Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz hails from Mechanicsville, VA, where he grew up a fan of
the Dave Matthews Band and local roots musicians
the Agents of Good Roots. But it was
Mraz's interest and participation in musical theater that was his first introduction to music.
Mraz moved to New York following high school to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy but dropped out a year later when he took up the guitar and began to focus on songwriting.
Nonetheless,
Mraz's training as a vocalist would show itself on his debut album which is marked by the pure clarity and range of his vocals.
After busking around New York,
Mraz eventually returned to Virginia; but, in 1999, he ultimately made his way West, settling in San Diego, CA, known for its coffeehouse scene and support of singer/songwriters, most notably
Jewel.
Mraz began playing local shops and landed a weekly slot at local hot spot Java Joe's. At the same time,
Mraz met drummer Noel "Toca" Rivera and the two began performing together --
Mraz on acoustic guitar, Rivera on djembe -- honing a live show that featured as much comedic banter between the two as music.
Over the next two years,
Mraz's following grew outside of San Diego to encompass Los Angeles, garnering the attention of record labels. In early 2002,
Mraz signed to Elektra Records and returned to Virginia to write and record his debut album, working with producer John Alagía (
the Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer), and his high school heroes,
the Agents of Good Roots, who became his backing band. The resulting effort,
Waiting for My Rocket to Come, was released in November of 2002. It blended
Mraz's early influences and coming of age sensibilities with
country,
roots rock, the poeticism of coffeehouse
folk, elements of
jazz, and
hip-hop's rhythmic charge. The buoyant first single "Remedy [I Won't Worry]" (co-written by
Mraz with pop hitmakers the Matrix) was a hit, and
Mraz headed out on the road to support it. One of those shows, an October 2003 date at the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, became
Mraz' summer 2004 live release Tonight, Not Again; this tided his fans over until July 2005, when he returned with the sophomore studio effort
Mr. A-Z. In 2008,
Mraz released his third studio album,
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things. ~ Christina Saraceno, All Music Guide
