MARCH 2010 ONLINE EDITORIALS
Ryan Fourt – a minimalistic musician
By Joshua Espinoza
Perhaps there’s something in the water, or maybe it’s a consequence of the sweltering climate, but it seems like everything in the South is done at a much more leisurely pace. The way people walk, the way people talk, and even the way they produce their music is unhurried; and according to Ryan Fourt, the latter is what distinguishes him from other artists in the northern Colorado region.
“It’s probably a combination of my personality and being from the South, but when I play music, I take my time,” says Fourt, an Arkansas native who now resides in Greeley performing as a jazz and rock musician. “Some people you just see shredding and filling every single measure up with as many notes as they can. I’m not that kind of player. I can play fast when I need to but tend to be more minimalistic, and I try not to stray from that because I feel it makes me unique as a player. My style is definitely a result of my patience.”
According to Fourt, patience has always been essential to his investment in music, which began 15 years ago after his father bought him his first beater-guitar from a pawnshop. From that time forward, he would draw inspiration from acts like Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jimi Hendrix, and he began to take it upon himself to essentially learn how to play by ear. It was a long process, but Fourt says it humbled him and made him appreciate the music more.
“I always tell people that I don’t feel like I have a lot of natural musical talent,” he says. “I’ve had to work really hard to get where I could play decent… I knew I liked music, I enjoyed picking at my guitar, and eventually, the gigs just started coming. At first, I was doing it for fun and practice; but then you realize that you have a little bit of talent and then you start getting work – that’s how it worked for me.”
A few more years down the line, he was turned on to jazz when a guitar instructor in Arkansas introduced him to Wes Montgomery. Fourt recalls that around that time, he seemed to be searching for something different. He had an urge to seek out new genres that would challenge him, and once he heard Montgomery, he thought to himself, “This is it.”
In 2003, he left his home state to change up his scenery and relocated to Greeley. With little-to-no familiarity with the city and just a few booked gigs, he basically had to start from scratch. Fourt says he chose to stick out his stay because of his appreciation for the location’s music scene.
“A lot of people don’t like Greeley, but I actually don’t mind it,” he says. “The music scene is getting better. I remember there was kind of a dry spell when I first moved here; I used to have to go to Denver or Fort Collins to get a gig, but it’s been nice, lately. The scene is improving and growing. Part of that is because of the dedication from people like Ron Thompson, who owns The Kress (Cinema and Lounge).”
On March 19, Fourt will perform at The Kress Cinema and Lounge, 817 Eighth Ave., with the members of Groove Yard (one of the six bands he’s in) featuring vocalist and keyboardist Kelsey Shiba, Matt Smiley on bass, and Matt Coyle on drums. Fourt explains that the night will consist of two sets: the first one will be jazz-oriented, and the second will include music of the pop and rock variety.
“We’re all jazz musicians by trade, but we like to play rock ’n’ roll tunes, too; it gives us a chance to cut loose a little and have some fun,” Fourt says. “It’s always a good time when I play with people who I know personally. I realized there’s a certain rapport that you have when you play with friends, and it carries over into the music because there’s a connection there.” Fourt took this realization into consideration when he produced his 2009 sophomore album, Choose One, in which he featured various local and national musicians.
Produced under his Fourt-Post record label, Choose One is a collection of original and standard jazz tunes that are now available on iTunes. After the one-and-a-half year process of creating the CD, Fourt says it will probably be a while before he releases another jazz album. His next project, he says, will be to get his rock band, Groove Yard, signed and recorded.
“I’m almost 30 years old, but I feel like there’s still so much I want to do and learn,” he says. “I love that even after 15 years of playing and learning, I realize there are infinite possibilities for what can be done with music in terms of every aspect: chord progression, improvisation, composing. So, it never gets old. It’s always fresh. If it gets old, you’re doing something wrong.”