The Early April Newsletter
Posted at 2019-04-08
As we always begin, I’ll say welcome to all the new subscribers and especially those at N1M and those that found their way via Drooble. This site is our new focus for exposing our current projects along with our history. More details on our current projects are going up on our Patreon site link. If you are new, a standard statement of our philosophy and how it creates value for you is always included at the end of this newsletter. This first paragraph or something very similar will begin each newsletter.
Thank you for hanging out with us. We appreciate the time you spend listening and adding us to your playlists and recommending us to your friends. It means a lot.
We’ll begin with the Teaze Resurrection of 2019. Brian’s show with his old band was a triumph and there are things now in the works for the near future which I can’t say a lot about yet. It means Danter (the Band) is on hold for the label but it also means some major exposure for the new Danter material which went over very well as part of the Teaze show. Added bonus for our record company is that Chuck Lambrick of Tanzen, now going by Charlie Lambrick is now an official member of Teaze replacing Chuck Price. Chuck Price is doing special guest appearances but has opted out of regular appearances. The theatre sold out as expected and the audience came from all over the globe. Anyone want a show in Toronto or Montreal? Give us a call or drop us an email. We are also making available some Teaze T-shirts (White or Pink logo on black), 3 re-released Teaze CD’s including a UK import from Teaze and Brian’s Solo CD, (Traitors Gate) with T-shirts and caps. Also available is a JLT Records T-Shirt and cap while supplies last. Write us a message via Jael on NumberOneMusic or Drooble, and ask for details and I’ll send pics and prices.
As mentioned in the last newsletter Jael came across some very old tapes of session outtakes and concerts in a vault. Things we thought were long gone are being evaluated. More and more stuff is coming to the surface and some will no doubt be re-released. The big issue is that there is a ton of new stuff coming and money is the thing that always applies the brakes. Old Jael projects can be sampled on Drooble where a number of Jael historic releases are being featured. Here's the link for Drooble. https://drooble.com/i/cb13na. We are very excited to be releasing many old and new projects with current and past friends of the label this upcoming year. A new rap release is coming this month under a new moniker. Watch for KtdaG. Maxwell AU will have a new release by next month, Ian McGregor Smith will have a jazz album out, Jamie Dech will also have a jazz release. 2Fish is looking for a new release and we are looking to a fundraiser right now to finish that one. Bill Compeau will be releasing material from up to 3 different projects all currently going through a wonderful mastering process that is Bill’s other gig. We'll be uploading as soon as all this comes available. It should begin the roll out on NumberOneMusic in 2 more weeks.
A little history is in order so you know a bit about these artists and how they fit into the one band scenario. Jamie Dech has the longest history with the Jael Band going back to when the band was called Preflyte in the early Jesus Music genre pre-CCM. Before Jamie joined, a member named Kevin Rogers left Preflyte to pursue dreams of becoming a Pastor and formed a band called Numbers and then 2Fish with another Pastor Kevin (Saunders). 2Fish is the oldest association being released and Kevin was on the first Preflyte vinyl project in 1978. Did I mention that Brian married Kevin's sister? She's currently singing backup for Teaze. Bill Compeau played lead guitar with Jael in 1989 and was on the Songs for lovers and Other Minorities Album released in 1990. He went on to form I-75, Red Iron Road and KinAxis and found time to gig with Phil Keaggy and other notable CCM artists and re-master Matthew Ward’s first solo album. Bill also used a Jael composition called Line in his early shows after leaving Jael. Ian McGregor Smith has played keys live in the Jael Band and still helps out when we’re in a pinch but spends most of his time writing cantatas for church choirs or playing jazz to clear the mind and be creative. We’ve explained Maxwell’s presence previously but there’s another one or two possible connections, which will possibly be announced in the next newsletter if the deals come together the way we’d like them to. That leaves KtdaG. This rapper and Jael have shared the stage a few times and actually have a long association through family, even before he understood his connection to God’s big family. Funny it should be revealed here since he hasn’t been told yet. He just found out that Jael was JL the Cool Jay and actually did some rapping. One surprise at a time. He got a shot to perform at the Under the Tent Festival and he was outstanding even with some sound system problems.
The Status of the Projects That Are Up Next.
Audio recordings:
1. The host of new projects listed above is now the first priority, pushing back the old priorities simply due to demand. So here is what you can expect to see on the website, which is still being completed at jltmediawerks.com. There is nothing there yet but it will be the media store for books, music and film. One Jamie Dech release, at least two Ian McGregor Smith releases, 4 2Fish releases, 2 Maxwell AU releases, 2 or 3 Bill Compeau Bands, 1 Danter release, 1 Tanzen, 2 Salt of the Chief Cornerstone releases, 3 Legion releases, 13 releases of various Jael incarnations (Lorne James, Jael, Preflyte, Jay and the Rubber Band and JL the Cool Jay) and 1 Lamenting Vinyl release. This roughly half of the artist configurations we might be able to release if all goes well. There is a lot of material still being discovered in old vaults from these existing listings so more albums might show up from all.
2. Playing for an Audience of One - Jael. So there is good news and bad news. Because we have so much new stuff to release, and the long awaited praise and worship album from Jael grew into 2 albums, we have run out of money. We need 6000.00 to make them both happen for mixing and mastering. The recording is finished and so there is a huge level of excitement here. We are rethinking this release because the money can go much further in releasing the product for which the funds are all in. (See the list above.) We kept adding tracks and versions to make sure we had great stuff and now we absolutely have enough material for a Volume 2 as well. This will hopefully be launched by the next newsletter but we'll only do one volume at a time. I know I said you'd be able to pre-order it last newsletter but we are still having some website issues. We are still on track with the production schedule. The new release date is dependent on Patreon contributions and sales of Jael product specifically. The Teaze launch set us back a bit for Danter merch but committed funds are never co-mingled so when you give to a project, it goes to a project. The money mentioned above is all non-committed to anything specific which we would use for Jael if the other releases were not happening.
3. Concert for Whale World - Jay and the Rubber Band - 2nd in the Children's album set similar to Dynamite the Dinosaur. Cover art done. Songs are written and demo’s done. This is an older album that was lost to a flood before it was released. Live videos of a few songs are floating around the web.
4. Where's Peter Duo EP. Jael with John Krasinkiewicz - 6 songs. This is still being written and we're no further along than we were last newsletter. 4 Songs have now been completed. John had more time with the Jael album done, but is now playing lead for yet another performing unit. We’ll see how this goes. It’s discouraging to see this being pushed down the list. All these guys need support and even a small monthly donation at Patreon helps a lot, for morale if not just the financial support.
5. Tanzen re-release of Piece by Peace album. An import has been licensed by us and re-released from Italy a couple of months ago, our domestic version will have some surprises and be slightly different but is being delayed while the import is hot in all markets.
6. Release of Legion's boxed set. 3 albums. with extra demos. Pre-orders will be available once the web is up again. Individual albums of course will still be orderable.
7. Jael's Boxed set - For the Record - 5 Discs. The target for release is post Where’s Peter.
8. For next year (2020) there will not be a new Danter release. The reason for the constant rethinking of this project has everything to do with the re-emergence of Teaze. So much is happening there that it’s almost a full-time job keeping up events as they unfold.
Live events.
1. Teaze will reunite in Japan. This has gotten very complex. New offshoot projects, sponsors, and the need to build anticipation with international co-operation has pushed the actual projections for the peak event into the fall of 2019. In the meantime, there is a myriad of small events happening and we have a book to get out…
2. Jael’s World Missions Tour has been indefinitely postponed. He has recently lost his father and details concerning the estate and the marriage of his 5th daughter have definitely interfered with plans. He is working closely with several African artists in different countries to build a JLT Records presence there so that when the tour launch happens, it will include some wonderful business workshops as well a concert series. The African version of the Jael band is already bringing spin off projects.
3. Jael is currently booking solo gigs. The Jael Band is available as is Danter, still rehearsing even with Teaze together but availability is limited.
Books.
1. We are working on a Biography of Brian's story. This is now a high priority to complete. The target for 1st draft completion was mid March, but the show and many high level meetings got in the way. Can I whisper the word film documentary here? The new deadline is sort of “work really hard and see what deadline emerges.”
2. Jael will release a number of his Children's Picture Books and has 2 non-fiction, a novel and a poetry gift book in the works. Work on promoting those already out has to get better so please help spread the word. Look for Eight Keys to Lasting Success or for Dynamite the Dinosaur (The book…there is also a CD) if you want to check out what’s already out. Demand is growing and the websites will be out soon after the music ones are finished. The next book out is expected by the time you get the next newsletter. It is called Crocodile Tears and has hit a small delay. It was going to be available at Amazon by next week. We missed it. We’re waiting on one last picture revision. Find it by using Jael's pen name, Andrew Cody.
3. Rachel Starr Thomson of Lamenting Vinyl is well established as an author and speaker. She has begun work on a new Christian Fantasy series (her 4th) and has finished the first book of the set. It's called Seeds. More about her and her work here. https://www.rachelstarrthomson.com Recently we were asked about Rachel’s latest book and when we started talking about Seeds, they seemed confused. They meant her latest non-fiction work which is called, Fearless (Free in Christ in an Age of Anxiety). Co-authored with her two ministry partners, It’s well worth checking out.
As you can see, we have our work cut out for us. In the meantime, we have to find time to eat and sleep, and the means to be able to do so. If this inspires you, go to Patreon and pledge. Check back often, we'll be updating regularly. We will reward you handsomely for being a more significant part of the team that will make this happen. We will be launching 2 more crowd funding projects on other sites if you’d rather pledge a one-time gift to make something specific happen. Details are coming in the next newsletter. Love you all.
Our Philosophy and How We Are Creating Value for You
Our goal is to give away all digital products we create and sell the stuff that's physical merchandise. To do this we need support. The older stuff that is under a contract, of course, we won't be able to make the same offer but starting with a few of my (Jael) older albums and the new projects, the digital copies of music will intentionally be given under a new license and they will be free.
My idea is that the music comes to me as a gift from God and you should pay more attention than money. I give it because people tell me that the joy, the encouragement, the praise, the lessons, the parables, the calls to action found in it have helped them in some way. It's a theme of my life. It's called ministry and I have been dubbed a parable singer by some who know me well. It's not all religious but it is all intended to honor the Creator God I serve. So thank Him if you like it.
Most of the product that is on N1M, you can buy on I-tunes or similar sites and once we get our own sites back up and running I'll be announcing the grand opening in this newsletter. The Africa Missions tour is partially enabled by pledges on this site and others. I need help getting Patreon started. Please consider supporting our mission on Patreon. Here's the link https://www.patreon.com/jael