Next week, New York based Jingle Punks affiliates Inherent Artists Music and Tinderbox Arts host Piano Driven Women: A Showcase to Benefit Mill Street Loft Outreach Programs PASWORD and Project AWARE. New York music fans and activists are asked to come to Joe’s Pub and support these indispensable programs, which have helped hundreds of young women since 1999. Here’s some info on the show, the cause, and the sponsors.
These artists are coming together to support Mill Street Loft’sMill Street Loft’s PASWORD (Program for Adolescent Student Women Of Real Direction) and Project AWARE(Adolescent Women Are Realizing Empowerment). These programs are “gender specific programs for girls ages 11-18 in the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Beacon. [They] use the visual, performing, media, and literary arts to support young women on their journey toward being empowered, self-confident and creative leaders in their families, communities, and in the world,” Director Joan Henry explains. “By kindling their inner fires and nourishing their expressive selves, these Girls’ Empowerment programs help young women navigate the challenges of adolescence and discover their dreams, goals and ambitions for the future.”
The Sponsors
Inherent Artists Music is a management company which values female empowerment and equality.
Tinderbox Arts has sponsored two editions of the Tinderbox Music Festival, showcasing a powerful and diverse lineup of established and emerging female artists producing innovative original music rooted in the vibrant New York City music scene and fosters community by providing opportunities to perform, collaborate, and connect. 100% of Tinderbox Arts’ net profits go towards programs that empower young women through the arts.
We’re proud to say that you might have already heard of this artist, as he’s been playing shows all over the East coast (300 in the last three years, to be exact) and building quite an impressive following both on his tour and his YouTube channel (he makes awesome videos). Matthew Wade of My Silent Bravery sat down with us and gave us a little peek into his musical journey, inspirations and hopes for the future. To him, the moniker My Silent Bravery stands for inner strength and perseverance, but for us- we can hear his message loud and clear. As if it needed to be stated…we like what we hear.
If you haven’t already seen his video for his latest single “Can’t Quit” and are looking for a good tug on your heartstrings, check it out below.
As per usual, let’s start at the very beginning…A very good place to start.
JP: How did your musical journey begin? Take me back to your earliest musical memory.
MSB: When I was about 4 or 5 my mom bought me my first cassette tape – Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill. I was hooked from then on.
JP: What about the first time you picked up an instrument, or were inspired to?
MSB: Growing up I always loved music but found little time to explore playing an instrument because I was always playing sports. When I was a senior in high school – I chose for a school project to learn how to play the guitar and wrote my first song.
JP: Do you remember what it sounded like? No judgment…
MSB: Interestingly enough – it was an early version of a song called “Side of the Road” – which was the first tune of mine to get some national recognition. The song was featured on the TV show “One Tree Hill” several years later.
JP: Beginners luck?! Not a bad start!
MSB: I guess there was some divine inspiration at play there. Funny how the universe works sometimes.
JP: What was the process like for you, then? Chords first? Melody then lyrics?
MSB: The process for me was just that … chords, melody, then lyrics. That is usually, but not always how songs are inspired for me. The lyrics usually take the longest as I am constantly refining.
JP: How important are lyrics for you? Are they very much connected to your voice as an artist?
MSB: Lyrics are extremely important to me … They are a major part of my voice as an artist. You will find that almost all of my lyrics are substantive and very positive … At the least they have a positive twist to them.
JP: What is the most important part of being an artist for you?
MSB: To hopefully touch people’s lives and impact them along with spreading positive messages through the music.
JP: Is there a specific cause or belief you find important to express?
MSB: On my new record, Can’t Quit, I delve into perseverance and not giving up on the title song “Cant Quit”. On “To Give (featuring Matisyahu)” we focus on giving back to the world instead of always taking from it.
JP: Beautiful. Speaking of “Can’t Quit”- we love the video! Can you tell us what shooting it was like?
MSB: Thank you for the kind words. The whole process of making the video was awesome and was one of those things where everything fell into place. There were three themes we wanted to touch on – soldier re-assimilation, bullying, and natural disaster relief and they all tied in and came together beautifully. Shooting my parts were quick and easy. The only thing was that we were hoping for rain shots – which we got at the vey end. It was cold and I got drenched but was well worth it.
JP: Came out really beautiful,- well worth it!
MSB: Thanks!
JP: So I read that you did 300 shows in three years- pretty nuts! Tell me about that!
MSB: [It was] nuts! I just went on a tear of playing as many shows as I could in order to get as much live experience as I could under my belt. This past year I gave myself a little more breathing room but I like to play … I just try and make sure that the shows I choose to play all make sense.
JP: Did it ever feel too monotonous? How did you breathe life into each new show?
MSB: There are some nights where it got tough… but the show goes on. I really enjoy playing with the majority of the musicians that I surround myself with. They are for the most part, all great players, so it keeps me on my toes. We improvise, we do lots of fun covers, we get good audience participation. We try and always make it fun for the audience an in the process have a great time ourselves.
JP: Where do you see yourself/hope to see yourself in 5 years?
MSB: I see myself continuing to grow as an artist and improve my craft. I see myself still writing songs and playing out live … but on a much bigger stage.
JP: Anyone whose career you look up to? Or are inspired by?
MSB: Bob Marley is my biggest inspiration. I love his lyrics, his message, what he did for peace. There are tons of great artists out there … I could name a bunch…Dave Matthews Band, John Butler Trio, Red Hot Chilipeppers, 311 …
JP: Current favorite artist?
MSB: I have been enjoying the new Chili Peppers disc a lot …There is some funky stuff on there!
JP: Current fav TV show?
MSB: It was Entourage … Looking for a new one at the moment…
JP: Dream show to be placed on?
MSB: I think a placement on Grey’s Anatomy would be pretty cool. That show has catapulted a lot of artist’s music to a much larger platform.
JP: That’s true. Anything you want to let your fans/Jingle Punks community know? Updates? Upcoming shows?
MSB: I have a new record out called, Can’t Quit that has been getting some amazing feedback along with a great new video closing in on 100K hits on YouTube. I got a fall tour in the works, along with an upcoming Anti Bullying/Anti Hate Rally in November in NYC which some really cool people like Lady Gaga, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosseling have agreed to jump on board and support. Please check in at my website www.mysilentbravery.com or FB www.facebook.com/mysilentbravery for updates. I want to thank JP and the JP community for their ongoing support!
Last Wednesday, on a rainy day in New York City, brave music fans trekked to Brooklyn’s Littlefield for an official CMJ showcase that featured Zambri, Fallulah, Miracles of Modern Science, Alyson Greenfield, Seryn, Blackbells, and The Wicked Tomorrow. As the free beer flowed and the bands rocked out, the infamous Jingle Guy made a rare appearance to support the cause. Needless to say, a great time was had by all in attendance and we were VERY happy to be apart of this tremendous night. A special THANK YOU goes out to all of our co-sponsors: Tinderbox Arts, Oven Fresh Music, Inherent Artists Music, Beyond Race Magazine, and Ladygunn. Check out the photo gallery from the night below. Enjoy!
What a way to start off the week! The Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra, fresh off the release of two albums The Nirvana Sessions and Hipster Dinner Party, Vol. 1, have made the front page of Amazon.com’s MP3 store. Their latest single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” is today’s featured track and can be purchased for only .99¢! Head over to Amazon.com and check it out HERE. In the meantime, the Hipster’s video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” filmed at Converse’s Rubber Tracks Studio, can be seen below. Cheers!
The wins keep coming for Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra, this time their cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is being featured on Amazon.com as “Track of the Day”. The single, as well as the entire Nevermind tribute EP The Nirvana Sessions, can be purchased on Amazon.com along with the Hipsters debut album, Hipster Dinner Party, Vol. 1. Check out the track of the day HERE
Going down Wednesday, October 19th at Littlefield in Brooklyn. Doors open at 7p and the show starts at 8p. Cover is $6 or free with a CMJ badge. Free beer. Make sure you’re there, the Jingle Guy will be!
JP member Sarah Aument is the latest artist to be featured in Breakthru Radio’s “Hear and There” video series. The series which “features original and dynamic musicians performing live in interesting locations, all shot in beautiful HD video,” has new episodes every Thursday on BreakThru Radio’s website. The good people over at BTR are just now finding out what we’ve known for a while now and had great things to say about Sarah and her music.
Here’s it is:
Drawing from the likes of Feist, Broken Social Scene, and Iron & Wine, Sarah Aument is a folk singer-songwriter whose work is powerfully moving, raw with sincerity, and beautifully straight-forward. Emotions easily shine through Aument’s sparse and tender songs as her heart-felt narratives quickly grow from soft-spoken, introspective musings into loud, robust rock frenzies.
After two weeks and nearly 125K views on YouTube, the Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra has now been added to the video rotation on MTV! This is incredible news and we’re extremely proud of our ‘Hipsters’. Be sure to check out MTV and keep your eyes peeled for JPHO’s cover of “Lithium” from their recent Nirvana tribute album, “The Nirvana Sessions”.
Last week, Jingle Punks CEO, Jingle Jared and our VP of Strategy, Brian Wahlund, were in Cannes, France for MIPCOM. For those that don’t know, MIPCOM is billed as “the world’s entertainment content market” and happens annually running this year from October 8 – 12. Known as “the only place where you can network, do business, discover new trends and cement partnerships face-to-face on a global level,” Jingle Jared and Brian had a great time meeting with clients and solidifying business, both old and new. Check out the pictures from their trip below. Cheers!
Jingle Punks CEO, Jingle Jared, was recently tapped to create ALL the music for an upcoming mobile app series about young aspiring musicians called Totally Amp’d. Here’s a little more info on the show courtesy of Worldscreen.com
Shaftesbury and its digital media division, Smokebomb Entertainment, are launching their first original mobile app series, Totally Amp’d. The series, aimed at kids 8 to 14, combines a live-action broadcast-quality comedy series with interactive activities designed to bring viewers into the show’s action. The 7-9 minute episodes are built for smartphone and tablet devices. The series, which stars Life with Derek’s Ashley Leggat, will be available for consumer purchase in November via iTunes. The app will be published by XMG Studio. The series is being offered to buyers as a stand-alone property for other platforms at MIPCOM.
Be sure to check out the trailer below and keep your eyes on those App stores for Totally Amp’d!
