ABOUT JUBILEE
Band Biography
Curtis Romjue
Grace Romjue
Emily Ann Peterson
Jonny Akamu
Steven Wilbur
|| Seattle band JUBILEE -- comprised of singer/songwriter Curtis Romjue, the polished slide & electric guitar player Jonathan Haglund, keyboardist and tamborine expert Grace Romjue, cellist EmilyAnn Peterson, and drummer/poet/wordsmith Steven Wilbur -- spent the last 5 years strategizing for the future's revolution in music.
Their approach to music has been completely re-thought, re-designed, re-fueled, and re-newed by this one cause: Advocacy. In fact, they are a federally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. JUBILEE's approach to their music is bolstered in part by their motivation to fight modern slavery via their music and the stage.
Curtis Romjue says, "Nothing I've learned about the world disturbs me more than slavery and the forced prostitution of young children. This needs to frickin' stop. It's powerful to point out these gross realities, because though they are extreme, they repulsively illustrate the logical and inevitable outworkings of an ill-tended human heart."
Steven Wilbur, whose poetry captivates the audience and is featured at most JUBILEE shows, says, "At the root of it all, there are tens of millions of women and children who are born into the merciless service of the result, someone’s overfed desire. Devoured is their dignity, their voice, and the recognition that they are full of worth and beauty. If the industry will continue dress itself with sheep’s wool, I will beat these drums so at least some see the wolf."
When asked why she has devoted her musical contribution to such a talented group of musicians in this way, Emily says, "“The darkest days of my life were those when I had no voice. Music is what gave me hope for finding my own voice while I was in the middle of my own darkness. I can't think of a better reason to play music, now that my days are brighter, than to give someone a voice who has none. My contribution to JUBILEE is fueled by the knowledge that their voices are being heard because my own voice is heard.”
And that's just how they feel about their nonprofit. You can imagine the amount of brilliant creativity and careful selection goes into the editing and crafting of their music. The tunes they produce highlight the vocal stylings and fine blending of Curtis, Grace, & EmilyAnn. With roots in Brazilian Jazz, Nirvana, Flamenco, MoTown, and Classical music, JUBILEE's now added the ever popular "indie rock genre" into the mix. Listeners are sure to have their aural tastebuds tickled.
Why Curtis fights slavery with music || He says, “Music, sweet music. It's one of the best ways for me to ruminate on life, and magnify the honest and nourishing bits. Since music has improved my days, I hope my music can add value to the lives of others - through sharing ideas and human expression, but also by using the microphone to broadcast things that need attention and change. Nothing I've learned about the world disturbs me more than slavery and the forced prostitution of young children. This needs to frickin' stop. It's powerful to point out these gross realities, because though they are extreme, they repulsively illustrate the logical and inevitable outworkings of an ill-tended human heart. What am I planting and nourishing in my own heart?”
Why Grace fights slavery with music || She says, "If I'm honest, when I hear about a cause to alleviate some type of suffering in the world, I usually try to ignore it. But entering into the suffering of others is the only way to love truly and experience life fully. Engaging with the world's hurt while pouring myself into work that inspires and challenges me creatively is the most fulfilling life I can imagine."
Why Emily Ann fights slavery with music || She says, “The darkest days of my life were those when I had no voice. I couldn't speak up against injustice and I suffer deeply, even today, because of it. My eyes get misty every time I soak in the knowledge that my dark days could be the brightest days for girls who are trapped in the sex slave trade. That scares me. Because in no way would I wish that kind of darkness, even my darkness, for anyone's days. Music is what gave me hope for finding my own voice while I was in the middle of that darkness. I can't think of a better reason to play music, now that my days are brighter, than to give someone a voice who has none. My contribution to JUBILEE is fueled by the knowledge that their voices are being heard because my own voice is heard.”
Why Jonny fights slavery with music || He says, "Music = Good. Slavery = Bad. Music > Slavery."
Why Steven fights slavery with music || "Sex sells everything. It screams at us from billboards, calling us to buy our goods in bed. It is the lamb everyone wants to pet, but most of us don’t know the wild dog in waiting underneath. At the root of it all, there are tens of millions of women and children who are born into the merciless service of the result, someone’s overfed desire. Devoured is their dignity, their voice, and the recognition that they are full of worth and beauty. If the industry will continue dress itself with sheep’s wool, I will beat these drums so at least some see the wolf."