Bo in Cleveland Plain Dealer!

[LaurieBlue]

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/friday/1129282407204760.xml&coll=2

Clevelander found his home with L.A.'s My Morning Jacket

Friday, October 14, 2005

Annie Zaleski
Special to The Plain Dealer
There are certain quirks unique to the city of Cleveland -- Ghoulardi, Marc's discount stores or the Twigbee Shop -- that bond natives together, no matter where they're living.

My Morning Jacket keyboardist Bo Koster outs himself as a Clevelander by wondering about another obscurity.

" Cleveland Is a Plum' T-shirts, remember those?" the 31-year-old says. "When we were kids, everyone was wearing those. New York's the Apple, Cleveland's the Plum.' I still don't get that. What is that?"

Of course, his question begs another query: How did Koster -- who grew up on the West Park-Lakewood border and attended Ohio University before setting off for Los Angeles -- end up joining My Morning Jacket in early 2004?

"I had a friend in Los Angeles who worked with them," he says. "He left a message on my machine one day and was like, Hey man, I think I just found the perfect thing for you. I don't know if you've ever heard of My Morning Jacket?' "

Koster certainly had (especially 2001's "At Dawn"), and secured a spot in the Louisville, Ky., quintet after an audition.

"We all kind of hit it off from the get-go," he says. "The first two shows were really magical, people were going crazy. The guys were like, Wow.' Just as people we all get along really well. I couldn't ask for four nicer, better people to be involved with."

The feeling is obviously mutual, as Koster's presence has certainly helped the band -- which is known for Neil Young-esque guitar hurricanes, jam band-caliber improvisation and spiritual live shows -- mature.

Produced by Stone Roses/Radiohead producer John Leckie, the band's new disc, "Z," does away with meandering noodling and trademark reverb drenches.

Instead, its focused songs fall somewhere in between gnarled prog-rock epics, soulful country-folk and AM-radio confections of the 1970s.

Koster especially has nothing but good things to say about vocalist/songwriter Jim James.

"Sometimes he'll have a really good idea of what he wants and we'll make it happen," he says. "Sometimes he'll have a song structure on acoustic guitar and he'll be like, I don't know, what should I do with it?'

"He's the guy everybody looks to. He has such a great feel for music. I feel like a member of the team. With a jump shot now and then."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Zaleski is a free-lance writer in St. Louis, Mo.

To reach Annie Zaleski:

music@plaind.com

© 2005 The Plain Dealer
© 2005 cleveland.com All Rights Reserved.

[ratsprayer]

woowoo!  i didnt know bo was a buckeye.  ive lived here for about half my life total, the other half in indiana, where carl is from.  ya learn something new every day.

thanks again, star report laurie!   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[sweatboard]

What a great guy, I'm so happy he and the band found each other.  He took it to the next level on Z.  

[dragonboy]

Yes indeed he did!
Bo has left his stamp all over the new record & it sounds fucking great.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[corey]

Yeah, gotta give props to Bo!

Not only is he a super key player, he is also very friendly. That always gets points in my book.

[whothrewthecake]

very talented dude. glad he's feel like a part of the team. :)

[sweatboard]

very talented dude. glad he's feel like a part of the team. :)

His Jump Shots are............MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Coltrane]

Jump shots? He has more than jump shots!!! Bo is the Robert Horry of this band! He's always there at just the right time...handling all the intangibles!!! Lighting up the room with those keys!!

At both Philly shows, a shiver went down my spine when those opening piano licks of "...Wonderful Man" kick in!!!!!!!!!!