Making this album is a little bit like cooking -- at least the way I cook. I usually look at the ingredients I have, find a recipe that has at least a little overlap, and then experiment, using the recipe as a rough guide. Sometimes this works great and I develop something that I refine into an actual recipe, sometimes its horrible (like the curried macaroni and cheese incident) and most of the time it's pretty good.
The Watershed Project is like a big meal we're planning, with each part -- songs, art, ideas -- being a dish or drink. We have the meal date set (by May we will have a cd recorded, a big artpiece done, two little books finished and a tour started) and a recipe to roughly follow. We're collecting ingredients, scanning recipes, firing up stoves and ovens and checking the cellars.
I've made many song and album dishes over the last 15 years, and I'm hoping to take what I've learned and refine it into a great main dish. Christa has become quite good at mixing up large scale installation pieces that remind me of great wines or well-aged cheeses. Grant is a great production chef. Nate consistently serves up tasty grooves and has good presentation ideas. Chris is well known for the riffs and textures he chops, sautes and delivers.
The joy and challenge is bringing all of this together into a tasty, unique yet unified banquet delivered on time.
Jonathan Reuel's Earthquake Trees: Things I Make
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Make a record with Jonathan
I've been blown away by the ideas and help I've gotten during the brainstorming and planning phases of this recording project. The art looks great. Plans for recording and touring are progressing well. And funds are coming in.
To complete the Watershed project, I need between $2500 and $10,000 (the amount raised will determine how far we can take the project -- and whether we cover our costs, get paid, etc). Just as a reference point, my Sonchild album (recorded in 2000) cost between $6000 and $7000 which was all raised in donations or album album presales. So while this goal stretches me, there is a track record of similar things working well.
The amazing thing here is that we can even attempt doing something like this -- the only reason we can is that a number of people are willing to take the risk with us, donating time, skills and labor. While we appreciate this we hope to be able to more than cover materials costs (which for the art alone is currently around $1000, not to mention travel, etc).
The Kickstarter page was an attempt to simplify this giving process, making it easy for people to help make the vision a reality. Please check it out.
This project is way too big for me to do alone, and while that's a little scary it's also exciting and it's the right way to do this project. If this is going to be the best record I've made yet, it will require the best team I've had yet, and part of that team is listeners and friends who put hard-earned cash into it.
To complete the Watershed project, I need between $2500 and $10,000 (the amount raised will determine how far we can take the project -- and whether we cover our costs, get paid, etc). Just as a reference point, my Sonchild album (recorded in 2000) cost between $6000 and $7000 which was all raised in donations or album album presales. So while this goal stretches me, there is a track record of similar things working well.
The amazing thing here is that we can even attempt doing something like this -- the only reason we can is that a number of people are willing to take the risk with us, donating time, skills and labor. While we appreciate this we hope to be able to more than cover materials costs (which for the art alone is currently around $1000, not to mention travel, etc).
The Kickstarter page was an attempt to simplify this giving process, making it easy for people to help make the vision a reality. Please check it out.
This project is way too big for me to do alone, and while that's a little scary it's also exciting and it's the right way to do this project. If this is going to be the best record I've made yet, it will require the best team I've had yet, and part of that team is listeners and friends who put hard-earned cash into it.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Aerial View of the Watershed
Today we mapped out the project. I started with 21 songs, we ended with 12 songs that fit together well thematically and musically. I think this is probably the final track list -- or else pretty close. It was amazing -- Chris had a lot of arrangement and production ideas for the songs, most of which were brilliant. Can't believe it's coming together so well. Now we've got the aerial view musically -- there's a lot of work to do and I'm sure many unexpected twists ahead.
Want to know the track list?
Want to know the track list?
We're Live and Kick(starter)ing
The Watershed Project kickstarter page is launched!!
Grab a couple minutes and check it out -- there's a video explaining the project and some practical ways you can help bring this vision to reality (and get some great music and art in the process). There's a place for comments on the kickstarter page, so let me know what you think about it.
Grab a couple minutes and check it out -- there's a video explaining the project and some practical ways you can help bring this vision to reality (and get some great music and art in the process). There's a place for comments on the kickstarter page, so let me know what you think about it.
In Detroit, getting to work
We started arranging songs today
I made it to the Detroit area after a very, very, very long day of travel from California.
Everything Change Clip from Jonathan A Reuel on Vimeo.
I made it to the Detroit area after a very, very, very long day of travel from California.
Detroit from Jonathan A Reuel on Vimeo.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Saturday Kickstarter Launch
I'm launching my Kickstarter page on Saturday. From there we'll have about 30 days to raise the money for the Watershed Project. I'll post a link and more about it here on Saturday. Be sure to check back.
I'm pretty excited about it -- I like the adventure. The way it works is people pledge money and then if the project goal is reached or surpassed (I'm hoping to go way past the minimum goal) they get stuff (cds, art, etc). If the goal isn't reached, no one pays anything.
Thanks for your interest and support as this project rolls forward.
I'm pretty excited about it -- I like the adventure. The way it works is people pledge money and then if the project goal is reached or surpassed (I'm hoping to go way past the minimum goal) they get stuff (cds, art, etc). If the goal isn't reached, no one pays anything.
Thanks for your interest and support as this project rolls forward.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Leaving California
Untitled from Jonathan A Reuel on Vimeo.
Shot this last week. Reedley, CA has been great. Here's one of my favorite spots, the river close to our little apt. Going to miss it. Found out today Barry McGuire lives in this town; dang, now it's too late to do Eve of Destruction part II with him...
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