2ŁØT – AN INTERVIEW WITH BASSIST ROBERT TRUSKO
By Ralph Beauchamp
2ŁØT is a Wichita based electronic-jam ensemble who have dropped their sophomore release RE/SOLVE which features an ambitious 16 song journey of musical discovery. Blending the infectious rhythms of hip-hop and EDM, the groove and improvisational spirit of funk and jazz with the emotional depth of funk and rock, 2ŁØT creates music that resonates deeply with their listeners. Drawing from the diverse musical background of its members, the band combines organic orchestration, soulful vocals and dynamic arrangements into a musical stew of infinite possibilities.
2ŁØT consists of Rudy Love Jr. (Vocals/Keys/Guitar), Omar Jahwar II (Drums), Sage Judd (Bass), Chase Koch (Guitar} and Robert Trusko (Bass/Musical Director). Their newest full length RE/SOLVE transports the band into novel uncharted territory. The album gives 2ŁØT a new experimental and creative vision. RE/SOLVE examines many different themes including personal transformation, relationships and self-discovery. It also strengthens the listener’s determination for resiliency and fortitude.
RE/SOLVE also showcases 2ŁØT‘s growing collaborative outreach. There is an impressive grouping of guest musicians including Jon Batiste, Robert Randolph and Eric Krasno. Moving fluidly between atmospheric electronic passages, hypnotic grooves and jazz inspired improvisation, RE/SOLVE encapsulates 2ŁØT‘s quest to infuse their music with fresh ideas and dynamic intonations, More than a collection of songs, this album is a statement about the power of music, creativity and human connection.
2ŁØT‘s bassist and musical director, Robert Trusko was kind enough to sit with AMP for this interview.
AMP: How would you describe the sound of 2ŁØT to someone hearing the band for the first time?
ROBERT: It’s a combination of a diverse grouping of musical genres. Our main focus is the blending of EDM with jam band accents but it is actually wider than that. We incorporate jazz, hip-hop, soul and anything that fits our creative mold. It’s pretty much a hodgepodge but EDM and jam seem to be the central core.
AMP: You have two distinct but interconnected roles in 2ŁØT, bassist and musical director. How do those two roles influence each other, and what are the day to day duties of a musical director?
ROBERT: I’ll answer the second part first. As the musical director in the world of 2ŁØT, my duties involve making sure that everybody on stage is on the same page musically, Since we are a band, everyone has input. My job is making sure all the components come out as perfectly as possible when we perform live. When we have guest performers, I’ll help with the arrangements. It’s making sure we are all sailing in the same direction.
Because 2ŁØT has done so many different types of shows, it is advisable to have a musical director. There are times when we are on a timetable and everything has to run smoothly, and there are other times where we are stretching solos and taking our time. Each of those scenarios changes my role a little bit.
I think by being a bassist, it’s easier to take on the MD’s functions. Other bassists I look up to have done the same like Adam Blackstone, Derrick Hodge and Braylon Lacy. I believe it is due to how the instrument is incorporated into the scheme of things. Bassists are so co-dependent to both the percussions and harmonic elements. You’re the bridge that brokers everything together. What’s important is the fact that both aspects need observation. Playing bass makes it easier to hear the whole orchestration and work on corrections if things go astray.
AMP: How do you balance having a clear musical vision while allowing guest musicians room to breath and fuse their own ideas?
ROBERT: With different songs we have different processes. Usually, we will work on a song and when we feel it is ready, we forward it to the guest musician but there are a few exceptions. For example, when we worked with Jon Batiste , we already had a seed and then we forwarded him the track and asked if he was interested in a collab. He sent back 15-20 stems of ideas. Whenever someone sends that many stems, it’s like Christmas morning to us. It’s just pure joy opening each one and not knowing what to expect. We love the surprise.
Each of Batiste’s channels yielded some positive input for the song. Several involved the vocals and other keys. We kind of took his suggestions and went back to our original demo and began to add some of his thoughts. By combining some of Batiste’s arrangements with ours, we come up with something truly fresh and unique. It was just a matter of choosing the stems that brightened the mix.
Other times, we are pretty secure in our interpretation of a song and leave little spaces for the guest to fill in. Then there are sessions where the guest is in the studio with us. Drummer Robert “Sput” Searight of Snarky Puppy came in and produced a hand full of drum takes. It was fun to watch the interplay between our drummer, II (Omar Jahwar II) and Searight. Another Dallas musician, Frank Moka from Dos Negros, came in and layered a bunch of stuff on a couple of tracks.
Each person brings a different feel and energy to the material which is really cool. Also, since we utilize multi-tracking, we can pick and choose the best takes. The dynamics of the 2ŁØT song building process is so freaking enjoyable. Each member of the band and each guest musician has such diverse idiosyncrasies that building a song together is truly a trip.
AMP: Was there an essential musical or emotional outlook you were trying to explore across RE/SOLVE?
ROBERT: Rudy has talked about this. He calls it the “Hero’s Journey”. What is interesting is how he explained the notion to us. This “Second Hero’s Journey” will also be turned into a movie version of the album sometime in the future. There is a loose narrative throughout RE/SOLVE. It follows this woman, Iris, and her quest of discovery, loss and acceptance. When we were prepping to record, it was interesting to wonder which version we were thinking about; the album or the movie.
RE/SOLVE is actually our second “Hero’s Journey”. Our first album, Entropy, was our initial endeavor and here we are doing it all over again. RE/SOLVE focuses on our evolution and taking the plunge into a new void. In addition, it shows our commitment to expand our horizons.
AMP: Was there a song that changed significantly between the initial concept and the finished recording?
ROBERT: There are a few like that. The first one that comes to mind is “Favorite Star”. We collaborated with a producer named RY X. Rudy’s original demo was a little faster and more aggressive sounding. We floated the track around the studio and came up with a bunch of ideas. RY X kind of stripped the demo down and had the band work in a couple of diverse directions.
We were all exploring the various concepts as a whole. Our willingness to try new interpretations of our music is one of our strengths. So, RY X approached his production skills using our experimentations as a positive tool. The initial concept of “Favorite Star” and its final mix are completely different.
AMP: Were there places on the album where you deliberately chose restraint over playing more?
ROBERT: Yah, I would say so. I think “No Man’s Land” fits that description. Sage brought it in and he was trying to find space within the song. “Favorite Star” is another one. For myself, I utilized the same concept with “I Hurt Myself Again”. It’s a song I wrote and sang. I was careful about how many elements I was going to explore on the track and at the same time trying to support the vocal. Unlike Rudy, I don’t have a loud voice. I had to leave space so my vocal could comfortably fit in.
AMP: What was the chemistry like between the musicians in the recording sessions?
ROBERT: That’s a great question! The room always had a good aura. Some of my favorite moments in the studio were when we were able to play the song straight through. You have to remember, there were many different combinations of musicians in the room at any given time. “Don’t Give Up On Me” and “I Need You To Believe” were two songs we ran right through to the end. “I Need You To Believe” only took two takes and it felt so good. I could have used more of that vibe! We still layered some elements but even that was a cool experience.
Getting back to the studio dynamic, it was very exploratory at times. Different members would have their own thoughts on a particular track, and it was enjoyable being able to flesh out those ideas as a group. Our collaboration as a unit works really well. No matter who wrote the song, we all trey to make that track shine.
AMP: How important is the use of improvisation in the band’s writing process?
ROBERT: It’s basically essential. Every musician in 2ŁØT has different influences they bring to the mix. Chase comes from a rock background. Rudy came from a family that favored soul. II grew up listening to gospel but he also studied jazz in school. Sage also grooves to jazz but he has some hardcore leanings. Since I lived in Dallas for so long, I sampled a lot of flavors like jazz fusion and gospel. I also played in prog metal bands. Our tastes are so varied that when we do get together to jam, the improvs are wild.
In the studio, we play around with solos and improvisation. Rudy is great at coming up with new sounds on the fly. II loves finding new fills. For me, a lot of my basic bass parts comes from reactions to what the other guys are doing. With a project like this, not everything can be unscripted. Many time we stuck to the body of the track but made room for experimentation.
AMP: How do the songs on RE/SOLVE change when performing them live?
ROBERT: It depends on how many people we have on stage. At certain shows, Chase is unavailable and Sage or Rudy have to take over the guitar duties. We also use software that fills in when necessary. This covers us if we are missing a member. What’s interesting is the fact we can use this software to push the song or leave it out and play organically. Both yield completely different outcomes. Since we recorded RE/SOLVE with more of a band setup, it seems easier to translate the songs live.
AMP: What has 2ŁØT personally taught you as a musician that you couldn’t have learned as a solo artist?
ROBERT: 2ŁØT has taught me about vision, communication, patience and what it means to push hard. We are totally into fighting entropy and fostering the value of resistance. If something is slowing us down, 2ŁØT fights harder. That kind of grind has empowered us to work quickly and dedicate our total attention to reaching our goals.
AMP: When people finish listening to RE/SOLVE, what do you hope stays with them?
ROBERT: Hopefully that the songs hit them right and they want to relisten. On a deeper level, I hope they feel inspired and the music helps them relieve whatever tension or insecurities they may have. We want our listeners to experience the joy we had making this record.
Views: 0
