Joe Jencks

New Joe Jencks CD (Accepting Orders)   Tour Dates: Ontario, IL, VA

Dear Friends

Spring is HERE! At least in Chicago anyway. Winter has lost its teeth the lake is melting, the birds are singing, and there is freshness in the air that is so very welcome after my first Chicago winter. I hope spring is in full form wherever you are! If not in the weather, then in your hearts!

No long missives this month, but I did want to let you know about some exciting news and current tour dates. First the tour. In the next few weeks, I will be performing in:

Ontario: Toronto and Markdale   LIVE Radio interview on CIUT FM 89.5 and real-time worldwide web streaming for those who want to dial in from anywhere in the world!

Illinois: Hinsdale and Rockford

Virginia: Williamsburg and Charlottesville

***Full tour dates listed below!***

And for the news

There is a NEW Joe Jencks CD in the works! I will be recording in the Washington, DC area in April, and hoping to release the CD at my Kerrville Folk Festival performance in May!

I have a fresh batch of original songs I am VERY excited about, including Fireflies, On Eireanns Shore, Love Is The Reason, and Crossing Over.  I will be recording a few tributes as well. There are three songs in particular that were a big influence on me as a young musician. Songs that captured the heart of a teenager, and made me want to dig in. I have long wanted to record them, and am delighted that now is the time!

I also have a song called Late September Moon, from the Joe Jencks archives. It managed to collect dust for far too long. I found it on an old work tape circa 1995, and realized that I had found a forgotten gem. (I had to dig through some boxes to find a tape player. Remember those?) I remember thinking when I wrote the song, that it was the best song I had written at that time. I was right. In retrospect, the song marks the beginning of my truly professional level songwriting. I have no idea why I waited so long to bring the song forward, but it has stood the test of time.

Guest musicians will likely include Jon Carroll and David Glaser, and the focus of the project is on the spirit of the songs and the sincerity of performance. I put a new stylus in my turntable last fall, and listened to a few of the recordings I mentioned above. In particular, Bob Gibsons Album Uptown Saturday Night, and Rod MacDonalds White Buffalo. Both records kept the voice and guitar front and center, and additional instrumentation was subtle and tasteful. I realized that there was something in that almost live feel that really served the songs. It is a tradition I love, and so I will honor the spirit of those recordings in this project.

You all were MARVELOUS in helping me raise the funds for my 2007 release, The Candle And The Flame! That CD soared to number 2 on the Folk Charts. Amazing! THANKS. You all helped to get me there!!!

So I am inviting you to lend your energy to the next step in the journey. A new CD is a expensive undertaking. Several dozen of you kicked in as sponsors at the $100 dollar level for my last CD, and created the core of the production budget. Scores more of you purchased single copies. I understand that times are tight now, but music does so much to heal and strengthen us in hard times. So PLEASE consider ordering copies in advance, and doing your part to keep the folk economy humming along. There are thousands of you. If each of you bought ONE CD, this recording would be a tremendous success before it was even released!

Pre-orders will be $20.00 each, 3 for $50.00 or 7 for $100.00. Supporters at the level of  $50 and up, who have placed their orders by the April 15th Print Deadline, will be listed in the liner notes as sponsors. And ALL contributions large or small will yield extremely good karma!

Another way to help is to Sponsor a Spin! Every time a new CD is released, a radio campaign begins. We send out CDs to hundreds and hundreds of Folk, Americana, and Roots DJs all over the US, Canada around the world. The Candle And The Flame received airplay in 9 different countries! Buy ONE extra copy of the New CD at $20.00, (again, by April 15th) and you will be listed as a Radio Sponsor in the liner notes, and you will help spread the good will of this music literally all over the world. The Extra CD you purchase will be sent to a folk-friendly radio station. We will let you know which one, so that you can send them an email and request spins of Joe Jencks songs! Think about it? What a great and easy way to do something good!

Please send checks payable to:
Joe Jencks
108 Keeney St. Apt. 4-Rear
Evanston, IL 60202

Please call if you would prefer to use a Credit Card for your contribution or pre-order, or if you just want to say hello and offer moral support! 206-619-4104. CDs will be mailed out in early June (Postage included in the order price), and you will be the first ones on your block to get the new Joe Jencks CD!

I look forward very much to sharing this new music with you!!!

In Gratitude and Song

•Joe Jencks
Turtle Bear Music
www.joejencks.com



MARCH TOUR DATES
Full Details available at www.joejencks.com

Saturday, March 7th, 2009 7:30 PM
Mapleview House Concert
Markdale, Ontario
Joe Jencks in Concert
Phone: 519-986-2669
Call or e-mail Paulette for directions (pmkirkey@yahoo.ca). She says it's simple enough, but Mapquest and GPS units sometimes get it wrong.


Sunday, March 8th, 2009 7:30 PM
The Flying Cloud Folk Club
292 Brunswick Ave.Toronto M5S 2M7
Phone: 416-410-3655
It is rumored that Canadian folk, gospel, and blues legend Ken Whiteley will sit in with Joe for the concert. (Sit in as in bring his instruments and play, not as in 60s protest. Just to be clear. :-)The Flying Cloud is Toronto's oldest Folk Club, sponsored by the Mariposa Folk Foundation.


Monday, March 9th, 2009 7:00 PM Eastern/6:00 PM Central
Acoustic Workshop: An hour-long live interview and performance with Joe Jencks
CIUT FM 89.5 Toronto, ON (University of Toronto)
Toronto, Ontario
Website: www.ciut.fm
Heather Fielding has been hosting this Monday night interview program for many years. She is a great interviewer, and the show is always entertaining! Plus she has such a lovely accent! A perfect radio voice!For those out of broadcast range, the show will stream live on the web: www.ciut.fm(Click the "listen" button in the upper-right-hand corner of the home page.)7:00 PM Eastern/ 6:00 PM Central ...Tune in!


Saturday, March 14th, 2009 8:00 PM
Joe Jencks co-bill with Deidre McCalla
Acoustic Renaissance Concerts at Hinsdale Unitarian Church
11 West Maple Street,Hinsdale, IL 60521 USA
Phone: 708-802-0236
Website: www.acousticren.com
Joe will be in concert with Deidre McCalla for an evening of soulful music and songs of conscience and big spirit. Deidre and Joe are both members of AFM Local 1000, and in spite of singing together at festivals and conferences for years... this will be their first actual concert together! AMEN. About time


Sunday, March 15th, 2009 7:00 PM
Joe Jencks In Concert
Just Goods Listening Room/ Rockford Urban Ministries
201 Seventh Street, Rockford, IL USA
Phone: 815-964-7111
Website: www.gbgm-umc.org/urbanmin/
When I was a kid, Stanley Campbell was sometimes the sole voice of reason in our hometown. Leading marches, organizing help for veterans, sorting out public actions, soup kitchens, demonstrations, Civil Rights events, and all manner of social awareness and justice ministries. I am delighted to go back to Rockford for this concert, and to continue to support Stanley and his work!


Friday, March 27th, 2009 8:00 PM
Joe Jencks In Concert
Live Off Five Concerts
3051 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185 USA
Phone: 757-220-6830
Possible Special Guest, Karen Michelle Bergmann on cello. :-)
Contact: Sherri Powers, sherri.powers@cox.net


Sunday, March 29th, 2009 5:00 PM Potluck, 6:00 Concert
Joe Jencks In Concert with special guest Louisa Wimberger
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist
717 Rugby Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA
Website: www.uucharlottesville.org/
Joe Jencks will give a concert at the UU Church in Charlottesville, with special musical guest, Louisa Wimberger. Joe & Louisa have sung together many times and Joe is delighted to have the chance to sing with her again. Louisa will also perform a few selections from her own repertoire. Come for the potluck, and stay for the show!