Music really will save the day, and it has for me many times. Music gives people around the world the most important thing in life: hope. It gives us a reason to keep living.
Over the past two weeks, I have recorded and produced new music for three artists, Melon, Cal Ecker, and Jo’shua Odine, who are donating their songs to Music Will Save The Day to raise money for different causes they care about. These songs are going to be featured on the upcoming “Music Will Save The Day LP,” and are currently available to download for free in the music players below and on the individual artist pages.
Featured Artist #1: MELON
You may recognize this nostalgic songstress as the lead singer of “Melon and The Mayhem,” you may know her as Mary Ellen Klein, or this may be your first ever encounter with Melon, if so, click the music video above to get more personally acquainted.
On “Tangerines,” Melon’s soulful voice carries us on a journey through a complex romantic past and leaves us with a lingering sense of starry-eyed childhood innocence.
For producing this track, Melon insisted that I not use any of my favorite electronic drum kits. While recording live drums can be a beast, it was good to get in touch with my old school roots. I mixed the tracks from one straight take to maintain the authentic vintage sound that Melon is most known for. This simple song is perfect the way it is now, but you just wait and check back soon. We are adding more guitar, bass, and maybe a special vocal surprise from yours truly for the final mix.
Melon and The Mayhem are an East Nashville blues rock trio that combines the jazzy piano and vocal styles of the 1920′s with gritty guitar work that would make a certain local legend’s pastey-white cheeks blush in his favorite color, red…
Mary Ellen decided to donate “Tangerines” to UNICEF, The United Nations International Childrens Fund.
“UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. That makes us unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with the young.
We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.”
Download:
Melon – “Tangerines” to support children in need all around the world. Your $1.00 donation makes more of a difference than you can imagine, and if we all rally behind this song and the efforts of this new blog, we really will make this world a better place, all while doing something we are going to do anyways: download music.
Featured Arist #2:
Yes, my name may be Houston, and I may be from Texas; but No, Cal is not from California, and despite his beach blonde disguise, this Minnesota native is now a Nashville talent who you may have seen on stage at the Tin Roof Bar here in town, or Knoxville, TN, where he regularly plays with his band and sings everyone’s favorite songs to the enjoyment and entertainment of the popular bar’s perennially drunk and dancing crowd.
Aside from gigging with his cover band, writing, singing, and recording his own original songs is what Cal is most focussed on for the long-term. The popular, or commercial, appeal of his vocal style and skill are undeniable, which is why he has no back-up career and won’t need one. We believe in you, man.
Here is a cover of Van Morrison’s song “Crazy Love” that we recorded live in the Music Will Save The Day studio on Wednesday, September 12, 2012. This is a demo that is being considered for the next Hunger Games Soundtrack.
Cal has decided to donate this free recording of “Crazy Love” to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which is a cause that he strongly cares about. Coming from a family of musicians, singers, and music teachers, he knows first-hand just how important a good music education can be for a child.
http://www.vh1savethemusic.com/
“The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education. Since its inception in 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has provided $48 million in new musical instruments to 1,800 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of over 1.8 million children.”
Cal Ecker is a singer-songwriter, piano player, and acclaimed musician that began recording and collaborating with me when I fortuitously moved into the loft next door to his last year. My new neighbor quickly realized that I was a music producer when he became the sleeping victim of my late-night electronic music production sessions, which rumbled heavily through his wall, yet – lucky for me – instead of complaining about it, he encouraged it. We began recording together within a few weeks of me moving in, and since his loft was overflowing with music gear that he had no room for, he became one of the primary benefactors of my recording studio, the home of Music Will Save The Day. Cal has donated valuable audio gear to the cause, such as a Mackie SR24-4 Mixing Console, a vintage Telluride electric guitar painted with the Texas flag, a full set of drums mics, and various other contributions that have come and gone such as a fog machine and stage lights. “THANKS CAL!” Because of his generosity, I have always been willing to provide him with free recording sessions, which undoubtably formed the initial essence in my soul that evolved into this here charity recording project.
While the song “Crazy Love” was recorded in the new Music Will Save The Day studio, the music video below was recorded live in my old loft and the song itself earned him a spot opening for 90′s rockers, BUSH, a few months back.
That’s it for now! Get ready for some cool rasta jams from next week’s featured artist!
– Houston
SNEAK PEAK:
Next Week’s Featured Artist- Jo’shua Odine
Jo’shua Odine’s roots are Haitian and African, although he is American born. Jo’shua started playing the guitar at the age of 9, after being exposed to The Beatles, Bob Marley, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Phil Keaggy. He also played trumpet when he was younger. “I’ve always felt my way around on the guitar and taught myself different things, styles and techniques. I started singing at around 10 or 11 years old and rapping when I was 16. Through battling in the lunchroom and at football games, and playing the guitar at home, a style started to come about,” says Odine.
Once out of high school, Jo’shua was partying a lot and behaving recklessly, but when he would find a guitar at someones’ house and simply start to play. Odine says, “Then, I realized, Man, I’m not leaving the house without my guitar again, and that’s really when I started to thrive in my playing, writing, and drawing from my experiences, life lessons and trials. I’m continuing to grow and God has blessed me with a beautiful gift. My mission is to make my mom and those I love and love me proud.”