Kickstarter

After proudly producing, promoting, and touring four studio releases with Irish music duo Matt & Shannon Heaton: www.MattandShannonHeaton.com (and enjoying the gradual and consistent growth in income and international reputation these projects have helped to garner) I crave the opportunity to record a stunningly simple solo album of traditional Irish flute music.

I am using one of my favorite dresses to help guide my creative vision for the project. I hope to make something gorgeous, fresh, and satisfying for Irish music purists... and fun, accessible, and beautiful to general music lovers who don't even think they like Irish music.

With a modest operating budget, this home recording of flute music is also my way of reconnecting with the "Pure Drop" (i.e. straight-ahead Irish musical tradition), after four bigger budget Duo releases.

Here's my anticipated budget:
$2000 - hiring other players for the album
$900 - Artwork (Art Nouveau-style rendering of my Blue Dress photo) and graphic design
$1000 - Mixing and Mastering (doesn't include engineering, since I'll do this on my own)
$1400 - Manufacturing of Cds and Digipaks
$190 - 5% Kickstarter Fee
$200 - Shipping for Rewards and promo copies
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$5690.... I'm asking for just $3850 since I've already saved up $1840!

In case you want other people to vouch for me before you invest, here are a few nice comments about my previous releases:

"Savvy modernity and American rootsiness... [Matt & Shannon Heaton's] playing is masterful and inventive, their arrangements city-smart and spacious. Still, they never forget that Irish music is, at its heart, a neighborly form, meant for sharing, not showing off." —Boston Globe

“Unpretentious music that comes from the heart and from the wellspring of their collective talent." --Sing Out Magazine

“Fleet of note, fine in execution, the Heatons are as accepted in Ireland as they are here. –Boston Herald

“a neat balance between energetic tune playing and quietly observant sensitive material… sweet, and tasteful, lacking nothing on either technical expertise or instrumental virtuosity.” –Irish Music Magazine

“Matt and Shannon Heaton funnel the tradition through contemporary sensibilities to show everyone how important the young musicians can be to the perpetuation of a scene… the Heatons have a good shot at opening people’s ears and minds.” -Northeast Performer