What music genre can capture the soul of local jazz music and the heartbeat of New Orleans Bounce music? A new sound known as “jazz bounce,” coined by music producer Mikecol.
The masked music artist, producer and entrepreneur started making jazz bounce music in 2024. Inspired by a jazz house artist he discovered on TikTok, he wanted to create his own take on a fusion of sounds: jazz and New Orleans bounce. He saw parallels between the two genres and thought blending them together could be an opportunity to amplify local talent.
As the CEO of media company and record label Newtral Groundz, he wanted to produce original music to pair with his company’s social media posts. He experimented with his electric keyboard, AI tools and license-free audio samples to concoct music that feels like a reflective stroll throughout the Crescent City.
“The future of the music industry is leaning into hyper-focused labels, where they’re serving super niche markets,” Mikecol said. “Luckily for us, New Orleans is like the Mona Lisa of America. We have culture here at a premium.”
Before learning how to play piano from a virtual reality training program, Mikecol played the trumpet in middle school and the French horn in high school. Applying his knowledge in music theory, he started making meditation-style music which transformed into the expanding body of jazz bounce songs listeners know and love today.
In less than two years, the New Orleans native has released more than 20 jazz bounce songs. There’s a familiarity and a calming energy to his music. It could be the staple New Orleans bounce beats, HaSizzle soundbites or the relaxing saxophone often heard throughout the French Quarter streets. Mikecol pairs soothing parts of jazz with pulsating bass-heavy bounce beats, offering the same easy listening as lo-fi music but with a New Orleans touch.
When discussing the reason for not being the face of his brand, he says he never set out to become a music star. He sees jazz bounce as a springboard for other local artists to contribute to and grow the subgenre into something bigger than himself. Much like masked creatives Daft Punk and Jabbawockeez, he wants to detach his identity from his craft and let the work speak for itself.
“I’m kind of making a mature version of bounce, where people can still get that beat and vibe, but it’s more uplifting instead of sexually charged or a vulgar type of sound,” Mikecol said. “I’m doing this to kind of challenge that notion that [bounce has to sound a certain way] in order for people to trip out to it or rock their hips. It can be something that everyone can listen to.”
