Sea Island spirituals, Creole calypsos and stomp-down Appalachian dance tunes. "Jayme Stone's Folklife" follows the bends and bayous through the deep river of song and story. Evolving out of Stone's "Lomax Project," this gathering of versatile musicians blows the dust off of old songs and remakes them for modern ears. With spellbinding singing, virtuosic playing, and captivating storytelling, their concerts and educational programs are moving, inventive and participatory experiences.
Jayme Stone (banjo, voice)
Moira Smiley (voice, accordion, piano, hambone)
Sumaia Jackson (fiddle, voice)
Joe Phillips (bass, voice, merimbula)
Felicity Williams (voice)
Denzal Sinclaire (voice)
Nick Fraser (drums)
Dom Flemons (voice, guitar, bones, quills)
Ron Miles (cornet)
Produced by Jayme Stone and David Travers-Smith
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by David Travers-Smith
Artwork by Camilla Perkins
Design by Travis Ladue
Art Direction by Jayme Stone
Visit Jayme's Website
To me, an album is an elegant art form—like a sonnet or a symphony. I've loved them since before I was old enough to drop the needle myself. I still pore over a record's liner notes and immerse myself in its artwork while soaking in its sounds. I believe deeply in the medium: the overarching concept, the unfolding of the sequence, the beauty of each song's interconnectedness.
Do you?
If so, I invite you to support this project. You will be doing much more than pre-ordering an album: you will be participating in its creation, sustaining its makers, and bucking a system that believes artists should work for nothing while Silicon Valley gets the spoils. Will you join us?
It's no secret that the music industry has undergone a sea change. While it's easy to celebrate the way in which technology now allows artists to reach audiences worldwide, distribute music instantly, and become more independent, the current state of the recording industry is financially treacherous for us.
Paying a living wage to musicians, producers, engineers, studio owners, illustrators and designers means making an album like this costs in the neighborhood of $30,000. Meanwhile, the masterminds at Apple, Google and Spotify have convinced millions of people that music should be (practically) free. A willingness to withstand a little advertising or shell out $9.99 a month is enough to beam the entire history of recorded music to your stereo or smartphone.
Have you ever stopped to wonder whether this model is sustainable for artists?
It's not. It's like the issue of fair trade coffee: once we understand the reality of invisible laborers being paid a pittance to cultivate our coffee (or pick our blackberries or sew our clothes), some of us can no longer go along with an unsustainable system. We want to support what nourishes us. Get back to our roots and water them. Keep the music flowing.
With Gratitude,
Jayme Stone
Risks and challenges
This is my seventh album release and I know the process well. The project has been in the works for a year and I've put together an extraordinary team. I have no doubt this album will be released on time and fulfill all your expectations.
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Funding period
- (35 days)