A whirlwind of Swedish activity this week in the District …and its not likely to stop anytime soon (The Hives, The LK and Jens Lekman coming our way in the next few days/weeks, just to name a couple more). We caught up with another Gothenburg darling, Jose Gonzalez as he criss-crosses the US on tour promoting his new album In Our Nature. Soft spoken and gentle, his demeanour was exactly as I imagined it to be. I asked him as many questions as I could before the tour managers clock sounded off and he was whisked away … only to return, today. Two shows in one day (a free lunchtime one at the House of Sweden and the evening one at the Synagogue) .

Make an effort to see him, if you haven’t before. It really is a dazzling display of guitar playing and melodic merrymaking.

Hello? Hello? BYT: Hi, This is Christina, How are you? Jose: Good, Good BYT: Thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions today. I know you must be busy and have a tight schedule. J: Oh no, not so much today. Right now I am just in the tour bus waiting to get to the next venue. BYT: Oh ok, where are you headed to right now? J: Chapel Hill North Carolina. Yesterday, we were in Orlando. BYT: How did that go? J: Really Good.

BYT: OK , So lets get the ball rolling.
What was your first exposure to music? What did you listen to growing up? What’s been influential to you today?
J: I usually mention Silvio Rodriguez. He was one of those artists we used to listen to at home among other Latin American music. I was especially influenced by his guitar playing and dramatic, romantic ,protest style of finger picking music. There have been of course many other things as well. When I started playing it was Beatles and Bossanova that I liked the most.

BYT: How old were you when you first started playing the guitar?
J: I was 14. So during those teenage years, I started playing classical guitar and writing my own songs similar to Silvio Rodriguez or Simon and Garfunkel. Then I played bass first in a Punk band and then in a Hardcore band.

BYT: Oh yeah! I read about that! How was it being in a teenage band? And how was the transition to solo guitar later?
J: I didn’t even think about it. It was mostly youth that let me do different things. Of course with my friends, it was more punk rock or hip hop that we would listen to together and later on I would play bass in a hardcore band. But I didn’t really think it was anything strange that I would learn classical guitar during this time and then move to other styles.

BYT: So now, we all know your family is from Argentina and you were raised in Sweden. The anthropologist in me always wants to ask, do you feel more Swedish or Argentine?
J: I definitely feel more Swedish than anything else. I have always lived there; Swedish is the language I can express myself most fluently in. So, whenever I am in Argentina I always notice that I am partly a tourist. Not completely because I can speak Spanish and I have a background and know the country and culture fairly well. But yeah, definitely more Swedish.

BYT: You were studying Biochemistry at University. Are you still pursuing that or do you wish to continue it in the future? J: I stopped studying around May 2003 when I released my first EP and then the album. I noticed pretty quickly that I could have a life recording and touring. So, yeah I wouldn’t go back. That would take too much effort. BYT: So that’s it with science for now… J: Yeah, I mean, I liked it very much when I was doing it. I still am interested but not enough to have that as my main hobby or anything like that. BYT: Makes sense to me! Stick with a good thing So what’s your favourite song to perform? J: Now I have officially changed favourites. I don’t know why but now I have been liking ” The Nest” from the new album. It’s a song that I wrote together with my girlfriend Yukimi. She’s joining me on my tour actually. She’s coming in a few days. She usually plays percussion and sings. She did most of the back up vocals for my second album as well. I think it gave it a more distinct sound.

BYT: That’s really cute! What’s your favourite city to perform in?
J: Umm I don’t have one. I have had really good experiences all over and…It’s difficult to pick one out. Many of those good experiences have been in the states, places like San Francisco or … Actually, I thought it went very well in Dc the last time I was there.

BYT: Yeah at the 930 club? I was there too and had a really good time.
J: Yeah, it was a bit too big, the venue, I thought…

BYT: Well, this time around your playing at the 6th and I synagogue which I think is a bit more cosy and intimate.
J: Oh nice! Good

BYT: And I know you are also playing at the Embassy of Sweden? How did that come about?
J: Well the Swedish Embassy approached me and I mean its one of those shows that’s more to do with meeting people then anything else. More work than play in a sense. It’s difficult to know how it will be beforehand but I am looking forward to both shows.

BYT: I am actually going to SXSW festival next week. How was your experience being there?
J: I played SXSW in 2006, I believe…Yeah it was 2006.. It was really really hectic. I played 7 shows in just those few days. It was so busy the whole time. I was running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

BYT: Yeah, I have only glanced at the scheduled and it’s overwhelming. Festivals can be so intense.
J: Definitely, last year I did a whole bunch of summer festivals all over Europe and in the UK. I did Coachella as well. It was really good but festivals are always a bit difficult for me having just a string guitar. It’s difficult to get a good sound and atmosphere. But at Coachella the sun was setting, it was beautiful and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. So, it was great.

BYT: I noticed while I was living in Sweden that the music community (and country in general!) is very small and it’s easy to get to know people. Do you feel this small community has helped or benefited you as a musician in any way?
J: Yeah, definitely. When I started I didn’t really feel like I was part of any music community. It was more about me and my friends, without any record labels or anything, trying to make some music. We didn’t know any of the other established musicians. But now, it’s difficult not to run into them. And it does help a lot to know so many other artists who have had experiences in and outside of Sweden, with labels, with publishing. It’s a good environment for musicians to thrive when it’s a smaller community.

BYT: Swedish music is always getting a buzz but Are there any Swedish artists we haven’t heard of that maybe we should look up?
J: Yes! My girlfriends band, Little Dragon, they just released on Peachstone in the UK. And I think they are getting some good airplay but they don’t have a label in the States yet. They are really good!

BYT: Any artists you would like to collaborate with?
J: uhh….. not really. I am looking forward to doing more music with my band Junip that I have kept on hold for a while now. It’s a project I started with two of my friends a couple years ago. I would rather just stick to doing my own music than doing collaborations.

BYT: What could we find you doing when you’re not touring or playing music, on a typical Sunday afternoon?
J: I don’t have those so often! But when I do, I like cooking food and hanging out with friends. Just pretty simple things.

BYT: OK! Final question, I know you have to go soon. What music are you currently listening to?
J: I haven’t been listening that much but one new album that I like is White Williams “Smoke”. I really like that one!

BYT: Thanks so much for taking time to answer a few questions! Hope to see you on Wednesday.
J : Ok, great!

want more:
catch Jose twice today: a free lunchtime one at the House of Sweden and the evening one at the Synagogue

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