“Blues is the roots of all our music here in America! I’m always looking for the blues element in any music I listen to, even if it’s a modern record or a pop tune.  Anytime I can hear the blues element of a song, I’m happy, because it’s a real grounding sound. Blues always feels familiar and comfortable, it’s in the fabric of our collective consciousness as listeners.”

Jad Tariq: The Prince of Memphis 

After backing Bob Dylan in concert this summer, including in NYC, Memphis’ Jad Tariq has unveiled his sophomore album Precious Company, sharing the driving first single “Poor Me.” The all-original album, out September 18 via MoMojo Records, encompasses roots rock, blues, and rhythm & blues. Jad has garnered national attention through collaborations with multiple Blues Music Award-winner and fellow Memphian John Németh and Blues Hall of Fame Charlie Musselwhite and performed this summer at Senigallia, Italy’s Summer Jamboree. 10-tracks Precious Company, finds Tariq playing his 1949 Gibson ES-5 through a home-built Fender Deluxe tweed replica, with zero pedals mucking up the signal path. “Poor Me” evokes giants like Louis Jordan and early Ray Charles but also 21st century festival headliners like JD McPherson and Pokey LaFarge. The sound was directly influenced by a stint Tariq spent as a substitute guitarist in a Memphis Baptist church.

(Jad Tariq / Photo by Mary Gunning Media)

Meanwhile, “Precious Company” would not sound out of place echoing out of the Spotted Cat on Frenchmen street in New Orleans or Brooklyn’s Barbés. The playful “Half Measures” echoes Little Willie John. “I had a buddy dating a girl who in my opinion, he simply couldn’t afford. I wrote this song as a humorous reflection about what it’s like to be dating outside of your tax bracket!,” laughs Tariq. The album closes with “To My Used To Be,” an affecting acoustic waltz of regret in the mold of Willie Nelson or George Jones. Recorded in the Bluff City, the album features bassist Matthew Wilson and horn players Marc Franklin and Kirk Smothers.

Interview by Michael Limnios                           Archive: Jad Tariq, 2025 Interview

Special Thanks: Nick Loss-Eaton Media

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?

As a lifelong musician, growth can be such a hard thing to measure. I picked up guitar pretty young, at about the age of 8. Of course my playing is in a totally different place than it was when I picked up the guitar, but it’s also in a totally different place than it was last year! I think that’s one of the real joys I get out of being a musician, the constant improvement and change keeps me motivated and pushing forward. I think as a younger musician I had this idea that at some point I would “arrive” as a player/writer/singer, but truthfully you just keep evolving without any sort of tangible pinnacle to look forward to.

A lot has remained the same in my music-making process; at the end of the day I’m just trying to make music that tells a story, and hopefully other people find they can relate to it. Whether it’s songwriting, guitar playing, singing, I’ve always most admired artists who can paint a picture in your head when you hear their music.

What keeps a musician passionate over the years in R&B, Blues, Jazz? How does your hometown (Memphis) that affect your music?

It’s easy to stay passionate as I’m still constantly finding new music, or old music that’s new to me, that inspires different aspects of my artistry. I think this type of music is so timeless that it’s easy to stay passionate. When I think of the era of music I listen to, primarily ‘40’s and ‘50’s, the differences between genres are so minimal.  In those times, country wasn’t all that different from blues, gospel and rhythm & blues had tons in common, jazz and western swing had more similarities than differences. I love how these genres all cross and borrow from each other, and that helps to keep my passion, as I’m always finding new influences to draw into my work.

Living in Memphis has affected my music tremendously. This city has some of the best players, writers, singers, producers, etc., in the world! And most of them are really great people who are happy to share their knowledge and experience. This area of the country is so influential to the American music story, and it’s great to live in a town that has done so much for the music world. You can really still feel the presence of all the musicians that came from here.

“A lot has remained the same in my music-making process; at the end of the day I’m just trying to make music that tells a story, and hopefully other people find they can relate to it. Whether it’s songwriting, guitar playing, singing, I’ve always most admired artists who can paint a picture in your head when you hear their music.” (Jad Tariq / Photo by Mary Gunning Media)

You recorded Precious Company live in your Memphis living room studio to keep it 'raw and honest.' How did this intimate setting shape the chemistry with your band and the overall sound of the album?

As a musician who is gigging constantly, I feel the most comfortable when I am performing live. I wanted this record to just capture a moment in time, as opposed to being a produced and polished product. I had written a lot of personal songs before getting the group together to record, and I think the energy of my living room, where I wrote most of these tunes, was the most appropriate place to turn the sounds in my head into something tangible. It also helps that the guys who played on this record are some of my best friends in the world, so the chemistry felt natural and comfortable.  

Sonically, I think the album has that very natural, roomy sound that I’ve always enjoyed. The mic’ing was minimal, and hardly anything was close mic’d.  We wanted to capture the way the band sounds in the room, and I think we accomplished that. A lot of those early 1950’s BB King records were captured in the bass player’s living room!  I love the sound of those records, it feels so honest to me.

Following your recent collaborations with legends like Charlie Musselwhite and Bob Dylan, how did those experiences influence your songwriting and growth on this new record?"

I’m really lucky to have gotten to work with some real legends. I learn something new every time I get on stage or collaborate with a new artist, and all of those experiences shape how I approach playing, performing, and writing. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how to play as a part of an ensemble, and to play parts- not just play. Every song has its own energy and story, and you have to try to find the nucleus of what makes that song work. There’s certain aspects of a song, whether a part, a lyric, a tone, that without them the song just doesn’t happen. I think it’s important to try to identify what those components are, and make sure that you’re nailing those things! Now, I’m very aware of this as I’m writing a song. I always ask myself, “What is the seed of this song?” meaning what can I strip away from this song or arrangement to just get to the point or the “seed” of the story that I’m trying to convey?

If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

If I could change anything, it’d be to get rid of AI music. That’s just my opinion, and everybody’s free to do as they please, but I think real people with real life stories are far more interesting than anything AI could ever conjure up. I don’t want to hear AI songs, I don’t think they belong on the charts, and I don’t think that they should be used for songwriting either. Just my two cents. I think of all the uses for AI, making art with it is quite possibly the worst one.

“Living in Memphis has affected my music tremendously. This city has some of the best players, writers, singers, producers, etc., in the world! And most of them are really great people who are happy to share their knowledge and experience.” (Jad Tariq / Photo by Mary Gunning Media)

You effortlessly blend traditional blues with a timeless, original sound. What is your personal philosophy on keeping roots music fresh and relevant for today's audience?

Sonically, my music will probably always have that traditional feel to it because that’s what I’m listening to on a daily basis. In terms of songwriting, I try to just tell stories that are true to me. It’s the classic adage “write what you know!” I love the sonic footprint of those old records, but even if you changed the musicians, the production, the gear, at the end of the day you still have really great songs and compelling stories. Compelling stories are timeless and original! The blues idiom is based on story telling, and that’s what I always look for as a listener. Fancy solos are nice, but I don’t want to hear a flashy solo if it’s on a bad song.  

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? How did the blues shape rock and roll?

Blues is the roots of all our music here in America! I’m always looking for the blues element in any music I listen to, even if it’s a modern record or a pop tune.  Anytime I can hear the blues element of a song, I’m happy, because it’s a real grounding sound. Blues always feels familiar and comfortable, it’s in the fabric of our collective consciousness as listeners.  

Blues is the father of rock n’ roll! If you look at the early rock n’ roll, you’re hearing blues with a straightened out meter, and of course some country influence too. You can’t hear Chuck Berry without hearing T-Bone Walker’s influence! I love how much blues and jazz is present in those 50’s rock n’ roll sessions. Like I mentioned earlier, back then all those different genres were so connected, and musicians were constantly borrowing across genres. The session musicians of those days could really play anything. Look at Earl Palmer, who played drums on so many great rock n’ roll hits. That guy could play anything! Jazz, blues, country, rock n’ roll, all of it.

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and bars to open air festivals and theatres. How do you navigate between these different worlds?

I try to treat every gig the same. I always try to sound my best, to make the audience happy, and to have fun while I’m doing it. Truthfully, it doesn’t make a lot of difference to me what environment I’m playing in, I just want to have fun playing guitar and singing my songs.  Of course feelings of pressure or nerves might change with different gigs, but once I get up there and play the first note, it all becomes the same!

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(Jad Tariq / Photo by Mary Gunning Media)