From rock star to rock hound and back again, Paul Jago takes to the stage at Hummus Brothers Friday.
Jago, son of Charles Jago, the former UNBC president, was lead singer and songwriter for Juno-nominated 90s multi-hit rock band, Gandharvas.
When things started to slow down the group disbanded and each went their separate ways.
Now Jago, a geologist, partners with wife Aidyl, as a progressive rock duet called Said Dog.
"This is a lot easier," said Paul, about being in a duet. "First of all Aidyl can sing and no one in my old band could do that. As a singer it's just really nice to harmonize with someone and not have it sound funny. We're definitely more soulful and I like the way Aidyl and my voice mix together - they blend together into one."
With just the two of them there's an opportunity to explore sound more, he added.
"We don't have to communicate those intuitive nuances to someone else," Jago said. "That's Aidyl's forte, she just knows how to develop harmony, she knows where to sing and where not to sing."
Paul met Aidyl when she was his supervisor in the music business. When Gandharvas broke up, Paul got on the list of musicians that were available for studio work and Aidyl was in charge of all that.
"His resume came across my desk and I rejected it but someone else hired him," Aidyl laughed, who is from Toronto.
After falling in love and getting married, they found their way to Prince George to be near Paul's family and it's also a good location for the geologist., who often works in Colorado and Arizona.
"It's important that Pia (their two-year-old daughter, who cheekily set off the car alarm during the interview) has a good relationship with her grandparents," said Aidyl.
When Paul and Aidyl get together there's a lot of volume but Paul said it all depends on the setting they're in. When they play in an outdoor setting, they're going to amp it up but in a smaller venue like their Hummus Brothers gig on Sept. 28, it's a bit of a different story.
"I'll probably have a set list with 30-some-odd songs on it and I will probably randomly choose songs, depending on how the room feels," said Paul. "I modify how I play depending on how the room is. If it's a conversational environment, which I anticipate it to be, I'll kind of lay back a bit and create more of an atmosphere of music."
Since there's no tickets for the show and its by donation only, a reservation for the performance is suggested at Hummus Brothers, 1230 Fourth Avenue, by calling 250-562-7344.
