This Promotional CD has been made to go to Radio Stations & Reviewers and wasnt really intended to be made available for the public but because i've had no luck in securing funding for the next project (and i have 4 i really want to finish) i have decided to put a few out to try and raise some funds towards some studio time to start the next
This Promotional CD has been made to go to Radio Stations & Reviewers and wasnt really intended to be made available for the public but because i've had no luck in securing funding for the next project (and i have 4 i really want to finish) i have decided to put a few out to try and raise some funds towards some studio time to start the next album or finish the couple i have have started.
As most musicians will tell you its very hard to get paid gigs/shows/bookings unless you are doing ‘covers’ or a ‘tribute band’ or for those doing original music are on people's radar and have a booking agent that can get you (well me) on the ‘americana’ circuit. Despite the plaudits i have had for my music and the shows i have played either with Pippa Murdie or ‘The James Street Band’ the door is still closed for me unfortunately and its been very tough getting to the next level despite all the hard work being put in. I occasionally feel a bit like ‘Yozzer Hughes’ from ‘Boys from the Black Stuff’ - “Give us a gig”. Sales of music as well hasnt been much of late. Streaming pays nothing and CDs are fast becoming obsolete for most music fans these days apart from a few of us.
So this is the reason behind this limited CD being avaialble to the public,
So what is it?
John Jenkins My album ‘TUEBROOK’ was released on 7th July 2023 and received amazing reviews by those that came across it and had a listen. I purposely chose the songs for the album as they told a story that I wanted to tell. I had other songs I had been working on that I felt would not sit as comfortably as the final selection. Not that I felt they were inferior at all, they just told a different story; plus, they were ‘bigger’ in sound, and I really wanted ‘TUEBROOK’ to be an intimate album. I thought about what I would do with these songs and as each appeared to be quite different to each other I decided I’d put them out monthly in 2024 as standalone tracks. There were 6 and, as I write this, I have 5 finished and the 6th I’m still working on at Crosstown Studios. So, these are the songs that make up the first 5 tracks of this ‘promotional CD’ you have in your hands. • The Reason • Bury Myself in the Sand • I Don’t Want to Be That Guy Anymore • Do You Ever Think About Me? • Dressing Up the Truth
All tracks written by John Jenkins Recorded at Crosstown Studios Produced by Jon Lawton/John Jenkins Big thanks to the following who played on some of these songs and added such special magic touches: Jon Lawton/Chris Howard/Tony Peers/Pippa Murdie/Karl Parry/Margaret Ryan
John Jenkins and the James Street Band The ‘Looking for That American Dream’ album was the first album from me and my band. We are halfway through the follow-up and so far have 4 songs completed, 2 of which have been released as standalone tracks and 2 others of which are hanging around to go out. 3 other songs are nearly finished and I’ve about 10 songs waiting to record with the band once I get some funding to finish the album off. The 4 tracks on this album are the 2 already released and 2 mastered for the album awaiting release, including a cover of the wonderful Iris DeMent song ‘Easy’s Gettin’ Harder Every Day’ sung by James Street Band member Pippa Murdie. I thought it would be nice to give people a chance to hear some band material as well as my solo stuff. • Trying My Best to Get Away from You • Murphy’s Bar • Easy’s Gettin’ Harder Every Day • Dylan Highway
All tracks written by John Jenkins apart from Easy’s Gettin’ Harder Every Day (Iris DeMent) Musicians on these songs are: John Jenkins/David Nixon/Denis Parkinson/Pippa Murdie/Dave Orford/Chris Jones/Jon Lawton/Jo Pue John Jenkins and That Sure Thing Another project I was hoping to complete was a new ‘John Jenkins and That Sure Thing’ album which is basically songs of mine but sung by other artists. 3 songs have been completed so far. Funding and money (or lack of it) has stalled this project but I thought it would be nice to add these songs to this promotional CD so they can be heard at least. Sister Lee was kind enough to sing a song I specifically wrote for her, and we had a lot of fun recording this in a 1960s Phil Spector tribute way. This is called ‘Who Took the Stars Out of the Sky?’ Alison Benson and I wrote about 6 songs together and I released one on my ‘If You Can’t Forgive You Can’t Love’ album (‘Strangers on a Train’). I have plans to record all these songs at some point, but this tune, ‘My Foolish Girl’, I thought it would be nice to get local band ‘Pillow Torque’ to sing, again with one foot in the 60s vibe. Last but not last was a version of my song ‘The End of Summer’ completed during lockdown. I asked Julia Fiebelkorn (aka Dorothy Bird) to do harmonies to my recording and loved her voice that much that I cheekily asked her to do the main vocal as well. • Who Took the Stars out of the Sky? • My Foolish Girl • The End of Summer
All tracks written by John Jenkins except My Foolish Girl (John Jenkins/Alison Benson). Recorded at Crosstown Studios Produced by Jon Lawton/John Jenkins Big thanks to the following who played on these songs: Jon Lawton/Chris Howard/Tony Peers/Pippa Murdie/Jade Thunder/Pillow Torque/Sister Lee/Julia Fiebelkorn So, there you have this promotional album, some tracks already out there, some due out and some I am hoping will see the light of day with other songs as a completed project.