Jon Nolan
A neighbor on death’s door reaches out. A close-knit community where no one ever gets too busy to say, “Hello.” A group of friends gathers in a cramped barn attic to play music, tell stories, and share laughs. These tender scenes thread together like pictures on an old American patchwork quilt across Jon Nolan & Good Co.’s 2025 full-length album, Slow Cooker [Strolling Bones]. The Say ZuZu co-founder vividly and vibrantly details life in his hometown of Newmarket, NH. He underscores his relatable storytelling with eloquent folk-inspired songcraft accented by flourishes of country and rock brought to life during cozy and relaxed jam sessions and simmering with emotion and honesty.
“Slow Cooker is more than just an album,” says Jon. “It’s evidence of a new season of creative meaning for me. Each song is a story from my life or my imagination that sort of became a series of little fires that the band gathered around one by one to stoke, feed, and tend to. We want people to come join us and warm themselves by these stories—on the record or at our shows.”
In the midst of Say ZuZu’s reunion, Jon experienced a surge of inspiration during the summer of 2022. So, he endeavored to launch another music project “just for fun.” At first, he holed up in the attic of a friend’s barn with collaborators Geoff Taylor [bass] and Rick Habib [drums]. “We were eventually kicked out for being too loud,” he laughs. Despite losing their de facto clubhouse, the guys welcomed Zack Tremblay [guitar] into the fold, cementing the lineup for Jon Nolan & Good Co.
By fall, The Stone Church Music Club in Newmarket agreed to allow Jon access to its upstairs living room. On the first Sunday of each month, he would host the “Slow Cooker Sessions” in this space. Friends would freely come and go, hangout, sit in a circle, and play live. However, these moments simply begged to be recorded.
So, Jon Nolan & Good Co. cut what would become Slow Cooker over the course of four sessions. Jon and Geoff co-produced the record, completing a handful of overdubs at the former’s home studio.
“Crafting this record was like remembering how to make music again and enjoy it,” he notes. “I felt this new sense of freedom. I can just write songs that bring me joy and build them out with my friends. There’s nothing like being in a room and creating music that stirs hearts.”
That’s exactly what these songs do. Take “On My Own.” Originating as a demo on Jon’s phone, the track ponders the promise of youth backed by bright slide guitar and a breezy beat. His voice rings out on a chantable chorus tailormade for driving with the windows down, “She said, ‘I guess that I’m on my own’.”
“When we were playing along to it, it made me feel something,” he recalls. “I like when songs give you enough detail to kickstart your imagination, but not so much there isn’t room for you to add in more. To me, it’s about being young and having new experiences. Sometimes, those are good. Sometimes, you get your heart hurt. You need to learn to take stock of your strengths and forge forward.”
The opener “Someone’s In The Driveaway” zooms right into the middle of a powerful memory. A bluesy guitar lead curls around the delicate rhythm, and Jon sets the scene, “Someone’s in the driveway. Someone’s at the door. He said, ‘I want to sell my records ‘cause I won’t need them anymore’.” The song culminates on an extended solo punctuated by bent notes and emotional phrasing befitting of the core exchange.
“It’s a true story,” he reveals. “My wife literally said, ‘Someone is in the driveway’. I looked out, and this guy I knew from 20 years earlier was standing there. I thought he hated me, because he was a strait-laced smalltown guy and I was this band dude. When I saw him, I couldn’t imagine why he was there. I guess he had thought well of me though. He told me he was dying and he had actually collected some articles about my music. He asked me to help him sell these records he had, so he could clean the basement for his wife before he passed. I was shocked and humbled. It was so heavy, and I knew I had to write about it.”
“Dust, Sweat, and Blood” hinges on a twanging groove. Ready for a comeback, he repeats, “Yeah, taste the dust, sweat, and blood.”
“It’s about two things for me,” he goes on. “It’s a reminder to myself, ‘You’ve got to pick yourself. If you can do nothing else, just stick around’. It’s also a story where if someone else is getting their ass kicked, they can understand we will figure it out together. You walk with me, and I’ll walk with you.”
Then, there’s “Frozen Man.” The vocals seesaw above a laidback groove upheld by softly strummed chords.
“I see my community,” he notes. “I feel connected to the people who are regularly in my orbit. I try to break the fourth wall and be like, ‘How are you? Who are you? Let’s start saying ‘Hello’ every day.’ The song is really about connection and community.”
The slow-burning “Echoes of Borderline” holds a special place in the band’s collective heart. “Every time we play it, we take flight,” he grins.
“Goodbye For Now” concludes Slow Cooker with chirping birds, acoustic guitar, and gorgeously dusty harmonies, “Sang a few songs, made a few friends. Goodbye for now. See you again.” The collective always performs the song at the end of each Slow Cooker session, making it the perfect LP closer.
“We built it as a final piece for everyone at the Slow Cooker Sessions,” he elaborates. “I wanted to capture a ‘Thanks,’ but also show appreciation for people’s struggles and a desire to see everyone again. It just enshrines my gratitude to anybody who has seen us. ‘Goodbye For Now’ gave us something to sing together, and it’s become a tradition.”
Beyond a storied history with Say ZuZu spanning multiple studio and live albums and countless shows, Jon’s own catalog includes two solo albums, namely When The Summers Lasted Long [2006] and Everything Has Changed [2014].
Now, he kicks off another chapter, beginning with Slow Cooker.
“For me, Slow Cooker is symbolic of the next era,” he says. “It’s a reintroduction for anyone who has known and loved my and Say Zuzu’s music, but it’s also an invitation to individuals who have yet to discover any of it. It’s the mark of a new season, and there’s going to be more. When you listen, I hope you find yourself in the songs. We’re inviting you onto our adventures, and we hope you have adventures of your own.”
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