne Syrah Records' release, conceived and written by Dr. Robert Harrell of Durham, NC. It marked a stylistic change of pace for the guitarist, while displaying Harrell's lyrical and musical vision. The album featured what Strutter'zine termed as "well-written melodic uptempo poprockers in the early 80s tradition". Heat Shock was a studio-only project, yet received college radio airplay despite not being a traditional band per se.

In a partnership lasting from 1994-97, Barker joined forces with former Outlaws bassist/vocalist Harvey Dalton Arnold to form the band Blue Coyote. Initially started as an ensemble which performed on the regional country circuit, the band evolved into a powerhouse blues-rock trio that developed a strong following in North Carolina. During this time, drummer extraordinaire Kenny Soule (Nantucket, PKM, and DAG) often worked with the group. Drummer Randy Murphy, formerly of The Good Humor Band (regularly featuring the legendary guitarist Danny Gatton) joined Blue Coyote in 1997.

Barker and Murphy continued working together on various studio
projects. The duo created a collection of their original songs recorded in 1998 simply entitled "Volume 1". Late 2000 saw the duo re-emerge as JABARAMU with the completion of their CD named "Estate". Barker and Murphy also received radio airplay for their involvement with Triangle-area Stacey Pillari's recording project.

Barker teaches private guitar lessons, and performs occasionally with Stinger, a blues/rock trio based in Greensboro, NC and comprised of former members of Bob Margolin's (Muddy Waters) touring band. Jason has also served as a clinician for Carr Amplifiers. From 1999 to 2002, he assumed guitarist duties for The Sultans, a five-piece variety band founded in Sanford, NC. Additionally, Barker has performed in a blues duo setting with the exceptional musician/singer/educator, Carter Minor.

From late 2003 to 2005 Jason Barker participated in a series of concerts honoring the music of Eric Clapton with Slowhand. The group toured across the United States and played for big crowds at nationally-known venues. 2004 also found Barker delving into acoustic performing with Stacey Pillari & Friends.

Jason's current primary focus is his involvement The PaRtY CaTs. The group evolved from an all-original project known as the HELP, which recorded and performed live during 2006-2007. "This is something I've wanted to be a part of for a long time," says Barker. "Original music is always where my heart has been at, and the timing is right to pursue it. I've never been completely away from it; but it's been awhile since I prioritized playing completely original material. It's a wonderful feeling to find creative and talented people who get along so well off-stage. If we play our cards...and our instruments right, I think we could do some good things." The HELP recorded a self-titled album for Kicking Bear Records before replacing lead vocalist Tony Colon and changing the group's name to The PaRtY CaTs.

Barker branched out into some theater work for the world premiere presentation of "Death of Innocents", which was held at the University of North Carolina's Memorial Hall in late 2007. He contributed to the production with scoring and live performance of the musical arrangements. Helen Murray, sister of famed comedian/actor Bill Murray starred as Sister Helen Prejean in an eyewitness account of wrongful executions in the United States.

In 1999, Jason Barker received an award presented at a Chapel Hill-area middle school for demonstration of good character, honoring his contributions as a local guitar instructor.

One of Barker's pet projects has been the creation of the Steelbender.com. Founded in 2000, it has served as another creative outlet for the guitarist. "I have really enjoyed the aspect of the Internet that allows anybody to create their own little space in the world for everyone to see," he says. "We all need a place to say 'This is who I am and these are the things I think about.' I hope to use it not only to promote my activities, but to inspire and educate other musicians as well."

Barker expresses a desire to grow both personally and professionally through his musical experiences, yet stresses the importance of not always taking things too seriously. "I am a perfectionist on a lot of levels, but perfection is something that is rarely attained in anything," he muses. "It is important to strike a balance between being serious and competent in your work, and enjoying the fun that music has to offer."

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Jason Barker's session credits include CD releases by:

Nancy Middleton- "Homeland"-1994
(named as one of Musician magazine's 1996 Best Unsigned Bands)

Woody Hewitt- "Hidden Defect"- 1995

Heat Shock- "Heat Shock"- 1996 Bonne Syrah Records

Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos- "Swamp Slinger"- 1997 New Moon Music

Kiley- "Do What You've Got To Do"- 1998 Beat Kings Productions

Jason Barker & Randy Murphy- "Volume 1."- 1998 Independent

Stacey Strickland- 1999 Independent

JABARAMU- "Estate" 2000 Independent

Steve March- "Blue Moon Diner"- 2001

Neptune's Buffalo- "Neptune's Buffalo...A Rock N Roll Band" - 2001

the HELP- "the HELP"- 2007 Kicking Bear Records