Personnel: Jason Mraz (vocals, guitar); Bill Bell (guitar); Eric Hinojosa (banjo, keyboards); John Popper (harmonica); Chicago Storm (horns); Ian Sheridan (bass guitar, background vocals); Adam King (drums); Toca Rivera (percussion, background vocals).
Though his music is often lumped in with that of singer/songwriters Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Jason Mraz makes it abundantly clear that he is his own man on TONIGHT, NOT AGAIN. A seamless blend of hip-hop-style rhymes, Broadway-caliber vocals, and jazzy, sophisticated pop of the Paul Simon variety, Mraz's style might seem ostensibly unlikely to catch the ears of teenage girls. However, the unbridled shrieking that fills this live album, however, reveals a level of fan loyalty usually reserved for boy bands. Luckily, under the frenzied screaming lies a wealth of energetic, complex music. The stage is obviously where Mraz feels at home, and he uses the opportunity to stretch out, transforming "Common Pleasure" into a virtuoso scatting jam. Blues Traveler vocalist/harmonica player John Popper guests on "Curbside Prophet," turning an already funky outing into a full-on, rump-shaking workout.
