Biography
From Rhode Island, the instrumental trio Paper Jays takes an experimental stance toward folk-derived structures and instrumentation by weaving noisy drones and open improvisation into sounds that often remain pastoral and acoustic. Their origins trace to private home taping sessions, which led to the first public release in 2024: a self-titled album issued on the storied ESP label.
Justin Hubbard handles acoustic guitar and bass, Jesse Cohen plays electric guitar and resonator guitars, and Matt Crane contributes on multiple percussion instruments. Cohen and Hubbard had already spent roughly five years collaborating as a duo when they encountered Crane performing alongside Linda Sharrock and invited him into the fold. Once Crane’s percussion joined the mix, Paper Jays formed in earnest, extending the dual-guitar meditations that Cohen and Hubbard had been refining in private. The three musicians recorded together for the first time during summer 2023 and subsequently partnered with ESP to issue their debut, self-titled album. That record appeared in October 2024 and featured, amid numerous original compositions, a guitar-led version of Pharoah Sanders’ “Japan.”
Justin Hubbard handles acoustic guitar and bass, Jesse Cohen plays electric guitar and resonator guitars, and Matt Crane contributes on multiple percussion instruments. Cohen and Hubbard had already spent roughly five years collaborating as a duo when they encountered Crane performing alongside Linda Sharrock and invited him into the fold. Once Crane’s percussion joined the mix, Paper Jays formed in earnest, extending the dual-guitar meditations that Cohen and Hubbard had been refining in private. The three musicians recorded together for the first time during summer 2023 and subsequently partnered with ESP to issue their debut, self-titled album. That record appeared in October 2024 and featured, amid numerous original compositions, a guitar-led version of Pharoah Sanders’ “Japan.”
Albums