Ari Joshua's “Scared of Eric” - A sonic love letter to jazz’s wild heart — bold, soulful, and untamed.

“Scared of Eric” is a daring blend of passion and accuracy, the scenes where Ari Joshua and his band change the homage into a timeless jazz art picket.

Ari Joshua is a guitarist, composer, and producer from Seattle, known for his distinctive blend of jazz, rock, and experimental sounds. As an alumnus of The New School, he has collaborated with notable artists such as John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Delvon Lamarr. Besides, Joshua, as the owner of Music Factory Records and The Music Factory Music School, is a leader of artist-driven creative process. His 2025 output is aimed at the GRAMMY Awards.

“Scared of Eric” is Ari Joshua’s most vibrant homage to the saxophone innovator Skerik — and it’s just as bold as the person being honored.

The song is like an intense dream with organ played by Delvon Lamarr that sounds from the vintage period to the very core, and Grant Schroff, who is ready to deliver a funk-driven, tight rhythm. On top of this rhythmic heartbeat, Joshua’s guitar plays both with the respectful and the rebellious side of the character; thus, potent, lithe, and aggressive phrases providing the support for Skerik’s fiery nature in return are the ones that come to mind. The album was done in one take, but it has been polished to the hilt; hence, it perfectly captures the improvisational spirit that is always at the crossroads of groove and grit, and as such, it is very much alive with just this conviction.

Joshua’s work on this record is very much in line with his deliberate nomination for the Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) GRAMMY round. However, this, at its heart, is much more a kinship celebration remit by the musicians in the piece than a technical triumph.