Gypsy Jazzpunk to Spunk up your Drunk.

A German idiom for romance, and the traditional gypsy lifestyle which relied upon the service of magnificent steeds – sometimes indeed stolen. Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses bring a new light to Gypsy Jazz that incorporates the classic blend of European gypsy melody and 1930’s swing, with a modern attitude rooted in Hard Bop Jazz, Punk and Rock ‘n Roll.

The Stolen Horses released their third title ‘The Striped Mare‘ in April (2019). The Striped Mare is an album that wrangles in the best parts of the first three years in the Stolen Horses. Digging deeper into the unique mix of gypsy music, jazz and punk, the Stolen Horses expand to include Trombone, Accordion and Keys. Along with three originals, be sure to pay close attention to the band’s covers of legendary metal songs ‘The Trooper’ (Iron Maiden) and ‘Duality’ (Slipknot).

In this interview spotlight, I chat with Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses about their latest release, challenges, technology and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

We are from a little city called Pretoria in South Africa, and we play Gypsy Jazzpunk. The music is a mix of gypsy inspired jazz with an injection of punk energy and attitude. Jazz and punk actually have a lot more in common than most people think. The musicianship may be miles apart, but the spirit of expression and rebellion is the same.

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?

I (Deon Bakkes) grew up on metal, blues and classic rock. Eventually I branched out into jazz and when a good friend of mine introduced me to gypsy jazz, I fell in love with the sound and improvisation. I’ve always had a desire to mix music styles to create something new, so I worked towards adding more energy, and punk feeling to the already energetic gypsy jazz template. After adding drums, saxophone and trombone to the mix it felt right. What motivates me to keep going is chasing the carrot so to speak, of creating something entirely new. I also receive some much needed words of encouragement from our fans and that really keeps my fire burning in what sometimes feels like a rainstorm.

How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?

This release digs deeper into the punk energy with the cracking opener ‘Punk Gitan’, as well as getting somewhat more inspired in the songwriting to try out new things musically speaking. ‘Let There Be Rhythm’ is a good example of that. This is also the first release to feature keys/accordion and the trombone as well as myself on trumpet in one song. I’ve been practicing trumpet for ages, and to finally lay it down feels great. 

Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?

Music is very oversaturated today no doubt. Its good on one hand because it provides great accessibility through playlists and suggestions, I mean you guys heard us on Spotify which is awesome! But on the other hand, too much of a good thing is bad. Technology also provides that same accessibility, but for more of the same music in many cases. I think that ends up leaving people’s ears tired and numb to music in general. After that, people tend to stick with the bands they know, which shoots the whole accessibility thing in the foot. The more things change, the more they stay the same haha! Getting heard as a band will always be difficult. But personally, I like to hear music that is pushing new ground and trying new things. Technology has definitely helped me find that.. For example, I’ve found some great bands like Kagero, Blues Saraceno and Dubioza Kolektiv by using Spotify’s music suggestions. I dig that!

What was the last song you listened to?

Child in Time by Deep Purple, and I think it stands a great chance of being the best song in the world.

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

I like them all really. It’s more about the music than the format for me. But if I must say, I’m probably gonna be weird with this answer. I really like Mp3’s because I can listen to them on the go, and in the modern world, we’re always on the go. Which means I get to listen to music all the time, which is great for music junkie like me. But when I chill at home, it’s all vinyl for me.

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

I’m Spotify all the way. Apple music is a bit clunky feeling for me. I find Spotify to be much more user friendly and the music suggestion algorithm is top notch! Even though it came out recently that Apple gives artists more per stream than Spotify does, I think that either way, more streams will come through Spotify because it’s just a better app. Plus that green colour is hella alluring!

Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?

The hub for the Stolen Horses is our website (www.deonbakkesandthestolenhorses.com), but definitely check out our Instagram profile. I’m always trying to upload fresh content there whether it be photos with silly captions, random jamming videos or the odd joke or two.

Anything else before we sign off?

Big love to all our fans who’s smiles, claps and waves keep this band’s spirit running and gunning! See you all at a show soon!