Bahrain-based band, The Jackrabbit Slims, have been mesmerising audiences at sell-out events in the Kingdom with their groovy music. Farah Baig finds out about their creative process, their thoughts on the music scene and plans for the near and distant future. The Kingdom of Bahrain has been known to be a hub of creativity in the region for decades. As the years go by, this fact hasn’t changed but has rather been amplified by unmatched talent in the Kingdom that continues to reinvent, ignite and diversify the creative scene. One band that has been getting people moving on their feet is The Jackrabbit Slims – a Bahrain-based band whose tracks can be described as dynamically funky and a burst of energy. How would most people describe the vibe at the venues they perform at? Electric. What makes the band even more special is the fact that it consists of five seasoned musicians, Leila Matahen (lead vocals), Iba Almohsen (electric guitar and backing vocals), Ismail Gharib (bass guitar), Joel Dev (keyboards) and Krishain De Waas (drums), each with their own exciting journey through music. “The band was initially started by Leila and Ismail,” says Iba. “One of the advantages of living in Bahrain is that the music community is closely-knit and so we were able to find likeminded musicians that are interested in the style of music we wanted to produce and that would be fun and easy to work with.” Their individual sounds have culminated in the form of The Jackrabbit Slims’ Neo-Funk fusion of funk rhythms and pop-inspired melodies. “Our influences range from classic artists like the BeeGees and James Brown to more modern artists like Lizzo and After Funk. Any artist with the ability to captivate an audience and keep a party going is perfect for us,” he says. In addition, the Jackrabbit Slims are known for their original tracks which are influenced by legendary musicians such as Aretha Franklin and Prince. “All bands and musicians have to learn covers because they teach us different styles of music, give us ideas and inspiration and also keeps us musically fresh. Even when you perform only originals, many bands still like to learn covers to keep learning and also to play the music they like,” he elaborates. “There is no real fixed formula to how we create our music. Sometimes one of the band members will introduce the others to a melody or some chords and if we feel it, we collectively turn it into a full song,” he says of the band’s creative process. “Other times the main ideas are born out of a jam session and that’s the beauty of the creative process – it’s flexible.” As with most compositions, some of the band’s music is inspired by real-life situations, much like their song ‘Platonic’ written by the lead vocalist, Leila. “I wrote the song, Platonic, about my current partner when we were still just friends. We had a long and beautiful friendship before we officially got together and this song is basically me wondering if my feelings were beyond friendship and if he felt the same,” explains Leila. “I must have been right because we’re married now.” Funky Music! Play that interview 28 August 2022 www.bahrainthismonth.com
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