LEXINGTON, KY - With threats of an impending winter storm Lexington's own Long Island Recording Studios hosted a CD release party for local acoustic sensations Mother Jane on Friday, January 29th. The occasion being the anticipated release of the duo's latest album Just Look Around, which represents their first with Long Island Records (the studios feature recording label) and the beginning of a new career trajectory for them. Mother Jane is comprised of Beth Burden and Lisa Raymond who originally threw their hats into the local music scene back in 1999 with their soulful blend of folk, pop and rock music. Much has changed since those days but the girls, with the help of Long Island Recording, are setting their sights high.
Mother Jane's music is prime picking for national consumption and that is the ultimate goal of the band and everyone involved in the pursuit of their success. Enter Wil Freebody, CEO of Long Island Recording, who is extremely well versed in the tumultuous climate of the music business with 40 plus years of industry experience. His enthusiasm for the group's music, combined with his professional savvy, will certainly be a driving force along the way.
Long Island Recording Studios is a multi-media company featuring broadcast, print and Internet projects and publications. The studio is a full service commercial facility that prides itself on the ability to produce "national quality CDs." While working with many eclectic artists from the region, the company also boasts albums by Sir Mack Rice, Blondie Chaplain, Lexington's own Tee Dee Young and Mother Jane. The other important function of Long Island Recording is its instruction schools that teach students the art of recording and mixing music while imparting them with the skills to seek careers in the field.
Even for Long Island Records, the business side of the industry must be handled effectively in order to give the musicians a lasting platform for their art. The focus is always on the art of the music itself when the recording process is progress but afterwards the business side of the equation is crucial in allowing the artists themselves to enjoy the fruits of their various labors. Freebody summed it up perfectly when he insisted, "in show business, it's always 95% business and 5% show."
In Mother Jane's case, the new methods of the music business world will play a heavy hand in their quest for national recognition. Freebody's specific strategy for Mother Jane is to market their songs for inclusion in television shows to be featured as background music. This is a very popular trend in the business as countless artists have been discovered and achieved success through non-traditional avenues by being noticed on sitcoms, series and/or reality shows. Freebody mentions soul singer Vonda Sheppard as a prime example of this. Sheppard gained fame from being featured on the popular televison series Ally McBeal. Mother Jane has already garnered some interest from the Fox hit House, as well as other programs, according to Freebody.
Since things are not quite what they used to be in the music world, especially given the decline of album sales coupled with the rise of the electronic music revolution, picking an effective plan of attack is vital. One thing that has not changed is the significance of live performance to build an artist's fan base in the modern age. Mother Jane will embark on a New England Tour this summer that will lead to stops throughout the Eastern United States and also see the group making stops worldwide. The European market is one that Freebody plans to tap in order to boost both the sales and profile of the band.
The business side of music is often labeled as a soulless evil empire that only constitutes a necessity for musicians to promote their art. In speaking with Freebody one gets the sense that he is of those rare individuals that legitimately enjoy being around the musicians he works with. In talking about Long Island Recording's association with Mother Jane he comments that even after 42 years in the business they are literally "the nicest people he's ever met." His sincerity is evident as he suggests just how important this likeability factor is when dealing with artists and, outside of performance ability and lyrical content, is by far one of the most important elements of a successful partnership.
Now that Just Look Around is finally seeing its release, it represents the first step of what promises to be a treacherous journey through the modern world of music. Beth and Lisa of Mother Jane have made tremendous sacrifices in hopes to achieve national success including the close of their 10-year-old business in late Spring. Perhaps with their positive attitudes, the help of Long Island Recording Studios and a little luck along the way Mother Jane can emerge victorious and take a big look around at all the new success they have accomplished.
For more on Mother Jane, visit http://www.motherjane.com.