The Sophomore Set-up

Wishing you the best of everything in 2010.

As we brave the winter frost I'm taking on the additional challenge of preparing my new album. It is an undertaking I believe I'm handling gracefully. The plan is to have the first single drop shortly, a second single by late spring and a full album for your listening pleasure by late summer. Let's hope everything goes according to plan. I'll keep you posted.
Peace,
J. Phoenix

Thanks for coming on the ride and let's continue the conversation.

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I Can’t Wait ‘Til February!

I know this blog is supposed to be about me and my music, but I’m having a moment.

I love music and admire many artists, but Sade, she does something special for me. Yes, she’s beautiful, but it’s that sound, them lyrics, that voice and that groove that puts me in a zone! I’m inspired by her ability to stay true to the sound and style she believes in regardless of what the industry dictates. That’s where I live too.

Something about Sade makes me go crazy; and I will be in a music store somewhere on February 8th dropping my coins and picking up my muse.

Jeans & J. Phoenix: Live In Atlanta

It feels good to be home………..it felt good to be part of Born To Play, Gap’s celebration of 40 years of heritage in jeans and music, “the largest-ever simultaneous live acoustic music event” hosted by Gap, and It felt great performing for my fans with two of Atlanta’s premiere musicians.

I like the unusual……….and I think I’ve caught a lil in-store fever. There is something organic about singing amidst the shopping experience. During a time when we are all watching our coins, it feels right to get some entertainment in the process. The feeling is right up there with ‘free sample’.

Spotlight………I gotta shine some light on my girl Maria, who did a fantastic job hooking up the merch table, and my girl Kendra, who along with her two beautiful daughters took an hour and a half drive, in Atlanta traffic, to come out and support me. I also want to give a shout out to Avenue at Webb Gin Gap store managers, Jeremy and Lelund, who were instrumental in the success of my performance.

I’m stealing a lil vacation time, and I’ll see you in a minute.

Let’s Stay Connected…….Follow me at Twitter

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Singing On The East Coast For Gap's 40th Anniversary Celebration

After a two-year tour in Europe, North Africa, the Caribbean and Alaska, I'm finally going to perform down in this part of the U.S. during the "largest-ever simultaneous live acoustic music event," hosted by the Gap. In case you haven't heard, the Gap is celebrating 40 years of heritage in jeans and music.

All of you in the ATL grab up your family, friends and coworkers and come on out for this in-store. I'll be performing an intimate acoustic set of select songs from my debut album, Masterpiece, as well as hits I've written for other artists, and a few surprises. I'll also be speaking with fans and autographing copies of Masterpiece.

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2009

Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Place: Gap store

Avenue at Webb Gin

1350 Scenic Highway, Snellville, GA.

678-512-0278

I look forward to seeing you there.

Let’s Stay Connected…….Follow me at Twitter

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Peace

Precious Reminders

Coincidence. I Don’t Believe In It............But I do believe in destiny, and a few days ago I was destined to meet the reminder that my music is authentic. I refer to it as such because it is not tied to a moment in time, but to all times. Anyway, after a well-received performance, I decided to do a little hanging with some musicians. After a few minutes of kickin’ around general conversation the drummer starts talking about 2Pac and that his favorite song of all time is Thugz Mansion. When I told them I co-wrote that one the place went crazy. Between the “get the f@#k outta heres,” and “that song is hot,” came “I have that on my iPod. Is that you in the video?” Yes it is. The conversation continues and someone says his favorite R&B song is by this artist named Joe. So I ask what’s the name of the song? He says All That I Am. In my head I'm saying all right God you got my attention again. I fess up and tell them I wrote that one too. I was not prepared for his response. “Wow, that’s great song. I thought Babyface wrote it until I looked at the credits.” You know I ain’t mad. That’s some great company to be in. So now they all want me to listen to either their music or their friends music. I will do what I can.

Connecting…….That’s my intention when I write. Every now and then someone comes along to let me know I’m meeting my goal. Recently, while signing autographs after a performance, everyone told me they bought the CD because they found a connection to Masterpiece. I’m inspired.

The J List
This is a new addition to the blog to let you know what’s playing in my ear.

Decision – Busta Rhymes
Shoot for the Moon – Busta Rhymes (the track is fire!)
Roots Before Branches - Room for Two
Justified - Smokie Norful Dear God - Smokie Norful




Let’s Stay Connected…….Follow me at Twitter

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Peace,

A Few Words About Michael

Shocked!........That pretty much sums it up. Over the past week, like most, I’ve been thinking about the music; and I’ve also been giving a lot of thought to the allegations, both old and new, and wishing he had the opportunity to vindicate himself. Like the rest of us, Michael was flawed….but his talent was perfect.

I’m joining the throngs of performers who have talked for seven days about Micheal’s influence on their careers. I’ll admit it, I did a few spins and a moonwalk or two when no one was looking, but, it has always been Michael’s connection to the world through his music that moves me most, followed by his kick-ass performances. There’s no doubt that Michael clearly understood the meaning of entertainment. In this department, I believe he was untouchable.

Now you know I have a Michael Jackson story……A while back a mutual friend played Ghetto Love Song, for him, and his immediate response was “great voice ...great song....who is this?” While I never got the chance to write with him, I’m holding on to the fact that the best on the planet said I had a great voice and I wrote a great song.

My MJ Soundtrack……….On the performance side, singing She’s Out Of My Life got me into a major talent show back in the day. On the listening and looking side, it’s a triple play with Thriller as favorite song, video and album. Coming in close for favorite song is Man In The Mirror, and there's a host of others too numerous to mention. It’s been a blessing to experience his genius, and I hope he’s found his peace.

Let’s Stay Connected…….Follow me at Twitter

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, Rhapsody

A Few Words About Masterpiece

I've been on tour FOREVER..........Finally, I found some time to talk to you about Masterpiece.

Don't let the photo fool you. I'm happy.

Let’s Stay Connected…….Follow me at Twitter

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Peace,

J. Phoenix

Masterpiece is available at iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, Rhapsody, emusic

J. Phoenix Picks Up White Woman & Channels Elvis in the Caribbean

Just Kidding…It’s been a minute so I thought I’d make renewing our conversation a little provocative. Recently I ran into Etta May, winner of the prestigious American Comedy Awards “Stand-Up Comic of the Year.” You’ve probably seen her on Oprah, Comic Strip Live, MTV, or “CBS Sunday Morning.” We had dinner and talked about how much I like her comedy and how much she likes my singing.

I also had the pleasure of hanging out and talking music business with Kent Hernandez who manages Matthew Santos, the young, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter known for his work on Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar” and additional tracks on “The Cool.” Keep your eye on this young man, he has skills.

Last we talked I was doing the singing thing in Europe. At the end of ’08 I hit New York for a minute, spent some time in North Carolina and Houston, and now I'm doing my thing in the Caribbean for a few months…..notice the tan?

While in New York I caught up with well-known music industry maven turned author, Jacqueline Rhinehart for one of the signing events for her new book My Organic Soul: From Plato to Creflo, Emerson to MLK, Jesus to Jay-Z. Check it out. It's awesome.

The Music……….I’m workin’ on it. On the road, Pro Tools has become my new best friend. I’m planning to have something new and hot for ya’ll in 2010.

The Stage..…….You would never believe this if you didn’t hear it from me. But yes, I did it, donned a little gold lame and wailed on Elvis’ “Little Less Conversation,” with Jennifer (left) and Brandi doing a lil something on the side. Competition is tough out here, so a brother’s got to be versatile.

The Future…OK, so I didn’t follow tradition. What else is new? I released an album, did two performances and left the country. But now, I’m geared up to do some serious live performances on U.S. soil when I return. So, if you’d like to see me in your city stop by Eventful and make your demand known. I definitely want to hit some college campuses, so let me know what spots you think are the hottest. For you social networkers, feel free to grab the demand widget and place it on your pages. This is definitely a case where the squeaky wheel will get oiled.

Getting Masterpiece……CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon, Digstation, eMusic, and Rhapsody

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Soul Power!

I guess by now you've heard about my Soul Power! campaign. If you’ve been reading the papers or watching TV, you know that right now it’s all about the love and people pulling together. So, in keeping with that theme, I’m asking all of my fans to join me in Soul Power!, my music program empowerment campaign.

With all the talk about cutting back and buckling down, it’s obvious that special programs will take a hard hit. I want my fans to join me in showing our power and empowering others. So, if you don’t already own a copy of MASTERPIECE please click on any of the links below, between now and October 31st and download “For The People,” “Money Don’t Mean A Thing,” and/or “Heart Of A Soldier.”

I will donate a portion of the proceeds from your downloads to 3 music-related organizations, one in New York City, my hometown, a national organization that spreads the wealth, and an international organization to show our love worldwide. My management and I are currently considering several organizations. If you know of an organization that deserves our support, please feel free to send your suggestions for consideration to fanmail@jphoenixmusic.com, with “Soul Power!” in the subject line. We will let you know next month which organizations we’ve chosen. The goal is BIG so ask your family members, friends and colleagues to join us in the Soul Power! effort. It’s a small investment that can make a big difference.

Where In The World Is J. Phoenix……Today I’m chillin' and preparing for a few days in Turkey and Greece.

Masterpiece album at CD Baby

Downloads at iTunes, Amazon, Ruckus, Digstation, eMusic, Rhapsody

Ringtones at GroupieTunes

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Another Great Review

"Nowadays, there is something commendable to be said about R&B that doesn't feature lyrics dripping with sex and vulgarities. Masterpiece is a gem in the sense that it brings back the old school vibe of our culture's Motown days while still maintaining a firm foothold in the present.

"Sweet sweet freedom/ Everybody's on the same road/ No matter what your color/ Rich or poor…" goes the lulling chorus of "Sweet Freedom," a fitting representative for the tone that is pertinent throughout J. Phoenix's debut effort. With a title like "Money Don't Mean a Thing," another of the album's tracks could have easily been a forgettable filler piece, but J. Phoenix's smooth, sultry vocals give it the credibility it deserves. Not one syllable is neglected; nor is any sentiment understated. J. Phoenix sings with such passion and conviction that it would be difficult not to be transported.

Masterpiece isn't revolutionary in its theme, so don't invest in it if you're more into hip, progressive music. However, the album exudes talent, and it is with much hope that J. Phoenix will repave the forgotten path for other R&B artists to regard their craft with the care that he has."
--Charissa Che
The Pace Press

Where In The World Is J. Phoenix……Today I’m in Tunisia. Later in the week I will be Spain, France and Italy.

Masterpiece album at CD Baby
Downloads at iTunes, Amazon, Ruckus, Digstation, eMusic, Rhapsody
Ringtones at GroupieTunes
Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Peace,
J. Phoenix

Paying Homage To My Fan Family

Thanks To You…….I’m sitting on top of the world. Those of you who know me well know I write and sing solely for the love of music, but a brother’s gotta make some dough too, so my first shout out goes to those of you who put your money on me by coming to my shows and purchasing the album right out the gate….and a special shout out goes to all of you who are definitely going to hit up CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon and other digital retailers to make your purchase next pay day. You show me I’m valuable to you.

I Appreciate and Give Thanks…..to all of you who stay in touch via my website and social network sites. Your comments and compliments keep me going and remind me why I make music my life. I appreciate and give thanks to all of you who watch and forward the links to my videos and music, and post my music and videos on your web pages. You keep my dreams alive. I appreciate and give thanks to all of you who have reached out offering your services to become a part of my dream. You show me that I have much to offer. And, although Hip Hop is not my official genre, I appreciate and give thanks to the Hip Hop community for writing and recording with me and providing me much media coverage. You prove music is universal, and my grind is tight.

One Year Later..…This month marks one year since Masterpiece was given to the ears of the world. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed, but when I stand still and look at the blessings it becomes real. As of this writing I have more than a quarter million online fans in the US, Asia, Canada and Europe. Two songs from the album have charted on some widely viewed websites, and I’ve been maintaining Top 40 status on others. “For The People” is being played in clubs, several songs are enjoying internet radio play and others are getting significant airplay in Europe. Two songs from the album and four you haven’t heard are being strongly considered for recording by other artists and film television and advertising projects….and both the album and individual songs have received great reviews. It’s been a wonderful year, and I’m glad you’ve been a part of it.

As we wind down the year and prepare for new political leadership, know that I welcome your continued support, look forward to bringing you new music to enjoy, and can’t wait to perform for you live.

Peace,

J. Phoenix

Thanks for coming on the ride and let’s continue the conversation…….

Masterpiece album at CD Baby

Downloads at iTunes, Amazon, Ruckus, Digstation, eMusic, Rhapsody

Ringtones at GroupieTunes

Latest Video at YouTube