Meet Jason Treuting | Percussionist/Composer – Co-Artistic Director, Sō Percussion

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Treuting and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We started the group when we were studying contemporary percussion music in grad school and it was pretty natural to want to keep playing together. At the time, we felt like our scene was ready for some new energy and a new approach to contemporary and experimental percussion music. The business part came a bit later when we looked at how some other groups, like the Kronos Quartet and Bang On a Can, had organized themselves and we looked to build on that structure to make our vision work.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

We are a quartet that has been making music together for over 20 years and we work extremely collaboratively. We really pride ourselves on the lack of hierarchy in the creative process. Everyones voice is equal in the room and we have really found a way to bounce ideas off of each other and get to some unique outcomes. We have begun to embrace the label of experimental music more and more because what we do is ask questions and look to find new answers to those musical questions.

We work with tons of collaborators who come from different backgrounds, genres and styles. Most recently, we are very proud of a swath of projects we’ve made in collaboration with some amazing artists – including an album of co-written songs called Let the Soil Play It’s Simple Part with singer and composer Caroline Shaw, a set of 3 pieces called Vodalities with breath artist/vocal percussionist/beat boxer Shodekeh Talifero and a new quartet for mallet instruments that we are learning by rote from the composer and steel pan virtuoso Kendall K Williams.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I assume we are talking LA? Our group is based in Brooklyn, but i grew up north of LA in Westlake Village, CA. I would definitely make sure to drive down the coast and stop at Leo Carrillo or some of the smaller, rocky beach spots to the north. I’d head to downtown for a moment and check out MOCA. I would check out Zebulon as well. That club used to be close to us in Williamsburg and now is in LA I believe. I lived in Highland Park for a summer and would head out that way for a burrito and then try to catch a Dodger game with seats in the infield so I could catch an LA sunset from the bleachers.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I mentioned the Kronos Quartet and Bang on a Can in an earlier answer. I’d also love to shout out Nexus Percussion. They have been a group and playing contemporary percussion music for 30 years longer than us, starting in 1971 and have really been an inspiration!!!

Website: www.sopercussion.com

Instagram: @jasontreuting and @sopercussion

Youtube: sopercussion

Image Credits
1st – So Percussion 2nd – Shervon Lainez