All RJD2 is missing is his musical C-3PO

By Jordan Streussnig / Staff Writer

published: Tue, 16 Mar, 2010

RJD2
Mr. Smalls
Friday, March 19, 8 p.m.
$20
(866) 468-3401

The man who would later become a master of the mix never really saw himself hurtling toward the life of a disc jockey, let alone that of a serious musician.

But “it just happened,” said Ramble Jon Krohn, better known as RJD2. “I had a friend who played guitar, and that got me interested in learning guitar.  Later, I started playing percussion.”

RJD2 really made his foray into the music scene when he tried his hand at DJing with one of his friends.

“He was selling his turntables and a bunch of records, and I bought it. Really, I bought it so I could get the records,” he said. “I never aspired to be a DJ, but I just had these turntables lying around my house.”

Soon, an interest in DJing led to an interest in producing.  

In his early days, RJD2 predominantly used a sampler in creating most of his music. A sampler is a very commonly used device that allows an artist to mix and match various bits of music. The resulting collage of sounds can then be manipulated in different ways and then ultimately combined into a single, cohesive piece.

”It’s really an indispensable tool in hip-hop and dance music today,” RJD2 said.

Humble beginnings soon gave way. Before long, this virtuoso amassed a larger collection of instruments that he began incorporating into his established style to produce an even more unique and diverse sound.

“I’d say my music is somewhere between electronic, hip-hop, soul and rock music ... but in every song, I’m not trying to cram in every style I can or anything like that,” he said.

“Different songs come out different ways,” he said. “Each song is an odyssey into its own style.”

In the 10 years he has made music, RJD2’s sound evolved from “pretty much all sample-based” music to an eclectic and original combination of his signature mixes and his own instrumentals.

“Sometimes what I do is really traditional — writing chords, writing lyrics. Sometimes it’s coming from other songs. It really varies,” he said.

RJD2 often draws his inspiration from soul music, “because it’s so true to form,” he said. He cites Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and particularly Stevie Wonder as influences.

“All of the great rap music from the late ’80s and into the ’90s, like Run DMC,” also had an effect on his music, in addition to the funk music of the ’60s and ’70s.

Consistent with his seemingly laid-back personality, RJD2’s expectations for the experience of his listeners are relaxed.

“It’s not my place to put out any limitations or hope that people take my music in any particular way,” he said. “I don’t have any specific desires other than for people to enjoy my music. If people can find music that they really enjoy, they are lucky.”