Posts Tagged ‘Kaiti Jones’

‘Come Together’ Summer Concert Series begins July 10

Tuesday, July 9th, 2019

NewSong Music & Arts Brookfield present

‘Come Together’ Summer Concert Series

Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music are proud to announce the New York City summer outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album, Abbey Road.’ The series is presented by Arts Brookfield and curated by NewSong Music.

‘Come Together’ features four free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday, July 10-31 in and select Thursdays in July and August at Brookfield Place. Each Wednesday concert begins at 12:30 PM at One New York Plaza, located at 1 New York Plaza in New York City’s Financial District. Each Thursday night concert takes place 7-8:30 PM at Brookfield Place in the Battery Park City neighborhood of Manhattan. The lineup features some of North America’s most talented performing songwriters, and represents an eclectic array of styles and genres.

Come Together: Summer Music Series

July 10: Kaiti Jones @ 1 NY Plaza
July 17: Crys Matthews @ 1 NY Plaza
July 18: Crys Matthews @ Brookfield Place
July 24: Suzie Brown @ 1 NY Plaza
July 31: Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers @ 1 NY Plaza
Aug. 1: Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers @ Brookfield Place
Aug. 15: Slow Packer & For Def @ Brookfield Place

All of the performers featured in the ‘Come Together’ series are members of the NewSong artist community:

Kaiti Jones (7/10 @ 1 NY Plaza)
(2018 NewSong Music Finalist)

A native of Portland, Maine, Kaiti Jones spent four years in Nashville, forming her sound in the backyard of Bob Dylan’s ballads and Flannery O’Connor’s southern gothic storytelling before returning north. Jones’ voice is simultaneously earthy and ethereal, carrying the listener a few feet off the ground on a cloud of rich, sophisticated melodies while whispering truth and contemplating the human condition through good old-fashioned storytelling.
kaitijonesmusic.com

Crys Matthews (7/17 @ 1 NY Plaza & 7/18 at Brookfield Place)
(2017 NewSong Music Grand Prize Winner)

A southeastern North Carolina native who now calls Herndon, Virginia home, Crys Matthews blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies and punctuated by honest, original lyrics. Having been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman to Ruthie Foster, Matthews’ eclectic infusion of genres won her the grand prize in 2017 of the international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition finals at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
www.crysmatthews.com

Suzie Brown (7/24 @ 1 NY Plaza)
(2018 NewSong Finalist)

A 1970s-inspired folk-pop songwriter, Suzie Brown has chased her unique muse for a decade, making modern-day roots music that nods to the soul singers, heartland rockers, and blues artists who came before her. Gluing the sound together is the unforced voice and honest, autobiographical songwriting of a Renaissance woman who’s not only an acclaimed musician, but also a part-time cardiologist and full-time mother. She dives into her personal life and subjects such as mortality, money, and motherhood on her sixth album, Under the Surface, which includes songs that have been named as finalists in the NewSong Music Competition, the Great American Songwriting Competition, and the International Acoustic Music Awards. www.suziebrownsongs.com.

Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers (7/31 @ 1 NY Plaza & 8/1 @ Brookfield Place)
(2018 NewSong Music Grand Prize Winner)

Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers are a Nashville based indie rock band comprised of lovers and friends. Led by bassist and songwriter Mel Bryant, their screaming guitars are met with a unique feminine energy that is equal parts powerful and sensitive, groovy and grungy, memorable and true. Mel uses the gift of rock music to promote thoughtfulness, respect, justice and love throughout the human community.
www.melbryantmusic.com

Slow Packer & For Def (8/15 @ Brookfield Place)

Slow Packer is a musical project formed by songwriter and producer, Jack Victor. The project also includes collaborations with several other singers and instrumentalists. After the break-up of his band Midnight Snack in 2017, Victor continued to write songs and make recordings. In 2019 he decided to adopt the moniker Slow Packer to release this new music. A quote from Slow Packer: “Songs are made from starts and stops, periods of fullness followed by periods of emptiness. I’ve been around this cycle many times in the last few years. Each time, there is one song that is the inspiration for many others to come. This initial song becomes like a mission statement – a set of ideals and values – to expand upon.”

For Def is the “for fun” band of Jack, Maddie, and Mike of Slow Packer. It started as a weekly jam and has turned into a “real band” because they are working on a tape now. So far, a lot of the music has been improvised live but For Def is currently working towards through-composed tunes that are low-key contemplative and emotional and only go high-key a few times. Overall, you will probably think “nice, this is actually pretty chill. I could listen to this on a pleasant drive, maybe on the way to a hike or something like that.” There is electric guitar (Maddie), bass (Mike), drum set (Jack), and sometimes – on the demos they are working on – there is a lush synth pad in there too.

slowpacker.bandcamp.com.

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About Arts Brookfield

Arts Brookfield presents exciting, world-class cultural experiences to thousands of people for free each year in both indoor and outdoor public spaces at Brookfield’s premier buildings in Denver, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Toronto, Perth and Sydney. From concerts, theater and dance to film screenings and art exhibitions, Arts Brookfield brings public spaces to life through art.
ArtsBrookfield.com

About NewSong Music

NewSong Music is an independent artist development and music production company headquartered at Asheville, NC’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios. NewSong’s mission is to build and support a community of performers and songwriters across all genres and levels of skill, and to identify the truly exceptional artists to introduce their music to a broader, international audience. Its programs include a record label (NewSong Recordings), artist management services, concert production and the annual, international NewSong performance and songwriting competition.
newsong-music.com

Tags: arts brookfield, Come Together, crys matthews, For Def, Kaiti Jones, Mel Bryant, Mel Bryant and the Mercy Makers, newsong, Slow Packer, Suzie Brown
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Kaiti Jones performs as part of ‘Come Together’ Series in NYC May 8

Wednesday, May 8th, 2019

There aren’t many albums that are more iconic or influential than the Beatles’ Abbey Road. Arts Brookfield and NewSong Music have come together to present the New York City spring outdoor concert series ‘Come Together: New original music inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last studio album. This Wednesday, May 8,we are thrilled to welcome 2018 NewSong finalist Kaiti Jones to the stage.

The ‘Come Together’ series features five free outdoor lunchtime concerts taking place every Wednesday in May. Each concert begins at 12:30 PM at the Grace Plaza, located at 1114 6th Avenue, just north of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan.

We took some time to talk to 2018 NewSong Competition finalist and ‘Come Together’ performer Kaiti Jones to learn more about her songwriting and how she has been influenced by the the well-loved album.

How has Abbey Road influenced you as a songwriter?

The Beatles were the first band I was introduced to as a kid. Even at a young age, I was struck by the band’s ability to tell stories, both melodically and lyrically, that burrowed into me and undoubtedly impacted the way I began to tell my own stories. I grew up studying classical violin and spent years playing in orchestras, and when I heard Abbey Road, I was struck by the symphonic nature of the album. It never goes where you think it’s going, and the arrangements are just masterful.

What is your favorite Abbey Road song?

So hard to choose! I think my earliest memory of the album was hearing “Here Comes the Sun,” so that song summons a nostalgic fondness. But “Something” really unravels me. It’s such a melodic and emotional powerhouse, and I love that it, like so many songs on the album, is so complex in its arrangements and takes the listener on a journey.

What are you excited to share about your own music career?

I’ve spent the last several months working on working a bunch of new material, and I’m looking forward to starting my next studio project later this year. Stay tuned!

To learn more about Kaiti Jones, visit her website.

To Join our ‘Come Together’ Facebook event, click here.

Tags: arts brookfield, Come Together, Free Concert NYC, Kaiti Jones, newsong
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Weekly Roundup: NewSong Artist News 12/10-12/16

Monday, December 10th, 2018

We love to keep up with our past NewSong Music Contest finalists and winners, and, over the years, we have amassed a busy and hardworking group of musicians we admire.

NewSong songwriters live and perform across the continent and beyond, their work spans multiple genres, and these artists are always putting out new material. To keep track of all their news and upcoming shows, we will be highlighting NewSong artists in our weekly roundup.

We’ve put together a list of five shows, publications and recordings we think you should be paying attention to this week.

The NewSong Music Songwriting & Performance Competition will be held at Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC on Dec. 15. Purchase tickets here. RSVP for the Facebook Live webcast of the finals.

1. Meet our 2018 NEwSong competition Finalists (and judges!) on the blog

We hope you have enjoyed meeting our 2018 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition finalists on our blog this week. We’ve been sharing videos, artist links and interviews with all of the artists who will compete at Isis Music Hall on Dec. 15.

Visit the blog to read our interviews with Alex Wong; Alice Howe; Carly Taich; Kaiti Jones; Liz Frame, Mel Bryant and Suzie Brown, as well as an interview with our guest performer and 2016 grand prize winner, Wilder Adkins.

Stay tuned this week for interviews with our judges.

2. Crys Matthews — New tour dates announced

Crys Matthews, grand prize winner of the 2017 NewSong Music Competition, is back on the road, this time playing shows mostly in the Northeast, along songwriter Chris Pureka. Her first show is Thursday Dec. 13 at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA.

Vist Crys’s website for full list of tour dates.

3. No depression Year-end readers poll — deadline is 12/14

No Depression’s annual year-end readers poll is now open for voting, and this year’s list includes a handful of albums from some of our favorite NewSong artists, past and present, with two releases from our own NewSong Recordings label: “Rough and Ready Heart” from Blue Yonder (NewSong Recordings, 2018); “Don’t Apologize” from Beth Snapp (NewSong Recordings, 2018); “Idaho” from 2017 NewSong finalist David Robert King; and “White Tiger” from NewSong 2007 finalist Ana Egge.

Click here for album links and instructions on how to vote.

4. Wilder Adkins — guest performance at 2018 NewSong Music competition & Listen: ‘Christmas and chill’ spotify playlist

Birmingham, Alabama-based songwriter Wilder Adkins will travel to Asheville on Dec. 15 to be our guest performer at the 2018 NewSong Music Competition at Isis Music Hall.

Adkins received the grand prize in 2016 and has this to say about his NewSong win: “I really have gotten a lot of opportunities to play in some neat venues, and all that really pads the resumé. … Getting to record at Echo Mountain is cool – it’s a world class recording studio.”

Read the full interview with Adkins here, and be sure to check out his new Spotify playlist, “Christmas and Chill,” which features Adkins’s rendition of the traditional hymn “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.”

5. NewSong founder Gar Ragland featured in “Capital at play” magazine

Curious about the history of NewSong Music? An article titled “Production Line” in Capital at Play Magazine, gives an in-depth view of the story behind the competition and record label, which has grown considerably since its beginnings as Mountain Stage NewSong Festival in 2001.

“Over the past 10 years or so it has become an increasingly well-respected for emerging artists,” says Ragland in the article. “Last year we had more than 5,000 artists enter the competition. I’m continually surprised by the caliber of artists we attract.”

Read the full article here.

Tags: Alex Wong, Alice Howe, Capital at Play, Carly Taich, crys matthews, Gar Ragland, Kaiti Jones, Liz Frame, Mel Bryant, newsong, NewSong Music, No Depression, No Depression year-end readers poll, Suzie Brown, Wilder Adkins
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Meet 2018 NewSong Competition finalist: Kaiti Jones

Wednesday, December 5th, 2018

From the artists bio: Kaiti Jones has been making her home in the Boston folk scene since 2010. A native of Portland, Maine, she spent four years in Nashville, where she formed her sound in the backyard of Bob Dylan’s folk ballads and Flannery O’Connor’s southern gothic storytelling, before returning to her northern roots. Jones has three studio releases: Arise Child EP (2009), Growing Things EP (2013), and VOWS (2017).

Jones’ music is Americana soaked in melancholy, with the occasional foot stomper thrown in for good measure. Her voice is simultaneously earthy and ethereal, carrying the listener a few feet off the ground on a cloud of rich, sophisticated melodies while whispering truth and contemplating the human condition through good old-fashioned storytelling.

We asked Kaiti some questions about her songwriting process and what it means to be a NewSong finalist. To purchase tickets for the Dec. 15 event at Isis Music Hall, visit our ticketing page.

What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?

I often feel as if I am at the mercy of my own songwriting process. I’ll be out somewhere — in the car, walking down the street, tackling a project at work — and a song will crash over me like a wave, often already in full form, strong, unmanageable, demanding to be written down. It’s often stories or experiences from years prior in my life that are suddenly resurfacing, now processed and safe to speak out. Other times, a song will come to me in the raw here and now of a still-lived experience. My muses include Flannery O’Connor, Wendell Berry, Madeleine L’Engle and Bob Dylan. All approach storytelling with mastery, gravity, and wonder, and have each unraveled me with the haunting, unmatched quality of their words.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a NewSong finalist, and what do you hope to get out of the experience?

It’s a great honor to be selected as a NewSong finalist and to be recognized alongside high caliber writers and performers. I consider it a privilege to be given any opportunity to share my stories with others, and I look forward to connecting with and becoming part of the NewSong community of artists and industry folks.

What important news about your music do you have coming up?

It is now one year since my album VOWS came out. These days, I’m focusing on continuing to perform as much as possible, as well as writing new material and preparing for a new recording project in the coming year.

Listen to Kaiti Jones on Spotify and Soundcloud; watch on YouTube; and follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Tags: Asheville, Isis Music Hall, Kaiti Jones, NewSong Songwriting Competition
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Announcing the 2018 NewSong Music Contest Finalists!

Wednesday, November 21st, 2018

Congratulations to our finalists in the 17th annual NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition!

The following eight songwriters will perform, network and compete on Saturday, December 15 at Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC.

For more information on attending this event, please visit our Facebook event page. Buy tickets here.

Thank you to all who submitted their music this year, and we look forward to meeting our finalists next month! In the meantime, we hope you will check out their music below.

We’ve created a playlist for you to enjoy all of this year’s finalists here.