The project will commence on June 6th, (my birthday) with a two-day lock-out at Mission Sound in Brooklyn, NY. This is the studio where I recorded “I Feel More Like I Did Back Then” and “Both Sides” for my 2006 Relix Records release. It is an amazing room with a vintage console and a great proprietor named Oliver Strauss who will be engineering the session. I will be working in the studio with my long-time band: Gintas Janusonis on drums, Ben Rubin on bass and Andy Stack on guitar and vocals. We will be tackling new material like “Buzzing Flies” (check out the video), “This House Ain’t No Fun”, “Blues On Sideways” and others as well as crowd favorites like “Carla” and “Me Minus You = Loneliness” and “There’s Nothing To Do In This Town”. I am hoping to get the basic tracks for a record in these two days but it may be necessary to book more time. Overdubbing and mixing will commence in the months proceeding and the release date for the record will be announced in August.
I am looking to raise $10,000 to bring this project to completion. That is the bare minimum to get it done and in your hands. If we go over our goal, all additional money will be spent on the record (believe me, I know how to make an expensive record!!). Here’s what I’m prepared to offer you in exchange for your help:
$10 – gets you a digital copy of the album upon completion
$20 – gets you an autographed CD and a digital copy of the album upon completion
$50 – gets you a personalized autographed copy of the CD and a digital
copy of the record as well as a limited edition T-shirt
$100 – gets you all of the above + your name listed in the liner notes of the CD
(Artwork has already gone to press. Liner note benefit is no longer available.)
$150 – gets you all of the above + a handwritten lyric sheet
$250 – gets you all of the above PLUS 2 VIP tickets to see Jonah Smith perform on June 18th at Rockwood Music Hall In New York + come to the after party / birthday party at Jonah’s loft in Brooklyn and maybe even hear some rough tracks from the recording session (drinks are on me). (limited to 5)
$300 – a 90 minute music lesson with Jonah Smith. We can work on singing, technique, piano, songwriting + we’ll talk about life and what have you. (limited to 5). + you also get #’s 1-5.
$1000 – limited to 5
Write a song with Jonah Smith – send me your unfinished song, lyrics, chord bits whatever and I will bang it into shape and put my stamp on it. If you need lyrics or music I will provide (but if you want me to write the whole damn thing that’s something else!). Once I’ve had a crack at it, we can sit down and talk about the changes and work on it together to get it finished either in person at my place if you are able to make it to Brooklyn, NY or by Skype. It will be registered as a co-write with ASCAP.
$1000 per song (or email me at list@jonahsmith.com and we can negotiate for more than one song). Have Jonah Smith play keys or sing on your song. You want me to sing lead? Backing vocals?, play some tasty Rhodes or piano on your song? You got it. If you can’t be there in person, no problem. Just send me the files via FTP in either Pro Tools, Garage Band, or Logic. We’ll rap on the phone or in person about what you’re looking for and I’ll record it and send it back to you.
$2500 – you will get an executive producer credit in the liner notes.
I will write a song for you or a loved one (you can choose the title and give me details that you want included or just let me wing it) or a jingle for your business. I will record and produce it and deliver it to you on CD:
$2500 – Jonah Smith acoustic concert….in your living room. That’s right. Jonah Smith and guitarist Andy Stack will travel to your home and play a concert for you and whomever you’d like to invite on a mutually agreeable day (plus you get #1-5). (PLEASE NOTE, THIS OPTION IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE THAT LIVE WITHIN FOUR HOURS DRIVE OF NEW YORK CITY)
$3500 – same thing as above but we have to fly to get to where you live!
$5000 and up – I will be yours for a day. We can do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t get me arrested or divorced. You can have any of the other gifts above (or all of them). You want me to come and serve you breakfast in bed and serenade you while you eat? You want me to take you out for a night on the town? You name it. I’m game!
