Jack and Jackson to take the stage at Mahomet Soda Fest

By Brett McMahon

 “I get to do what I love most in life, with who I love most in life. I am lucky.”

That’s how Jake Tatar describes playing music with his son, Jackson as part of the Jake and Jackson duo.

Tatar was originally a founder of The Boat Drunks, a band he played with for 14 years before retiring to spend more time with family. Little did he know it would lead to a second career of sorts as Jackson had such a love of music from watching his dad for many years.

The younger Tatar first performed with his dad at age nine but as a duo. From there, they’ve been playing regular gigs for about five years. Jackson is now 20 and his dad says he’s a natural.

“He’s a real pro, and he’s only 20,” the elder Tatar states.

On June 10, the duo will play the Mahomet Soda Festival and Tatar says the event offers a great opportunity for them to incorporate music into a means of bonding.

“We hope to spread a little musical happiness to the community while having the opportunity to bond over sugary deliciousness,” Jake said.

This will be a first for the duo, but Tatar says he’s always wanted to play locally.

Jake and Jackson have been playing and singing together, mostly doing covers from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Steely Dan, among many others. But, they have recently announced plans to incorporate a full band with keyboard players and more. Sharing the stage wouldn’t be a major adjustment for either of them, as Jake’s wife, Amy has sometimes joined them for some tight three-part harmonies.

The band will play several shows this summer, including an appearance at the Friday Night Live concert series in downtown Champaign, though the date for that concert has yet to be announced. Admission to the Mahomet Soda Festival is free, but a fee will be required to sample the more than 100 flavors of soda on tap at the event.