I've Had an Idea for a Short Web Series


The premise is this...

Show the process of writing a song from concept to full production.  Include interviews with writer, band members, arrangers and other creative types.  Try to capture as much of the experience as possible.  I think the episodes should be kept to 3-4 minutes and include a finally show with a live performance of the song.

It will work if...

• The song is complicated enough to warrant a full production with multiple musicians
• You have the right people available with the appropriate talents
• Each person believes in the idea
• Someone can organize this group of misfits!  Cause this is like herding cats.

I've tried doing things like this before and it can work or not work based on the criteria above and a thousand other things.  I don't see any harm in trying.  The best thing that can happen is that the production turns out great, the song is compelling and the performances hypnotizing or it's a mediocre affair or it is terrible.  We all hope for the best, but I haven't had the success that I want yet.

I think I'm going to start down this path, see where it leads and hopefully pick up some friends and supporters along the way.  I'm hoping this will be something that will work on Blip.tv or another network.

James

Adele - Set Fire To The Rain - James Jones Cover

Baby Steps

My Band Big East is trying to find it's own sound. 

I've been writing songs for a while now and I believe I'm getting progressively better at it.  However, my band "Big East" is also on a progression.  We first formed in October of 2010.  Mark Sylvah and I had been playing together for a while before this, but it wasn't a serious effort.  I ran across Kip Daynard at a fund raiser we were both involved with.  I heard Kip sing and knew he could do that well enough, but I also thought that maybe he could play an instrument.  Don't ask me how, but the look in his eye when he was watching the piano during rehearsals made me think he could play.  I was right.  More than right.  Kip is an excellent musician and plays guitar to boot!

Since we started we've been going through the aches and pains of any new group and at the same time I've been all over the place in my songwriting style.  We have made decent efforts at songs like "September Rain" and "Hey Caroline", but my opinion is that we've not found our niche nor reached our potential as a trio.

We recently added Doug Banwell on bass and sax and Bruce Templeton on percussion. Both fine and experienced musicians.  Doug's arrival coincided with my writing of "Blue Monday".  Doug was instrumental in creating the mood for that song.  He created the piano, bass and sax parts in a single afternoon session with me.

We all live in the Huntsville, Ontario region and the number of venues available for us to play as a five piece (relatively unknown) band is very small.  Doug and Bruce will be joining us wherever possible, but we will continue to perform as a trio in smaller venues.

My Red Balloon

Swebo? Tebow and Swift seen dining together

8 hrs ago

Well, here's a pass we hope Tim Tebow completes: Celebuzz reports that while Mr. Wholesome wasimpressing the Hollywood crowd at the William Morris pre-Oscars party, the quarterback was so taken by Taylor Swift that the two wound up on a "dinner date" the following evening at Toscanova. Of course, the two of them could have just been dining with their agents, but that's not nearly as much fun. In the meantime, Tebow might want to consult with Tony Romo on the pitfalls of celebrity dating, and Swift can start penning lyrics for another of her inevitable post-breakup odes.