Music – Seattle
When you see the Seattle-born guitarist, Mason Turner, you may think he’s more California Jack Johnson than Emerald City shredder. But when you hear the strength in his tone during a rousing Jimi Hendrix cover, you know you’re in for something unexpected.
Turner’s latest project, a five-piece he calls The Reign, is comprised of bassist Joey Whelan, keys player Hugo Sundberg, saxophonist Ryan Siegel, drummer Streuli and himself on lead vocals and guitar. Together, the group, which coordinates their aesthetic, keeping true to the roots of their favorite music while wearing black and blue, aims to make audiences dance and move above all else.
With hearts rooted in blues and soul, the band’s tastes also range from jazz to funk to soul and pop. But their inspirations don’t end with just songs. Between gigs, the quintet often shares a pizza and a favorite comic book or three as they shed the stress life as a dedicated musician can often offer.
Turner, who received the Passing The Torch and Centrum scholarships from the Washington Blues Society, studied music at the famed Berklee College in Boston. Today, he looks to contemporaries like Seattle’s Ayron Jones or Austin’s Gary Clark Jr. for inspiration. And it’s paying off: in 2017, The Reign, which has gained members and instruments since forming in 2014, released its debut record, Summer Man, the first of many more prominent steps forward.