Jake Newton: Home

I’ve been watching the Olympics non-stop. Now I’m not a sports fan by any stretch of the imagination, I watch the superbowl for the commercials and the Half-time show, I thought that Fantasy football meant that mythological creatures were involved, but there’s something about the Olympics that sucks me in like a black hole for the two glorious weeks they grace our televisions. The Closing ceremony always gives me the feeling of the last day of camp, You know that you’ll see these people again, but it will be a long and boring season of Baseball scandals and football player arrests before you can watch your beloved curling/biathaloning/speedskating buffet of human interest stories. You see, with the typical professional sports, for me at least, feel like they’re trying to stab my eyes with product placements. It overshadows the spirit of competition, the driving, striving urge to break world records for the sake of humanity’s betterment.
The Olympics have that in spades, it’s People doing things that no one else has ever done. Every time you turn the TV on. Pretty Cool. Oh, and someone is always recovering from an injury while Bob Costas weaves a tale of triumph and heartache, like watching various versions of an 80’s sports movie. I. freaking. love. it.

I also was given the opportunity to work on a track with Ben Lee and Fiona Apple for Margaret Cho’s upcoming album, she was a sweetheart and gracious beyond measure. And she liked my banjo playing. So she’s good in my book. Her record should be coming out this Fall, Look for it!!!

In recent press the music/Culture hub www.Bloginity.com ran a feature on me, they’re some solid journalists/hepcats with a lot going on for them, and I'm proud they lent their talents to a story on yours truly.

For The Los Angelites I’m Playing Thursday March 4th at 7PM, go to www.hotelcafe.com for more info. East coast, I’m flirting with coming out to see you. But it always helps to have people persuade me, Any thoughts on where you want to see me, or if you want to host a house concert give a shout out back to info@jakenewton.com

That's all for now friends, Now back to Bob Costas.
Jake

Lelia Broussard and I wrote a Christmas tune that we're giving away free at www.noisetrade.com Click on the Cover to get your copy!

I just had a birthday a week ago, turned 28 years young. I don't feel it. In many ways my perception of myself is perhaps half my age at any given point. So I guess that makes me 14 in my own mind. In light of certain events it felt like a sort of milestone. I’ve had a few friends that didn’t make it to 28. Three people I knew very well growing up died in this past year, two of which didn’t end up making it to 30, and it’s thrown me for a loop. The seemingly arbitrary circumstances in which a life can end always make me think of how thin a string regular breathing and a heart beating can be. We are so fragile.

It feels like it’s been a year of deaths, celebrities are dropping like flies. Is it simply that throughout the years we’ve accumulated so many of them that the law of averages dictates that we’ll be seeing more die? Or is it something else in the ether of all this increasing chaos that has felled down these public figures? I don’t know, It makes my head hurt when I try to think about it. Not saying that when it comes to abstract thought I put my head in the sand, but sometimes it’s easier to glide along the surface of what you know to be something far too deep for casual conversation.

The fires here in Los Angeles are reining down ash all over my car. The view from my front door looks onto La Cañada, which at the moment is engulfed in flames. Last night all the neighbors came out to watch it burn like a slow motion 4th of July spectacular, only no hot dogs and everyone was nervous. It was actually one of the few times I had actually spoken to them. What is that about Los Angeles? You eat, work, and sleep no more than 15 feet from someone for years and you don’t even know their names. We all have our reasons. I’m agoraphobic.  That’s my excuse.

So in an effort to get out and meet more people I’m going to start touring behind this new record. I know that a few people have been asking for a very long time and that it’s finally come the moment for me to get out of LA (and more specifically my house) to play for those of you who’ve been so supportive for so very long. I’ve got tentative plans to tour the West Coast in Early November so if anyone knows of any good spots to play (which can include a few dope house concerts) please let me know. And as always, continue to send me suggestions and requests to play your town. I’m coerced very easily.

Finally, I wanted to tell you that the record is FINALLY up on iTunes, I know that a lot of you were holding out for it so now here’s your chance to scoop it up. When you do I’d be most appreciative if you left a review and rating of it. Also for you tech-savvy/aspiring dj’s I’m making a request that you include yours truly in an iMix. Believe it or not they actually go a long way to cross promote all the artists included in them. So get to work on that mix tape for the hottie in the cubicle next to you. For those who don’t know, here are iMIX instructions

Well that is all for now friends, be excellent to each other,

J

P.S. t-shirts are selling fast at the Jake Newton store, I've only got 4 Mediums left, so if you want 'em better get 'em soon!