2011 Blog Entries

Happy Holidays!

I wish you were here with me in Key West! I love it here...lots of music, lots of sun and lots of good people. I think I will be spending some serious beach time here over the next few years so you know where to find me if you're looking for a vacation.

Back in 2007...I pressed this CD on a limited run. We only printed two boxes of the CDs, then I got signed and those CDs just sat in my closet. As I was selling all my stuff and packing for my tour I found them.

We decided to make the CD available as a Sun Drenched Christmas Special.  This unreleased version of my 2007 "Sun Drenched" Album would make a great gift for the Justin James fan on your holiday gift list.

This Special Release includes two unreleased songs that were not on the official "Sun Drenched" album and the album features different artwork.

This Winter I will be in Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic until April working on new songs to share w/ you.

I love hearing from you and wish you the best holidays!

Aloha,

JJ

It has almost been a month and honestly it's been one of the best months of my life. I am pretty cut out for this. Cruising from town to town singing my songs meeting new friends. Living the dream. I'm writing this from Padre Island on the Gulf of Mexico. I finally have a few days off and I came down w/ a little head cold. It's funny how the body and mind will pull you through the busy schedule and then when you have a few days off - POW. Better now then when I was singing everyday I guess.

I rolled "L Coache" (my tour Van) down to the beach yesterday. I'm recuperating and catching up on emails ect. Next, I'm heading through Lake Charles, Baton Rouge and New Orleans next before heading up to Nashville and then all the way down to FL Keys. My rough plan is to hang in the Keys for a few weeks and then head to Costa Rica for Xmas and New Years, then I will pop over to Cuba (I'm Canadian, eh) for a week or two before heading back to the Dominican Rep. I'll spend a few months there working on songs and planning my next tour. Springtime should see me touring North and South Cali, AZ, Hawaii and then I might tour across Canada by train! Woot Woot. I figure early June would be a beautiful time to tour across my home and native land. Summer 2012? I don't know yet - maybe East Coast maybe Europe for a little bit. I'll just go with the flow and where my music takes me.

I will take my new tour Van "LCoache" all the way to the tip of the Florida Keys and try to play as many shows in between. I will then be relocating my home-base to the Caribbean. It has been a crazy month for me...the thought of leaving and starting a new life is exciting but I will miss California a lot. It has been a great run with great friends and great times.

This Tuesday I head out on a big adventure. I am officially leaving California after 10 years! I will take my new tour Van "LCoache" all the way to the tip of the Florida Keys and try to play as many shows in between. I will then be relocating my home-base to the Caribbean. It has been a crazy month for me...the thought of leaving and starting a new life is exciting but I will miss California a lot. It has been a great run with great friends and great times.

LCoache

I bought a new tour Van. She is called "LCoache" and she is a beauty. Pink interior and all! I have also been taking a iMovie editing class so I can do some basic road blogging for you all. I think my first couple will be kinda amateur but stick with me! Ha! These videos will be posted on my website and facebook during my tour. I hope you come along for the ride.

Video tour of LCoache!

It's a beautiful day and my new album “A Beautiful Life” is live worldwide on iTunes!

To hear my new songs you can order through Itunes or you can order a physical copy here on my website and you will receive an automatic download of the album while I personally sign the CD and mail it off to you.

I am excited and I hope you enjoy my new songs. Thank you for supporting independent music.
For all you that pre-ordered, your CDs will be in the mail really soon.

One Beating Heart Tour 2011

As you might have heard…I’m taking my music on the road. The end of Sept I leave on a coast-to-coast tour. I’m working night and day booking the tour and I could really use your help. If you would like to see me perform in your area please drop me a line and let me know of a small venue in your neighborhood. Remember, it will be my first time in a lot of the cities across the USA so as much as I would like to play the arena it won't happen on this tour.

"A Beautiful Life" will be officially released on Aug 23rd 2011. It will be available on iTunes and most digital retailers and of course through my site. Physical CDs can be ordered directly from my website. If you place your order before July 31st you get your name in the credits on the CD jacket!

New Video
My good friend Julie Breau created a very moving video for the 4th of July with my song "Seven Days". I wanted you all to see it.

Happy Day

Summer time! yes! It is the first official day of summer.  I just got back from the beach and it really feels like summertime now.  I hope the sun is shining in your corner of the world.

I returned to California from an amazing tour of the Hawaiian Islands and Canada. I am back finishing the new album and planning a late summer tour across the U.S.A. I got my camper and I'm selling everything I own and hitting the road! I'm going to make it all the way to FL and leave my little R.V there. Then I guess I'll just go where ever the music takes me. I'm a dreamer, what can I say...It's time for a change and I want to see so many more places and meet all of you so I'm thinking ...we only live once in this lifetime. Go for it!

I will be contacting all of you that have sent me messages over the last months and years asking me to tour in your town. This tour is going to be routed by you. I am an independent artist and without you all I could not do what I love. I will make all the effort in the world to come to your town if requested.

If you would like me to perform in your neighborhood please send me a message here and we will be in touch.

Music Video --One Beating Heart-- June 26th 
This Sunday the Official Video Shoot for my new song "One Beating Heart" will be taking place in Burbank CA. 100% of the iTunes sales of this song will go directly to www.Hands.org which in turn will go to disaster victims. We still need 12 more extras for the shoot. If you are available and interested in being involved please go to: www.onebeatingheart.org and sign up as an extra. After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with directions and details. Please only sign up if you are sure you can be there. Call time will be 8:45am in Burbank and we will need you for about 3 hours. All extras will receive a free digital copy of my new CD.

Aloha friends

Just arrived in Hawaii and sending a quick hello. If anyone is chilling island style I hope to see you at a show.

May 6th Lulu's in Waikiki -Oahu 6pm. Performing at sunset over famous Waikiki Beach. Lulu's is one of my favorite Hawaiian hangouts. The second story porch overlooks the turquoise ocean. Beautiful!

May 13th Boardriders in Kailua -Oahu 9pm. I will be performing with two amazing Hawaiian musicians. Konrad on percussion and Bobby Young (Don Ho's former guitarist). This will be a great night in my old neighborhood.

May 19th Three's Surf Lounge in Kihie -Maui 9pm A new hotspot in Maui. Live music and amazing sushi!. My two favorite things. My only show in Maui this tour.

May 21st Tree's Lounge in Kapaa -Kauai. 9pm This is my second time playing here. I love the aloha on Kauai and in this venue. Great people and great times. I will be joined by local girl Michelle Walker and friends on stage.

I might perform a few impromptu shows on North Shore Oahu May 7th - 17th...check my Facebook page or my site for last minute updates. The end of May I will be returning to my home and native land and performing a few shows in Vancouver. Check my site for dates and locations.

My new CD is getting close! Thank you to everyone for following me, this summer you will have new music. I hope it makes you smile.

I am excited to announce that I have officially partnered with Hands.org. They are an amazing organization that has helped out thousands of families and communities in times of need.

This partnership has come about because I have written a song titled “One Beating Heart” that will be released on my next album. The song is about us all coming together and helping each other in a time of need. This is exactly what Hands.org is about: Disaster Relief. It feels like we are living in a world where every few months we face a new disaster and Hands.org is there to help the communities and families that are affected.

100% of the proceeds from the iTunes sales off my new song, "One Beating Heart" will be going to Hands.org and that also means 100% of the proceeds will go to disaster victims. Salary and overhead costs at Hands.org are fully covered via grants, if you donate $100 then $100 finds it way to someone in need. Please take a minute to watch the inspiring video…they are an amazing group of people and I am honored to partner with them.

Please watch this important video about Hands.org.

Annual Appeal for 2011 from All Hands Volunteers on Vimeo.

We will be creating a video this summer for the song, if you want to be involved or be an extra in the video we have created a website with all the details: www.Onebeatingheart.org

Happy New Year

I hope you all had an amazing Holiday season!

I've been out of the mix lately. I had a an unexpected return to Vancouver, BC. I will be spending a month or so here with family. Now that I am here in Beautiful British Columbia I will be performing some shows in and around Vancouver, so if you are in the Pacific Northwest come out and say hello!

A Beautiful Life- An Album I am working on my next album "A Beautiful Life". I was in the studio last month and started laying down the first tracks. I am so excited to share it with you. If you would like to be part of this album please click here find out how.

You can get your name in the credits of the CD jacket or you can book a private show. All the funds will go directly to the production of the album. I am looking at a late spring release. If you pre-order the new album I will sign it and personally mail it to you. Thank you for your support.