Short Summary
Ropeadope Records recording artist Jim Stephens Full Tilt
Boogie Band (JSFTBB) is a funk, jazz, blues, and gospel ensemble with some of the
most accomplished musicians in American music featured and with guest
appearances. Led by the compositions, production, and song writing of lap steel player, guitarist, and harmonica virtuoso, Jim
Stephens, the band features touring and studio musicians from bands as diverse
as: Bad Brains, Aretha Franklin , Ms. Lauren Hill, Teena Maria, Sun Ra Arkestra
to Billy Joel’s band to LL Cool J and Nina Simone’s band, and many more. It's truly an all-world family band.
JSFTBB is recording dual debut releases, "On Our Way to
Forever" and "Philasippiola Soul" which are 90% completed for Ropeadope Records (Snarky Puppy, Taj Mahal, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, etc...)
Gradually formed in Philadelphia between touring commitments
and Jim’s non-profit work through his own ER3, the band came together for the
first time in 2010 as a unit for an all-star benefit for Haiti Relief, and has been
performing together ever since.
The band consist of:
Jim Stephens: lap steel, guitar, and harmonica
Chuck Treece: Drums
Rah Sungee, Stan Davis, Greg Moore, Jake Dean: bass
Scott Coulter: piano, organ, Rhodes
Monique Canniere: violin
Greg Moore, Andre Coles, Col. Mike Tyler: Guitar
Winston Byrd: Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Elliott Levin: sax and flute
Jimmy Parker: Sousaphone
Kinyon Lanier, Sarah Kane, Andre Coles, Monique Canniere:
vocals
Lucky Thompson: Drums
Ian Dunlap: Drums
Several guest artists will be gracing the records and contributing from NOLA and beyond as they
become completed and for release. Please check back for updates, perks, and
thank you for any contributions to help bring these albums to the world.
What We Need & What You Get
$16,000 to complete 2
debut albums, “Philasippiola Soul” and “On Our Way To Forever.” With 24 tracks
between the two albums, both are 90% complete and will be released
simultaneously.
Approximately half of
the needed funds ($7,500) will go solely to the mixing and mastering process
for both albums.
Of the remaining,
$2,000 are for printing cds – $1,000 per album.
There is
approximately $2,000 left for finishing up the albums between studio time,
musician travel, etc.
There will be $4,500
needed for Public Relations and advertising. If people don’t KNOW about the
music, they can’t support it or see it, right?
If the goal is not
reached, all funds that are donated will go to finishing what can be and mixing
and mastering, with priority going towards completing and releasing any one or
few of several potential singles across genres and formats to generate sales to
generate the needed balance in full. All the while giving the ability to be
getting some songs out there in the meantime.
The Impact
You will be able to
help a truly unique and all-star band be able to release positive and emotional
and beautiful and dancing and funking music to a world much in need of healing,
through a record label whose reputation is impeccable since its inception.
Also the more we
reach and the better we do, the more we can help others through all of our
non-profit and charity activities. This band really does do the work. All of
us.
In addition to above,
these albums have been sitting unfinished and just longing to be released. Philasippiola Soul is a 15
year in the making album, On Our Way to forever was written and composed within
a few short days the last week of September 2014. And there is a
part two of each still to come. We’ve exhausted everything to date, and we just
want to get them out to people to share our art and hopefully healing with
people.
Risks & Challenges
The obstacles are
obviously we need 16k, and we may get $160.00. Then we’re really delayed,
delayed, delayed. That’s really our only obstacle. They’re 90% done and just about to be finished and released.
We’ve literally came
this far on nothing. And managed to squeeze out….well, we can’t even say the
amount to date, and the cooperation from everyone involved has been amazing.