I just returned from an epic SXSW 2013 tour with The Options, covering 4,000 miles and playing 16 shows in 16 days! While my bed feels pretty amazing right now, I’ll only be taking a few breaths before getting right back to it!

***EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREVIEW SHOWS***

Because of 76 amazing fans, I surpassed my album fundraising goal and now have the money needed to record my next album!! I can’t tell you how good that feels, and how much I appreciate your amazing support that made it possible. It’s looking like I’m going to be release the album by way of two different 5 song EPs, with the first coming this summer!! In fact, we’re almost finished with the first one already, and to celebrate we’ll be playing a batch of EXCLUSIVE EP PREVIEW CONCERTS in the coming weeks!! Here’s the full rundown on all four shows…

04.04.2013, New York NY, Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 1), 9pm

04.06.2013, Northampton MA, The Parlor Room, 7pm acoustic show + 9pm electric show!

04.12.2013, Cambridge MA, The Sinclair, 7pm (acoustic duo show w/ Marc Broussard)

04.18.2013, Philadelphia PA, World Cafe Live Downstairs, 7pm (acoustic duo show w/ Marc Broussard)

Tickets are going to go fast on these, but all the individual ticket links are all available at: WWW.JAMIEKENT.COM/SHOWS

There’s a bunch of other awesome shows at that link too, so you should probably just go there right now.

***BATHROOM JAMS***

As many of you may know already, we like to play in odd/awkward/awesome places. On this recent tour, we took it to an even greater level. With some time to kill in our stinky Motel 6 room in Knoxville TN, we decided it would be pretty cool to cover Michael Jackson’s “PYT”…in the bathroom! Naturally, we captured it on a phone and popped it up on Youtube for your viewing pleasure…

Fast Tube by Casper

If you enjoy it, send it to your friends!! We figure since there are a lot of germs in the bathroom, it’s got a better chance at going Viral…(sorry, i couldn’t resist).

***BOSE***

Everyone knows Bose is a badass sound company. Maybe the badass-est around. Well, they’ve also been kind enough to officially support us and send us on the road with their truly amazing L1 Portable Sound System. That’s the first piece of awesome news. The second is, they’ve also decided to feature us on their website, viewed by millions of people every year!! We love them. You should too.

Well that’s it for now folks. Again, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your constant, continued support. It’s an honor to have you along for this adventure.

With love, rock, and bathroom jams,
Jamie

“Changes”, the single off our latest record Navigation was just voted the #5 song of 2012 by 93.9 The River. We were alongside some of our favorite artists (Brandi Carlile, Jack White, Alabama Shakes, Mumford & Sons, etc…), and The River is one of the best radio stations in the country. So basically, we are humbled, ecstatic, and see it as an amazing start to 2013. Great things are in store for this year!!

Love,
JKO

It’s your friendly neighborhood mischief making musician checking in. It’s that time of year, where hot chocolate, mistletoe, dreidels, snowmen, and all sorts of holiday cheer rule the world. I’ll be honest, I’m not a terribly religious person myself, but I really love this time of year, and I’m a serious sucker for the holiday spirit. With that in mind, I write you this month with short and sweet update, simply to wish you all an amazing holiday season, whatever it is you might be celebrating!!

A couple of holiday gifts…

Everybody loves presents, right? Since you all have simply been the best fans a musician could ask for this year, I want to give you a couple of presents to show my gratitude!

1. If you buy anything from my Web Store (click the “Shop” link above) before 2013, I’ll toss in a super sexy holiday JKO Tote Bag for FREE. CDs, T-shirts, water bottles (yes, we have water bottles), and all sorts of goodies are up on the website, and all come with a Tote Bag for the next two weeks or so. These bad boys are going quick, so grab one while they’re hot!

2. As I mentioned, I’m a sucker for all things holiday spirit. That definitely includes holiday music. A couple of years ago we recorded a pretty cool version of Blue Christmas, and it was just picked up by the biggest radio station in western MA, 94.7 WMAS (insert Jamie doing a celebratory awkward dance). With that in mind, I thought I’d share the tune with you all and make it FREE to download for everyone on this list!! Just follow this link and all shall be revealed…https://soundcloud.com/collectivemusicllc/blue-christmas

Well, that’s it for this year folks. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your amazing support of my music and this journey. 2012 was a year packed full of amazing shows, new friends, new songs, and I have never been more confident that big things are about to happen. So start polishing your party pants, and we’ll see you at there in 2013. As long as the world doesn’t end tomorrow.

With love, hot chocolate, and snow ball fights,
Jamie

Fast Tube by Casper

Many of you may have experienced our awkward dance contest at live shows over the past few months. This dance contest was originally inspired by a few brave souls who joined me on the back of a flatbed truck in stand still traffic (see video above), and now has given us some of the greatest dance moves in history (bold statement, I know).

With that in mind, the time has come to bring this dance contest to the next level…So today I announce the launch of the Global Awkward Dance Contest, and put out a call to awkward dancers everywhere!! WE NEED YOU ALL to submit short video clips of your awkward dance moves, and then we will compile the best into a music video for our song “Lovers Lost” (the original tune I sang on that flatbed truck). Think you’re up to the challenge?

The Ground Rules:

1. Prepare your finest awkward dance moves. This can be a solo endeavor, or a group dance. Ideal practice locations include: the shower, your roommate’s bedroom, the conference room at work (only during important moments), church, and your local open mic night.
2. Record your video on your phone or your camera and submit it to GlobalAwkwardDanceContest@gmail.com.
3. Try not to make it longer than 20 seconds.
4. If the video file is too large to email, send it via DropBox (www.dropbox.com) to the email listed in Rule #2. DropBox is a super easy to use website that lets you send large files to people!
5. If you have any questions about the contest, also email us at the address listed in Rule #2. Questions will only be accepted if they are phrased awkwardly.

Let the games begin!!

Love,
JKO

Well, we’re in it now. Heat waves, cold beverages, goofy hats, and vacation time all combine to create the best time for music all year. And let me tell you, have we got some music coming up…

Summer US Tour

This past Saturday July 28th we kicked off our 2012 Summer US Tour at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge MA. After three sold out shows upstairs, we moved on up (or down) and played one of the most legendary rooms in the Boston area!! The show was totally rockin and we were joined by our friends in the amazing Ross Livermore Band. A great night all around, and a great way to kick off the tour.

We then conclude the tour back in Northampton MA on Thursday August 9th, at the Northampton Summer Concert Series. This series is bringing FREE outdoor music back to Downtown Northampton on Thursdays, and might just be co-produced by my company (The Collective Music Group). We’ll be joined on stage by our other amazing friends Kingsley Flood (voted Boston’s Best Live Band of 2011), and did I mention that it’s free? 6pm-8pm.

In between, we’ll be romping all around the midwest and southeast, so check out the dates below, and hopefully we’ll see you out there!!

07.31.2012, Chicago IL, Hard Rock Cafe, 9pm

08.01.2012, Bloomington IN, The Bishop, 9pm

08.03.2012, Nashville TN, 12th & Porter, 9pm (w/ Magnolia Sons and Majestico)

08.04.2012, Bryson City NC, Nantahala Brewery, 9:30pm

08.05.2012, Greensboro NC, The Green Bean, 7pm

08.07.2012, Charlottesville VA, The Whiskey Jar, 9pm

08.08.2012, Ardmore PA, Milkboy Coffee, 7pm

08.09.2012, Northampton MA, Northampton Summer Concert Series in Pulaski Park, 6pm (w/ Kingsley Flood)

08.12.2012, Philadelphia PA, World Cafe Live Downstairs, HYPE Showcase, 6pm (Jamie solo)

08.17.2012, Newmarket NH, The Stone Church, 8pm (Jamie solo supporting Will Evans of Barefoot Truth)

08.18.2012, Greenfield MA, The Arts Block, 8pm (Jamie solo supporting Christine Ohlman)

A Couple Cool Tidbits

In June IMR Magazine reviewed over 3,200 submissions and named us the #3 Indie Acoustic artist of 2012!! Click there for the full review.

The new album Navigation has also been receiving some significant radio play in Europe, including multiple spins on BBC Radio Ireland. So for any fans across the pond, keep your ears out!!

Til Next Time

Well, that’s it for now folks! I look forward to seeing many of you on the road in the coming months, and in the meantime, I’ll leave you with this new video of Rhees and I performing “Rosalita” acoustic at the Stanford University Studios!

With love, rock, and gratitude,
Jamie

As summer fast approaches I write with some awesome updates! I actually just returned from a live screening of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, so if this post contains any extra goofy attempts at humor, you know why. I apologize in advance.

Big Summer Kickoff!!!

Besides sundresses and soft serve ice cream, I’m pretty sure there is nothing better about summer than hearing great music under the sun/stars. With that in mind, I wanted to give you a heads up on our big summer kickoff show happening on Saturday June 9th as part of the Pines Theater SummerFest here in Northampton MA. The Pines Theater is literally one of the best places in the world to hear live music (I’ve personally seen CSNY, Wilco, Modest Mouse, and Allison Krauss there), and this festival is stacked with some of the best local/regional/national acts this area has to offer. We’ll be joining forces with killer bands like Barefoot Truth and Erin McKeown, and kicking off the summer right with music from 2pm-10pm that day (we play at 6pm specifically). I should also mention that I’m personally producing this festival, and it’s by far the biggest show I’ve ever put together!! So yeah, wash those blankets, grab your sunscreen, and mark your calenders, this is a big one! All sorts of info on the festival is available at www.collectivemusicconcerts.com, and tickets can be bought in advance HERE!

Brand Spankin’ New Music Video!!!

With every new album comes at least one new music video! “Changes” is the first single off my new album Navigation, and now the fuel for the album’s first official music video!! This past month we joined forces with an awesome local filmmaker Griffin Bazzeghin, found an antique gas station/garage, and well, hopefully created some history of our own. So without any further adieu, I present you with the Official Music Video for Changes…!!

The Options

If you had the opportunity to check out any of our CD Release shows down the east coast, you may have noticed a couple of new faces in the band. Since they are ridiculously awesome, I wanted to formally introduce them to you so that you know exactly who you’re high fiving after the next show. Killian Karlsson joined the band in early April and can now be seen shredding guitar solos, plucking the banjo, and wearing hats far cooler than me. Zack Cross joined the band towards the end of April and will now be blowing your mind on keys, accordion, and blu-blockers from here on out. We’re extremely excited to have these guys on the road with us now, and can’t wait for you to hear the awesomeness that they bring to the table.

The Lowdown

We’ve got some killer concerts on the schedule for this summer, so be sure to check out the “Shows” page (move your mouse up about 5 inches) for all our upcoming tour dates. New ones are always being added as well, so you should probably just go ahead and make it your homepage.

I also post daily updates, pictures, and tidbits of awesomeness on my Facebook Page and Twitter Account. Come be my friend?

Well, that’s it for now folks. This summer is going to rock, I can already feel it. Can’t wait to see you out there.

With love, sunscreen, and soft serve,
Jamie

So 2011 is officially behind us and it’s time for 2012. I really think it’s going to be an amazing year musically, especially since everyone has to bust out their best work before the world ends. No big deal, right? That said, 2011 wasn’t a bad year musically itself, so I figured I’d list my favorite 11 songs of the year. I know you all have been sitting on the edge of your seats awaiting my opinion on the matter, so without any further adieu…

11. Beirut- Santa Fe
10. Adele- Rumour has it
9. Sweetback Sisters- Looking for a fight
8. Foster the People- Pumped up Kicks
7. Wilco- Capitol City
6. Civil Wars- I’ve got this friend
5. Amos Lee- Windows are rolled down
4. KD Lang & The Siss Boom Bang- I Confess
3. The Low Anthem- Apothecary
2. The Head & The Heart- Lost in my mind
1. Tom Waits- Kiss me

Got any additions that think I left out? Comment below!

Here’s to a great 2011, and what’s poised to be a pretty awesome 2012!

With love and rock,
Jamie

Well, it seems that it’s finally time to give in to the cold and embrace the winter ahead. I’ve been resisting for a while (hence the west coast tour in November), but I think I’m ready for the puffy coats, crisp wood fire air, and some holiday spirit(s). With that in mind, I’m going to keep this month’s update pretty short and give you a couple early holiday presents…

Holiday Tunes

I’ve always been a fan of christmas carols. Generally I air on the side of the ridiculous when it comes to these tunes (i.e. Dominick the Donkey), but this year I decided to cover a song that seemed to hit home a bit more. Since I’ve been on the road for so much of this fall, and now find myself home for the holidays, I thought there couldn’t be a more appropriate cover than “I’ll be home for Christmas”. You’re amazing support over this last year has brought this journey to another level, and I truly can’t wait to see where we take this over the next year. With that in mind I thought I’d send you all a holiday gift to show my immense gratitude in the best way I know how, with music. Below you’ll find a link which will take you to this tune, and allows you to download it for free! I’ve also tossed in last year’s cover of “Blue Christmas”, as I think that’s still rocking pretty hard.

http://soundcloud.com/jamieskent/sets/holiday-tunes

The Collective

As many of you know, a huge way I am able to support this musical dream full time is through The Collective. This new model of artistic micro-financing has allowed me to Partner with you, and truly share in all levels of the journey. Some big things are going to be happening in the next year, and Partners in The Collective will be huge a part of deciding which direction I go in (through actual votes!). They will also get exclusive access to a ton of new music in the works, behind the scene tour videos, and so much more. So with that in mind, I give my a quick shameless plug…Partnerships in The Collective make GREAT presents for family and friends. Plus, I’ll even wrap the Welcome Packages in the sexiest of newspaper comics…:) That is all.

The Montage

I’ve noticed being home that I have a really difficult time trying to summarize 6 weeks of touring into a few sentences. So what better a way to give you a true sense of the experience than by displaying some of the best pictures from the road set over a brand new JKO song called “Changes.” This song is from our upcoming album due out in March, and really embodies all of the emotions that come about on a huge tour. I’ve come to believe that every epic experience needs to promptly be followed by a montage, so without further adieu…

Well, that’s it for now folks! Stay warm, stay safe, and stay stress free (if possible) throughout this holiday season. Thanks again for an amazing year, and I’ll see you in 2012!

With love and eggnog,

40 days, 28 shows, and 10,000 miles later, we are home. It’s a bittersweet feeling really. It’s sad to no longer be on the road doing what I love every day, but Northampton (and my bed) have never felt so good. I know throughout the coming weeks I’ll really begin to reflect on all of the experiences and lessons learned over these past six weeks, but right now, I’m going to sleep, spend time with family, and eat copious amounts of turkey. That said, I present you with the three stories from the 6th and final week of this tour, written again from the different perspectives of an independent touring musician (the booker, the manager, and the performer)…

The Stories

1. (The Performer)- New Orleans. Without a doubt one of my favorite cities in the world, and one of the few places left where people go out just to see live music, regardless of who it is. This is where we concluded our tour, and I really wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Our final weekend on the road consisted of two shows in the Crescent City, and both created moments that we will remember forever.

Frenchman St. is one of the greatest music streets in the world. Wonderfully intimate venues line the streets showcasing some of the world’s greatest musicians, almost always for free. And if you’re there long enough you’ll likely see a killer musician walk in from the street, sit in with the band on a song or two, and then move on to the next venue. This past Saturday we not only had the opportunity to play on Frenchman Street, but were lucky enough to have one of those killer local musicians hop on stage with us and lay down a rocking harmonica solo during one of our tunes. It felt a bit like a rite of passage, and honestly, it turned a dream into a reality for each of us.

Our final show of the tour took place at a house party held by some awesome fans (and now friends) that we met during our first show in New Orleans this past March. One of the greatest feelings as a musician is to develop loyal fans that want to make great things happen for you, and these fans are a perfect example. As fellow musicians, our hosts went above and beyond to create a show around us that was both crazy and intimate, allowing us to truly connect with new fans while celebrating the end of six weeks on the road. By the end of the night the room was packed, the energy was explosive, and the audience was singing along to almost every song. An epic ending to an epic tour.

2. (The Manager)- This past March we had the opportunity to play the legendary South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX. It was an overwhelming and amazing experience, and I learned a ton about how to truly make the most of a big festival like that. Specifically, I found that many of the best showcases were the one’s created around a specific regional theme, generating a buzz around an area and giving new music fans a taste of a localized music scene. So I decided then and there that next year I would create a “Valley Comes to Austin” Showcase, allowing the rest of the world to see just experience the awesomeness that is the in the Pioneer Valley music scene. With that in mind, while in Austin this past week I spent an entire day scouting the best venues to host such a showcase. I toured some of the best venues I’ve ever seen and some of the worst, discovering that certain spaces cost upwards of $100,000 to rent for the day, while others are simply happy to have a fantastic showcase that generates buzz and business. Fortunately I found a few spots in between those two extremes , and the western MA music scene will most definitely be on full display at SXSW 2012.

3. (The Booker)- As I’ve mentioned before, there are a lot of annoying (but important) details that go into booking a tour. While I’m usually pretty good about crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s, each trip I generally discover a new detail that I seemed to overlook. This time? Cigarette smoke in venues. As an artist based in the northeast, cigarette smoke has never been part of the picture at any of our shows. When I encountered it for the first time this past week, I really didn’t know how to react. The diva front-man in me freaked out, with visions of asthma and a scorched voice attempting to take hold of my thoughts, while another strange faction of my psyche looked forward to the challenge of it. If musicians for the last 100 years have been able to do it, I better be able to. So we played the show, had a fantastic time, and then just took extra long showers that night to get the smell out of our hair. A challenge to check it off the list, but a detail that will receive a new found respect from here on out.

Well, that’s it folks. I really hope you’ve enjoyed reading these updates over the last six weeks and now perhaps have a slightly new perspective on the life of an independent touring musician. This tour was a life changing experience, and I’m so grateful we were able to share it with you all.

With love and turkey,
Jamie & The Options

Week five. We’ve spent just over two and a half weeks on the west coast, and it’s finally time to begin the journey back east. We’re both sad to leave this beautiful part of the country, but eager to head east and explore some of our favorite cities in the southwest. As we reach the end of this tour, it’s interesting to see the overall sense of mindfulness in Tim, Rhees, and I grow as we grasp on to each passing moment, realizing we’ll be home before we know it. With that in mind, it’s become a bit easier to keep track of the “road moments” and illustrate them to you all. So I present you with three stories from this 5th week on the road, written again from the different perspectives of an independent touring musician (the booker, the manager, and the performer)…

The Stories

1. (The Performer)- Our biggest goal every night is to connect with our audience, make them a part of the show, and entertain from start to finish. It can be tough at times, as we often play new markets where we must win people over who have never heard our music before. We also don’t tour with drums (yet), so there isn’t that natural pulse that instantly makes people want to dance. With that in mind, at the end of this past week we played a show in the gorgeous town of Sedona, AZ. To be honest, we were somewhat dreading the show, because it was what we call a “Marathon show”, or four 45 minute sets. However, because we played the entire night, we were able to watch the crowd develop, gauge their energy, and truly bring them into the show with us. By the middle of the night we had nearly the entire room dancing in front of the stage, and it stayed that way throughout the entire set. This was the first time we’ve truly experienced a crowd of complete strangers connecting with our music on that level, and it was without question one of the greatest moments we’ve had yet. We will continue to work for that every night.

2. (The Manager)- From a business and marketing perspective, I find that it’s hugely important for independent musicians to constantly put forth awesome photos and videos that both entertain and keep fans involved in the journey. We personally love to find unique surroundings on the road, jump out of the van, and record a song on the fly. That said, one of my favorite musical stories involves a homeless gentleman who lived under the Hollywood sign many years ago. One day he wrote a song that he had so much confidence in, he snuck back stage at a Nat King Cole concert, handed him the sheet music, and a year later Nat King Cole turned it into a #1 hit. So as we prepared to leave Hollywood this week, we decided to record a video playing that song with the Hollywood sign in the background. In order to do this, we ventured into the maze of tiny side streets in the Hollywood Hills, found a quiet spot surrounded by unbelievable homes, set up the camera McGuiver style, and played “Nature Boy”. Our hearts raced the entire song in fear that an angry neighbor might call the police before we finished, but fortunately we made it through without anyone noticing. That is except for a red mustang convertible full of beautiful women who honked their horn and cheered for us. Our California experience was officially complete.

3. (The Booker)- Booking a tour, as I’m sure you can imagine, requires a ton of research. I like to think that I can find the venues that fit us best, but there’s often no way to really know until we’re on tour and explore the city first hand. For this tour in particular, I spent a lot of time trying to find us a show at a Casino in Las Vegas. Casinos generally fall into that perfect Trifecta I mentioned a couple weeks back; they pay great, they feed you, and they give you a place to stay. That said, I simply couldn’t find a way to connect with anyone at any Casino in Las Vegas. So while in Vegas this past week, I did some serious scoping on the strip, and discovered what I couldn’t see before. Almost every smaller Casino venue was filled by (great) cover bands with weekly residencies. In fact, the only original acts that we could find we’re giant stars (i.e. Melissa Etheridge, Aaron Lewis, etc…) playing the various casino arenas. Touring always teaches me a ton about the music scene in each city, and in this case, it taught me that Las Vegas is simply not a town for independent original acts. At least I got to also check out the home of one of my favorite TV shows right now…

Well, only one week left; can you believe it? Time certainly flies on the road. Next week we enter the homestretch, playing shows in New Mexico, Texas, and my favorite city in the world, New Orleans…

Stay tuned!
Jamie & The Options