Freaking Will Smith.

Thanks to that jerk, every time I heard the word “jig” between 1998 and 2007, my mind would immediately want to make a “getting jiggy” joke. Shortly after that, the “na na na na na na na” would begin creeping into the back of of my brain, and before I knew it, one of the dumbest songs ever recorded would run through my head for the rest of the day.

Thank God for Fayetteville’s The 1 oz. Jig. Now when I hear the word “jig,” I just want to dance one. Or go fishing. (It’s weird.)

They are one of the hardest working bands in town, made up of some of the most technically proficient, funky funkmasters assembled in Fayetteville since Punkinhead was causing uncontrollable dancing fits in town during the 80′s and 90′s.

On Saturday, Aug. 28 they’ll release their brand new self-titled CD at George’s with help from openers KABOOM!, a brand new drum and percussion ensemble in town.

We got in touch with Jeff Kearney from the band, and he was nice enough to catch us up on the latest with the band, and tell us a bit about the new record. He also provided some unsolicited onomatopoeia at the end of most of his answers, for maximum funkiness.

Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
The 1 oz. Jig: There is so much great music coming out of this town lately it has been hard to soak it all up. The Fayetteville music scene is in full swing right now, and if you want to hear something real than you needn’t look any farther than our home town. Just like the Fayetteville music scene in the late 80s early 90s, people will be talking about this era for years to come.

FF: Man, you guys are staples on our live music calendar, and that’s not counting all the other projects you’re involved in (awesome). How many shows do you play a year?
The 1 oz. Jig: The 1 oz. Jig plays around 100 shows a year, but we all play side projects to pay the bills. The show we are most exited about though is our CD release coming up at George’s Majestic Lounge this Saturday. Its gonna be the jam. (Ding a ding a ding a ding dong.)

FF: Let’s talk about this new record. Where did you guys record?
The 1 oz. Jig: We recorded at The Listen Lab with Dwight Chalmers. Dwight has been great about recording local artists, and the decision within our band was unanimous to record there. We all wanted to work with him, and he really came through on this record. Not only recording but producing as well.

FF: How many tracks?
The 1 oz. Jig: 9 tracks of down-home family fun. (Chicka chicka boom down.)

FF: Tell us a bit about your philosophy in the studio. How do you get the improvisational elements in your music to come through in your recordings?
The 1 oz. Jig: We wanted to have a live feel on the record, because we are a band that thrives of off spontanious improvisation, so we recorded every song live in two days and then spent a couple of months cleaning up the mess we had made. (Scratch scratch.)

FF: Anything you want people to know about the release party on Saturday?
The 1 oz. Jig: We would like to dedicate our show to Windy Austin. A pioneer of Fayetteville music, and a true performer who passed away recently. Also we are very happy to have Fayetteville’s newest Percussion ensemble KABOOOM!!! opening the show with a set of West African Music. It is going to be explosive. (Bang bang skeet skeet.)

FF: If folks can’t make it to the show, where can they get their hands on the new album?
The 1 oz. Jig: The next show, or Sound Warehouse is a good bet. We will be doing an in house performance there real soon.

FF: Here’s a question for you. When CDs go the way of the buffalo, what will bands call their album release parties? Download parties?
The 1 oz. Jig: Buffalo Parties. We are headed the other direction and are trying to get our cd pressed on some vinyl. There is something magic about records.

FF: What’s next for you guys? Any touring plans?
The 1 oz. Jig: The band has changed so much since we recorded this record. We have added Nathan Mcleod on Sax and Micheal Howland on trumpet, and Chad Safrick on drums, all who have brought great new elements to the band. Right after our CD release we our going to work on our 2nd album. We will be working with local technition Adam Putnam at Insomniac Studios recording The Brown Bag Album. Look for that in 2011. It will be a completely different sound. (La da da.)

Click below to hear Endangered Creatures, by The 1 oz. Jig