Tag: monthly news

November News

We opened November with another great Sundaysong Singalong in Stacy Park. They keep getting better and the coolest people keep showing up.

Maile made a pot of Chai Tea and I passed out the first Singalong Songbook. This is the first draft of what I hope will eventually be a nicely bound book of dozens of songs with drawings in the margins. Listen to us sing on Soundcloud:

Sundaysong Singalong 11-2-14, Soundcloud player

I’m now on a perpetual search for songs about peace, gratitude, wisdom, friendship, higher love… Please email me if you have or hear any good singalong ideas for a Sunday morning.

As a musician trying to focus on what I do best and present it in the easiest, most authentic way, I’m frequently wondering about the seven music strategy questions in this survey:

Please click here and give me your perspective by taking
my 1-minute, 7-question, multiple-choice survey.

Thanks for any help with those question,
j

p.s. I went to Santa Fe for the week of Thanksgiving, took a ton of pictures and found a few artists I really liked.

October News

October was a month of fantastic firsts. We threw our first Sundaysong Singalong outside at the park to great effect. A bunch of cool folks came and really dug it, singing Beatles songs while kids make chalk art on the sidewalk. We’ll do it again the first Sunday of November.

Ralph and J Play Along on Waller Creek

And I played my first gig with my new battery powered pedalboard and vocal amp. My dream of amplifying the magic paid off, and I think Ralph and I were able to make that sweet spot into a dreamy space for the Friday lunchtime crew. This stood in stark contrast to the campus gig Ralph and I played the week before, by the turtle pond, without amplification, where I belted out the songs and struggled to be heard over all the distracting background activity.

Maile, Anais and I also checked out a cool festival an hour north of Austin called Art Outside. Considering that art outside is basically what I consider my mission these day, I had to check it out, and I’m glad I did. Cool music, vibe, grounds, and format. Weaving visual and performance art in with the music festival added a real richness that made it feel more participatory and authentic than just a hipster-hippy party.

hipster hippy,
j

September News

I love new years, and better than a new calendar year is a new birthday year. So after turning 42 earlier this month and feeling like it had brought many answers, I set out again to refine my sound and vision for Fall’s shows.

This meant getting some new (battery-powered) gear that will allow me to bring some of the sonic magic I make in the studio, outside, to remote settings. It meant playing with new loop and delay pedals, many nights in a row.

It also meant bringing new ideas to the music-council for feedback. Thanks to Earl and Airshp for all the help envisioning and refining it with me. Channel J is on the way!

Stay tuned,