For many years, experts have tried to find answers to groundbreaking and philosophical questions such as “what is the meaning of life?” And many have failed in their pursuit. But maybe they should consider asking other important questions, for instance, like “what is Co-Stanza?” A suburban Chicago native, Jack Costanza is more than the average musician, rooted in midwestern amiability and affinity for the great outdoors. After graduating from Depaul University with a degree in secondary education, Jack picked up and moved to Colorado. Here, he continued to dabble in producing indie-pop and alternative-rock music alongside a band that he found in none other than the charming place called Craigslist. And once his EP “I Don’t Mind” gained traction, Jack knew his sound had potential, yet he prefers to create his danceable beats on his own time. After all, really great music comes from the soul, not a paycheck.
So, what makes Co-Stanza different as an artist? For one, being a musician isn’t the endpoint, but rather something that joins Jack on his journey through each day. About to attend Colorado State University to get his masters degree, Costanza wants to share all that he’s learned with middle and high school students in the form of alternative education. And alongside this, you can catch him pouring brews at Black Bottle Brewery in Fort Collins. But that’s not all, folks! Jack spends his seemingly small amount of free time skating around town, raising a foster dog named Lupini, and taking long, off-the-beaten path hikes with his girlfriend. Wondering how he does it all? SHEESH! was lucky enough to snag an interview with the master in time management, just a few hours after he got a root canal. So see below to really know, “What is Co-Stanza?”
A Full Heart:
About two years ago, Costanza made the move to Colorado, but he wasn’t entirely thrown into the wild in a new place. Along with him came three of his closest friends from his hometown, and then, they were roommates! Sharing his place has its perks; they all happen to be musicians. As for the switch from a concrete jungle to an open-air oasis, “it feels more comfy than Chicago,” says Costanza. Beginning to perform at the Music District in Fort Collins, Jack was able to get his footing, meet new people and become a part of the indie-rock community. One could say Jack got the call of the wild, and he answered.
As for his songwriting process, Jack turns life experiences into upbeat ballads that he encourages others to dance to. Writing his hit single, “I Don’t Mind, ” in Los Angeles back in March reflects the efforts he made to see his long distance ex-girlfriend. Although they are no longer together, he still holds the same ideals. “There’s a bunch of obstacles in the way, but I don’t care, I’m going to go for it,” he expresses. Now that takes a big heart.
With quarantine keeping Costanza cooped up in the house, he took advantage of the hours locked inside by adopting a pitbull-boxer mix, which he named Lupini, or Lou for short. The new edition has only been with Jack for four months, but he’s already in love. “He was a little underweight when I got him, so I got to feed him extra and give him a million treats,” Jack effuses. As Cesar Chavez puts it, “the people who give you their food give you their heart,” and Jack definitely has plenty of heart to go around. Lou, it looks like you’re in luck!
A Big Brain:
The Wizard of Oz’s Scarecrow famously lamented, “If I only had a brain!” and it looks like Jack Costanza does not share the same issue. A Depaul graduate, Jack came out of college equipped with a degree in secondary education with a discipline in social science. “I think it would be cool to do alternative education[…] something a little outside of the classroom,” he states. Whether it be something outdoorsy or something like working with formerly incarcerated youth, Jack can inspire the masses with his love of history, and learning, for that matter.
So, where does the intellectual gain his musical inspiration? From other intellectuals, of course. Jack’s biggest influence is his friend and recent Berklee College of Music grad, Ryan Adams, and no, he’s not the country artist. “I can’t give him enough credit for helping me[…] he’s my music guru,” Jack praises. But Costanza also has his alternative favs, such as Tom Misch, The Japanese House, Wet, Blank Range, and Still Woozy, to name a few. “I’m into people who are doing things that are danceable and digestible and fun to listen to, but are also sneakily complicated,” tells Jack. For Costanza, the more complex, the better.
A Man on the Move:
How do you get from A to B? For Jack, he’s become well-acquainted with both his skateboard and his bike. Three years running, Costanza was a bike delivery boy for Potbelly, Jimmy John’s, and Postmates, always making sure that Chicago’s sandwich needs were met. After a long day’s work, he would dive into his co-worker Kelsey’s culinary creation, which was not short on flavor. Want to order it for yourself? Go to Potbelly and ask for chicken, pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, onions, and spinach topped with balsamic vinaigrette. That’s a mouthful, literally.
When he’s not en route, Jack likes to pull out his trusty skateboard, which he makes clear that he cannot perform tricks on. “I just love to thrash around the city,” he laughs. And in terms of the white winters in Colorado, Costanza hits the slopes via snowboard to get his powder fix. But when all that snow melts, he’s all about hiking really far out, trying to test the limits of where he can go. Jack enjoys staying in motion anyway he can, whether it’s boarding or biking. “You know, the whole shebang,” he jokes.
A Mind Full of Memories:
Self-proclaimed as a former nostalgic, Jack spends quite a bit of time dwelling on the past—he really does love history! Even though he prefers to live in the moment now, he’ll always reminisce on the summer after college, where he spent the sunny, pleasant days swimming and drinking at a lake house in Illinois. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? And back in his bedroom growing up, Jack made use of a 1950s magazine he bought at an antique mart by pasting every page up on his wall, kind of like entering a time machine. Why limit learning about history to a clunky textbook when you can take one look at your bedroom and discover something new about the past?
A Voice, Both Musically and Inspirationally:
As a sophomore in high school, Jack was doing what we all were doing—messing around, except he was messing around with music. Making silly hip-hop beats and performing garage gigs with his friends, Costanza began his ascent into vocal artistry. Gaining proficiency in the ukulele, guitar, bass, drums and even audio engineering, his voice is definitely not his only instrument. And all that talent went to producing his EP “Cool We Are Having Fun” and his upcoming project “Wlf2Mn.”
He’s currently looking forward to when he can go on tour post-COVID instead of the occasional “one-off” shows, which are not to be discredited. So far, opening for Beach Bunny at Lincoln Hall in Chicago takes the cake as the hands-down best performance for the young artist. While his favorite venues stay closed for obvious reasons, he pays homage to the iconic stages, Lincoln Hall and Schubas Tavern. “Shoutout to both of them because I know they are both struggling right now,” he remarks. His hometown joints will always have a place in his heart.
Ready to get your indie-pop, alt-rock jam sessions in?
Check out Co-Stanza on Spotify, for the latest and greatest, and on Soundcloud, for the archived folk tunes. And don’t forget to follow him on Instagram to keep up to date with new releases.
