Kickstarter

November 1, 2012

Hello, dear backers of the Brass Menažeri and Mr. Lif collaboration. It’s been a long time — since we last wrote, since the project was successfully funded, and since you so kindly and generously offered to donate to our project. I wanted to give you an update of where things stand.

First, some important news from Brass Menažeri: I (Peter, Brass Menažeri’s director) have been awarded a Fulbright grant to study traditional music next year in Greece. This is obviously a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m beyond honored and thrilled. After much deliberation, Brass Menažeri has made the difficult decision to disband when I leave in February. We’ve had a really amazing run of 12 years, and we’re all grateful for our time together and for all those who have supported us. I know the future will hold more amazing music for all of us, in many formations and combinations. (And we’ll be going out in style, with a farewell tour to the Northwest in late January, so keep your eyes peeled!)

Where does this leave the Brass Menažeri & Mr. Lif collaboration? We are still working on the project; we haven’t given up, abandoned it, absconded with the money to Grand Cayman or Crete. We have every intention of fulfilling our promise to you and bringing our collaboration to fruition. Several tracks are already nearing completion, some are in intermediary stages of composition, and some have yet to be conceived. We’ve had some successful recording sessions, have done a lot of tracking in my home studio as well, and there’s more to come. 

A word about what has slowed our progress seems in order. Principally, Mr. Lif had the amazing opportunity to collaborate on a full length album with world class electronica collective Thievery Corporation, a process which has kept Lif recording in DC (and touring the world) for much of the last year, and consumed much of his compositional energy. It’s been an inspiring time for him, and the product will be amazing, as you’ll hear when it’s released in 2013. (You can see one of their first pieces here: youtu.be/ApK0kcy7U0Q.) This also opens up Thievery’s promotional machine to Mr. Lif’s other projects, which could greatly benefit our project when we’re ready to release it.

Of course, we’ve also faced many other challenges, logistical as well as creative, as in any new collaboration. But we’re working, and eager to bring this project it to fruition as soon as possible. Lif and I have re-energized our collaboration and figured out how we can work together remotely. We may be still mixing and mastering and designing by the time I leave in February, though I hope to complete that work before then. In any case, we are moving forward, we are excited, and we are far beyond grateful for your support and patience. We will do you proud in the end.

In gratitude,
Peter Jaques for Brass Menažeri