This years family reunion at Gem & Jam Festival is looking to be an even bigger and better community experience than the prior years before. 2023 marks their 15th year anniversary and the line up is shaping out to be quite the diverse showcase of performing acts. There is a bit of everything for everyone here, ranging from rock and soul bands to dubstep and experimental bass artists. This years headliners are comprised of The String Cheese Incident, LSDream, The Floozies, and Emancipator, with support from The Motet, Dirtwire, Ott, SoDown,
DIVING DEEP W/ ZEN SELEKTA
1. What are you most excited about playing at Gem & Jam Festival?
Gem & Jam prides themselves in being more than a music festival and I’ve heard
wonderful things about the astounding art installations and live performers. My
favorite types of events are those that celebrate and put all art forms on a
pedestal. The festival is centered around the annual Tucson Gem, Mineral &
Fossil Showcase and I can’t wait to see some of nature’s beauties on display and
experience this unique theme. In addition, I love the diversity of the line up and
the marriage between live and electronic music. I am looking forward to
immersing myself in the art displays, making new connections and taking some
inspiration home with me.
2. What goes into preparing for bigger sets at these types of events?
I put the same level of effort into all of my sets — no matter if it is a 200 cap
venue or a huge music festival. I start by visualizing my performance and the
energy I want to give off. From there, I begin to create my playlist with this vision
in mind. Lots of experimentation and plenty of Yerba Mate later, I have my set
mapped out. It then becomes a matter of practicing the material and keeping up
with my mindfulness practices and daily routines to keep my head in the game
and have me feeling my best for this important performance.
3. What can attendees expect from your set at Gem & Jam Festival?
A passionate, engaging and healing experience. I leave everything I have on
stage, putting my whole being into what I do. When I am on stage expressing
myself, I am at my happiest and the audience experience will reflect that.
4. What’s next for your project? What plans do you have in the near future that you hope to accomplish as Zen Selekta?
For my next body of work, I plan to collaborate with musicians and vocalists. My
sound is marked by ethnic and emotive instrumental melodies layered with tribal
percussion and deep bass lines. Currently, I use VSTs and sample libraries to
create these melodies and it is difficult to emulate the human feel and sound that
comes from a live performance. Working with musicians will allow me to achieve
this sound and offer me more creative flexibility. I am passionate about combining
electronic music and live instrumentation and am inspired by artists like Bonobo,
Thievery Corporation, and Emancipator that do a wonderful job at this. A live
aspect can add an extra layer of excitement and intimacy to the performance and
my goal is to offer both “live” and “DJ” sets.
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