DeKALB | Most companies are only worried about money. This one just wants to jam.

Old Soul Company will play at 9:30 p.m. tonight at Otto’s Underground, 118 W. Lincoln Highway. The 21+ show is free to attend.

The quartet, made up of NIU students, alums and twin brothers, is a genre-spanning blues/fusion/jam band that has been a staple at The House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway, in recent months.

Also on the show is Wisconsin jam band Wook, making their debut appearance in DeKalb.

The Northern Star recently talked to Old Soul Company’s guitarist/vocalist Ryan Cooper:

Northern Star: Where does the name Old Soul Company come from? What does it mean to you guys?

 

Ryan Cooper: Old Soul Company comes from our friend Emily Mayberry referring to us individually as “old souls.” We dug that, so we starting calling our project a company of old souls.

NS: How would you describe your music?

 

RC: To avoid misleading genre labels and lengthy descriptions of the combinations and differences among them, we would describe our music as expressive. We write a song and play it live, but our performance conveys our love for the music more than just the music itself, if that makes sense.

NS: You guys were in several bands together before singer Anna Morkin joined. What is it like having her as an addition?

 

RC: My brother [drummer Kyle Cooper] and I have always played together. Before OSC, we were in a metal band and an alternative rock/folk band. [Guitarist Dakota Schmidt] has been in many groups, all of which mainly got together and “jammed.” He has grown up with and met lots of musicians which has helped him develop the undeniably remarkable improve ability he displays today.

Anna was actually in a hip-hop group before OSC; you could say she was the Fergie of the crew. As a trio, we set out to tackle all our vocal goals as amateurs the way Phish has, but after one session with Anna we said “f**k that, now we’ve got some real pipes.” Although we still take turns on leads and back-ups, Anna has been a priceless addition toward improving and guiding OSC vocally.

NS: Some of you guys graduated from NIU or left town. What makes you come back to DeKalb to play shows?

 

RC: We come back for the atmosphere, most notably within the House Cafe. If anyone has something to play, they should go the House Cafe Monday night for their weekly open mic. It’s the warmest, most accepting venue we’ve ever experienced.

NS: What’s life after college like for Old Soul Company?

RC: Life after college is simple; Work and play music.

NS: What are the advantages of being in a band with your brother and close friends? Are there any disadvantages?

 

RC: Me, Kyle and Dakota are like brothers and Anna is our sister. The advantages of that are we respect each one another as family and share very openly, and most often productively, as well. Having personally been born with my one and only drummer has certainly attuned us as a rhythm section, but collaborating with amazing people like Anna and Dakota are what really helped us grow as artists. There aren’t any disadvantages.