Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with TheJazzHhopCooker
For TheJazzHhopCooker, music isn’t just sound—it’s a recipe. Blending the gritty boom-bap of Golden Era Hip-Hop with the sophisticated improvisation of Jazz and the rhythmic warmth of Afro best melodies, this project is a global sonic journey.
Drawing deep inspiration from the crates of producers like J Dilla and Pete Rock, while channeling the soul of Marvin Gaye, the island vibes of Cesaria Evora, and the divine light of Djavan, TheJazzHhopCooker creates a sound that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new. It is a fusion where the Bronx meets Brazil, and Cape Verde meets the jazz clubs of Harlem.
More than just a beatmaker, TheJazzHhopCooker is a songwriter, a lyricist, a music producer, a multidisciplinary collaborator, working with dancers, painters, and content creators to keep the “Music Magic” alive. Whether you are here for the lyricism of Nas, the groove of Fela Kuti, or the smoothness of Sade, you’ll find a home in these frequencies.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memory related to music is from an early age (3–4 years old), where, together with my family, I was already attending live performances by Cape Verdean bands that performed often in Lisbon. Some of the musicians were friends of my parents—as, for example, some members of the Cape Verdean band African Star, which was quite popular in the ’80s and ’90s. My mother and my aunt insisted that my sister and I were always deeply connected with our Cape Verdean roots, and music was the main way to show us that amazing culture.
My father, with his international career, travelled around the world for decades, and at our home, the memories of vinyl, tapes, and music t-shirts were always present. African music, jazz, soul, blues, Bossa Nova, reggae, and samba entered my life at an early age, with voices that ranged from Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, Bob Marley, Martinho da Vila, Aretha Franklin, and John Coltrane, to the Jackson 5, Frank Sinatra, Vinicius de Moraes, Bana, Tubarões, and many others.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
The passion was always there with the strong presence of music at our home, but mainly as a music consumer and fan.
After long years of attending music festivals, going to innumerable jazz clubs around the globe, and winning local writing contests, I felt I needed to express my music by creating something new and old at the same time—something that would be pleasant to listeners, and that would carry a strong message and positive vibe.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Something was missing in my life. A year and a half before I started officially producing, composing, writing, singing, and rapping, I frequently had dreams that were purely cinematic, with soundtracks that I would keep in my mind during the day. At first, I thought that was just a simple, natural consequence of the time I would spend consuming music, but after some months, I realized that it was clearly a sign where my body and mind were pushing me to do something with music. After that, everything developed naturally: experimental recording, finishing my first track, starting to write again, posting my first track on social media, receiving good feedback from fans, and doing collaborations with other artists.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
TheJazzHhopCooker is a vibe—a positive one—where jazzy, cool instrumentals are always present, where old-school boom-bap is essential, where every track has a feeling, and where the lyrics carry a message. TheJazzHhopCooker’s music is for all ages, all colors, all cultures, and all religions. It is a project where fans will identify themselves, feel good after hearing the tracks, and pay attention to the lyrics.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
During voice recordings, I often found that my voice sounds different according to my mood, how much rest I’ve had, whether it is morning or evening, the place I am recording, and the type of mic I am using. At this moment, when recording, I always take all these factors into consideration before starting because I know that they will have a big influence on the final product, as well as the time and energy spent in the creation process.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
My most recent creative process starts most of the time with writing lyrics for a specific theme, where I try to express my thoughts and feelings. From there, it goes to a selection of the beat/instrumentals, or building them from scratch.
The process of creating and mixing instrumentals is mainly done with tools and platforms like BandLab, which allows me to go into detail on the final version of the song. I additionally record small loops of digital pianos, flutes, sax, trumpets, violins, and interlude voices, and try to add them to the original beat/instrumental to keep the jazzy vibe of the project. Afterward comes the main mic voice recording, where I try to fit the original lyrics. But while I am recording, I am always adding, removing, and replacing words so that they can fit better into the instrumental. I also sample sounds related to ’70s soul, ’90s hip-hop, or jazz, blues, and gospel in general. Mainly, those samples are used for song introductions, interludes, and music transitions.
In the end, it’s just spending some days putting the small puzzle pieces all together and listening to the track hundreds of times for small adjustments.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Funky DL. Album: Blackcurrent Jazz Echoes: Collectors Piece. A jazz and hip-hop masterpiece for me—good lyrics, well-recorded and produced, with great rhyming skills.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Coming from a family where we strongly believe and fight for equality, where we respect all races and cultures, and where music is at the top of our priorities, it strongly influences TheJazzHhopCooker’s music. The existing collaborations with artists from other cultures—from music to dance to painting—are the mirror of those strong personal and family experiences I had during my life. The music lyrics also reflect that artistic vision and personal experience.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I want listeners to get a good vibe, to learn about new realities, to identify themselves with the lyrics, and to find inspiration to do their own art. I want them to realize how difference is fascinating, how multicultural environments are great, to recognize the power of music to heal, and to see how music has no frontiers and no barriers.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music is for everyone. Music transforms people, music gives hope, and music is probably the most powerful tool for healing, self-expression, and uniting people.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
My dream is to have a jazz band performing one of my tracks in a charismatic jazz club in New Orleans or New York, while I pick up a mic and drop a few bars of my own lyrics.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would love to do a collaboration with Robert Glasper. His talent is infinite, and he has a great influence of jazz and hip-hop in his tracks and compositions. More than just collaborating, just spending some time watching his creation process and learning as much as I can would already make me really happy.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
TheJazzHopCooker Streetwear
Instagram
instagram.com/thejazzhhopcooker
TikTok
Spotify
open.spotify.com/artist/703BGcLrnC35r0T0RsPgZ5
Amazon Music
music.amazon.com/artists/B0FHLS9THQ/thejazzhhopcooker
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Apple Music
music.apple.com/us/artist/thejazzhhopcooker/1826801874
Boomplay Music
boomplay.com/artists/113633496
Qobuz Music
qobuz.com/nz-en/interpreter/thejazzhhopcooker/27764422
Shazam
shazam.com/artist/thejazzhhopcooker/1826801874
Tidal
Amazing Radio US
amazingradio.us/profile/thejazzhhopcooker
Musixmatch
musixmatch.com/artist/TheJazzHhopCooker
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
The next chapter is recording a feature with a few artists that I am already in contact with. I also want to invite bands to play live covers of my tracks; it is a project for the near future, and one that I want to make sure becomes a reality.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope listeners will grow together with me in finding how musical diversity can bring wonderful things to our lives. I hope each fan will find in TheJazzHhopCooker Music & Streetwear the motivation to create their own art and the inspiration to fulfill their dreams.
