Jackson, left, and Jonah Hallquist with their five-song CD.
Jackson, left, and Jonah Hallquist with their five-song CD.
Jackson and Jonah Hallquist have been playing music for years, and they recently put out their first CD as the Hallquist Brothers.
They will be playing at a CD release party at the Stagger Inn in Edwardsville on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Jackson is the older of the two at 20. “I’ve been playing drums for 11 years,” said Jackson.
“He’s been drumming on anything he could reach since he could stand,” said his father John. Jackson started percussion in fourth grade and played through his time at EHS.
He graduated in 2017 and has been attending SIUE. “I was first chair percussionist,” he said. “But what I’m most proud of in high school was being in the all-state jazz band.”
Jonah is in eighth grade at Liberty Middle School. He has been playing guitar since he was eight.
The brothers played their first gig together as part of a youth concert series at Miner Park. “We kept playing those kinds of shows,” Jackson said. “Then we went to an open mic night at the Stagger Inn. Since then, we’ve played paid shows there.”
Their music is classic rock. “We’re starting to develop some jazz, too,” said Jonah, adding that jazz is Jackson’s favorite. The album consists of five new songs in a classic rock style and was completely written by Jonah. Neither brother sings; the five songs are instrumental.
“I started getting serious about writing last year,” Jonah said. “I’ve been coming up with riffs by whole life.” Jonah also created the logo for the duo.
“We play together when we can,” Jackson said. “We try for at least three or four times a week if we don’t have a lot of homework. We also spend a lot of time practicing on our own.
Jackson plays at the Dark Room in St. Louis one night a week. He is studying jazz at SIUE. “I like having to improvise while you’re playing.” He also plays at New Life in Christ Gospel in O’Fallon and Edwardsville.
At the weekly jazz jam session at the Dark Room, he has met famous jazz drummer Montez Colman, who has started calling Jackson his little brother. “There are a lot of people in the music industry who come by to listen, so it’s a great place to play,” he said.
In addition to the school band, Jonah plays at Swing City Music in Collinsville. Jackson says he is sometimes amazed at what Jonah can do, whether writing the music, playing or designing the logo.
Jonah said that performing at the Stagger Inn was fun. “The people there are great,” he said.
Jackson plans to keep playing at the church. He thinks he might eventually move to a city with a bigger music scene. Jonah said that he, too, would like to have a career in music. “It would be a travesty if he didn’t,” Jackson said, “because he’s really gifted.”