Jason Scott & The High Heat are headlining at the Norman Music Festival on Saturday, April 29 bringing a high-country and Americana sound.
The band has six members, including Jason Scott on guitar and vocals, Gabriel Mor on guitar, Taylor Johnson on guitar and keys, Alberto Roubert on drums, Ryan Magnani on bass and Garrison Brown on keys.
The band is excited to be on the main stage at Norman Music Festival. Frontman Jason Scott attributes performing live to his love for music.
“My favorite part about performing is performing with this group of people,” Scott said. “Getting to perform live is what I live for and the reason I’m still in this game.”
Scott has played at Norman Music Festival for the last eight years. He played in other bands before eventually forming his own brand. Scott says Norman Music Festival is a way for him to connect with many people he’s met over the years.
“I love going to the Norman Music Festival just to see all my friends and everybody who’s still out here swinging hammers,” Scott said.
Scott says his favorite song he has written that's currently out is “Quittin’ Time,” but that he's excited to debut a song on their upcoming record titled “Between Me and the Bottle.” His favorite song to perform live is called “Get In Line.”
All of the band members are from the Oklahoma City area and came together over time as some people joined and left the group.
“When I made my first EP, I had no band, just people who thought the music was good. Growth patterns take a long time,” Scott said. “We have slowly added to this group and have finally reached what I think is the right group of people to make this work.”
Scott spent time training to be a preacher and eventually left the church. This background gave him the tools for storytelling and influenced his outlook on life.
“When I left church, there was a big hole in my life, and this is something I feel like I was born to do,” Scott said.
The band’s latest album, “Castle Rock,” is their first full length-project, marking their debut. The album was recorded three years ago and guitarist Gabriel Mor calls it “their little child.” The band is set to release their next album sometime early next year, and it will be called “American Grin.”
“I’m really excited about this next record,” Scott said. “We’ve continued to grow as a band, and we’ve continued to grow as people. A lot of music comes from experience, and that is translating into these songs more and more.”
The group plans to put out singles for the upcoming record this year with a planned release of early 2024. The title “American Grin” came from the group's shared experiences living in America. Scott says he wants people to be prepared.
Jason Scott & the High Heat can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. They also have a website with news on the band’s projects. They will take Winston Main Stage on Saturday, April 29 at 5:50 pm.
This story was edited by Silas Bales and Emma Blakley. Francisco Gutierrez and Alexandra Powell-Lorentzatos copy edited this story.
