An Inside Look at Jameson’s Dedicated Distilled Sounds Music Hub
Welcoming collaborators and connectors for three days of music creation and connection in Ireland.
In the ultimate music experience, Irish whiskey brand Jameson hosted its first Sound Distillery in Ireland recently, inviting musicians, singers, and producers to join Music Distiller Anderson .Paak for three days of music creation.
The dedicated music hub was set at a castle resort in the rolling fields of southern Irish county Cork, close to the brand’s hometown of Midleton. With the artists traveling in from various countries around the world, including Malaysia, India, the US, and Japan, it offered an idyllic backdrop that fostered connectivity and collaboration without distractions. Allowing creativity to flow from the outside in, Jameson partnered with Fender to curate a unique set-up in the historic venue with fully kitted recording studios and jam spaces housing high-end instruments and production equipment.
The experience began on a Sunday evening with a party for the 20 artists to break the ice, get familiar with their music partners, and more importantly, meet Anderson .Paak. Taking place opposite the picturesque sunset, it wasn’t soon after dinner that the artists were singing their favorite tracks in an open mic. The real magic, however, kicked off the following morning with the group geared up to take part in a full schedule of workshops and collaborator sessions programmed by radio platform NTS.
Setting the tone for the week, the NxWorries artist began by sitting down for an intimate talk with radio host and producer Zezi Ifore to discuss his approach to collaboration. Anderson touched on the early days of recording with his band Free Nationals and making the most out of basic equipment he had access to as well as his most recent collaborations and the importance of opening up to new ways of crafting music. In an inside scoop on making “places to be” with Fred again.., .Paak also shared his amazement at the “wacky gadgets, TikToks, sound effects, and spoken word performances” that the producer used to create the electronic music track, inspiring him to push the boundaries of his own artistry.
Feeling motivated and determined to use the insight in their collaborations, the participating artists then headed to the six recording studios spread out across the historic venue. After blending their melodies, they reunited to take part in a music-making workshop. Here, session leaders handed out prompt cards with phrases about emotions, sounds, and places which each pairing reinterpreted in a 15-second music clip.
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To wrap the day, the group headed to a nearby pub for a round of Jameson cocktails and another sit-down talk with Anderson .Paak. This time, he discussed his creative evolution and using your identity to step outside the box. As a traditional Irish band followed up with a performance at the venue, his advice on embracing new experiences was put into practice, and in the spirit of collaboration, KAIIT jumped onto the mic and Ian Hooper played the acoustic guitar initiating a new blend of cultures and sounds.
For the penultimate day, programming turned hands-on with guitar workshops from Fender and recording studio sessions on offer. With most of the group creatively attuned to songwriting and creating music organically, NTS ran a creative sound session challenging artists to create music scores to visual clips pulled from iconic films. Artists experimented with digital formats and fused their unique sounds to create atmospheric tracks for the visuals.
Later that evening the artists made their way to the Jameson Distillery to watch a special performance by Anderson .Paak and his right-hand trumpeter Maurice Brown. Unlike any of his previous gigs, the intimate showcase took place amongst the brand’s signature whiskey barrels lending a cozy and warm atmosphere while he injected his trademark charisma and showmanship into the space. The night then ended with some of the artists stepping up to sing a song for the Music Distiller himself, adding the cherry on top to complete the unique experience.
Take a closer look at what went down at Jameson’s debut Sound Distillery in the gallery above.
To find out more about the Distilled Sounds program, head to the dedicated hub and YouTube channel now.
