Happy For No Reason (H4NR) hearkens back to the late 60’s and early 70’s in their sound, crafting a sonic fusion reminiscent of Laurel Canyon music in its’ heyday. Their smooth songs of mystical beauty are developed to perfection on their new folk and jazz rock album, Taking it Higher. Think Eva Cassidy and Herbie Hancock meet Norah Jones and the Fifth Dimension.
“After exploring a number of musical genres for my voice and songwriting sensibilities, the coming together of Happy For No Reason has been a gift,” shares Jo Alexis, the band’s frontwoman. “My bandmates are incredible musicians who value excellence, risk-taking, innovation, improvisation and the beauty of the female voice. Working with experienced jazz musicians of this caliber is an incredible opportunity.”
Happy For No Reason is a band that is the antithesis of their name. Based in rainy Portland, they nonetheless celebrate every single one of life’s precious moments. Two of their members are literally happy– and perhaps lucky– to be alive. Surviving cancer and a near terminal accident in the Grand Canyon, their collaborative relationship has endured for decades. Composed of singer/songwriter Jo Alexis on vocals and percussion, Neil Goldstein on guitar, and Mark Pritchard on flute, the members of H4NR cook up jazzy folk with a pinch of rock, a dash of soul and a colher de chá of Bossa Nova.
Classical and jazz guitarist Neil Goldstein has been performing in bands all over the west coast since the 1960s. In 2007, he met Jo Alexis and formed Happy For No Reason. Jo’s sumptuous voice has been described as Bjork meets Natalie Merchant meets Sinead O’Connor, but she is so much more than that. A veteran of 12 albums, who works in Philadelphia, Portland and Los Angeles, music is the center of her life and an expression of her soul. Having written folk rock since her early 20s, she also pens rock, country-pop, contemporary pop, electronica, folk, Brazilian jazz and most recently synthpop.
Last but by no means least, the threesome is made complete by the flautist from down under, Mark Pritchard. Mark grew up in Sydney Australia, completed a degree in music education at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and studied at the Orff Institute in Salzburg Austria. He moved to Portland in 1987 where his flute playing took a turn from classical to jazz/rock and he has been living that Rose City dream ever since.
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