Justin Tibbs is an saxophonist from Akron, OH. He is the leader of JT's Electrik Blackout and JT's Spark Trio, which are both original projects. Justin's music has also been performed by The Canton Symphony pocket orchestra for their Divergent series. Justin has also performed with many musical acts such as Angie Haze, The SpeedBumps, Acid Cats, and Bethany Joy.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Justin Tibbs. Can you tell us about your early career? Where did you get the idea for the music industry?
So I went to a performance arts high school(Firestone Highschool) in the early 00s) and then took a break from the saxophone when I started in college. When I returned to playing the saxophone, I actually played in a rock band called Slight Revolution for about two years and Id have to say that is what sparked my love for music again. After the band broke I decided to pursue playing music in college. While at the university, I started attending a lot of local jam sessions and my name got around to a number of bands that would play in the area. Later on, I became a member of such bands as Acid Cats, Angie Haze, and Bethany Joy. I even started my own group named, 'JT's Electrik Blackout.'
Where do you start when producing songs?
It kind of depends. Sometimes I start with a melody and then add chords to it or I start with a baseline and go the other direction. It all kind of depends on what I hear first. After that, I'll write out or just show the band my idea and fine-tune it from there.
Your latest song is 'A Funky Nightmare'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I had just finished college and was playing regularly with the band Acid Cats. I was also having night terrors about not graduating college or missing a class credit that made my degrees void, it was a whole thing lol. I doing a lot of listening to Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Brecker Brother, James Brown, and Casey Benjamin. The melody of the tune came out first and then the chords followed. So that's how that tune came about.
What was the most difficult challenge you faced?
I would say the most difficult challenge for me would be getting my work heard by new listeners. There is so much music out there and sometimes it's really hard to stand out in a sea of music. Also getting paid for work. Some people want you to work for exposure and that just not things work. Musicians have to eat and pay bills too.
What is your goal in artistic activities?
To create amazing music that is memorable to the masses
How do you know when a work is finished?
When it feels right to play haha, but really when it feels good to play and it gets stuck in your head. It has to be singable to the point where it gets stuck in your head. That's how I know it's done and ready to be heard by people.
What is your trademark? It's about unique sounds or behaviors on stage.
It's definitely about unique sounds. I think what makes JT's Electrik Blackout unique is our dynamics and the way we groove with the music
What are your biggest achievements so far as an artist, but also personally?
As an artist, I have a couple. My first achievement was back in 2020 when my group got to perform my music with the Canton Symphony Pocket Orchestra before everything shut down for the pandemic. It was the first time I sold out a show ( and had it become a standing-room-only performance) under my name, so that was an amazing moment for me. The Second would be releasing my first album back in 2022. Never in my life would I ever think I would get to the point where I am releasing my art to the world.
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
I've had a number of people tell me that they sing my tunes all the time or that they get stuck in their heads for days. I've also been told that I sound like some of the great saxophonists of our time.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to come out with a second album within the next two years. I also hope to my get group (JT's Electrik Blackout) overseas playing somewhere. I also hope to get a saxophone/mouthpiece/reed endorsement with a company as well.