Simply Six: Jeremy Schonfeld

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

 Not sure if there was one such moment for me. My mom says I began tinkering around on the piano and writing little songs at a very young age, 4-5, something like that. Of course, lyrics didn't really come together 'til much later, but I always sang along with what I played even when I didn't have much to really say!

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

I tend to go back to certain favorites. I really love the sound that Alison Krauss and Union Station get, just lush, achingly beautiful stuff. I love my 70's rock, especially when I'm in a car or driving. Bad Company, Skynard, Thin Lizzie, Boston, etc. and then there are the storytellers like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Of course, no piano-man can deny the influence of Billy Joel or Elton. I think I've always leaned towards the Billy Joel side of that argument because of the stories he used to tell and how expressive the music was in helping define those stories....And then there's the British side of things: Beatles, Stones, Who, Zep etc. Not much new in there unfortunately.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live? 

Been fortunate to have a few, and there are still many to come hopefully. I would have to say the whole process of recording my latest record, "Iron & Coal" in Vienna this year was a huge and emotional achievement. It's just the biggest, most detailed production I've ever done, and the experience of recording (then later performing) in a former Third Reich country really helped deepen an album that was already steeped in my personal family history. Performing for the opening ceremony of the first Maccabi Games held in a former Third Reich country this Summer in Vienna and Music directing/performing for the opening ceremonies two years ago at Madison Square Garden were both pretty cool moments as well.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

That's a good question. I worry sometimes that we live in such a fast-paced, soundbite world where everything is streaming everywhere 'right now', that it's difficult to get anyone to focus on anything for very long. That, and the fact that we process music so differently now make the answer less obvious than it was, say even 10-15 years ago. Music and art in general should be able to change the world. But the world has to find a way to slow down, focus, and take it all in. On a personal note, songwriters need to go back to crafting songs again, and the industry at large needs to step away from the dance floor - but that's just me.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician? 

Plus and minus on this one: Plus side, it's so much more accessible now, which makes recording and creating infinitely easier for many artists. You don't have to be rich or get a big record deal to create cool exciting music. Hell, you don't even have to be in the building! People can collaborate all around the world without ever having to jump a flight etc. So that's good. On the downside, I think there are a lot more untrained musicians making music now because they can. Who needs to actually learn to play an instrument when all the technology does it for you? Singers don't have to really sing if you can fix everything in the studio, right? So, it's a definite mixed bag.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

I gotta pair of vintage Frye round-toe cowboy boots that look great and are unique as hell. I get 'em re-soled every year or so, but they still get me where I need to go.

Simply Six: Andrew Cole

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

A: Seeing Michael Jackson perform Billie Jean on the Motown 25 Live show.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

A: Everything from Mark Knoffler, Miles Kane, The Gallahger Brothers, Kathleen Edwards, Elton John to the Gypsy Kings.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

A: Having some of my heros play on my record was a great moment for me. It was so special because I was also learning from the artists that I have so much respect for.

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

A: Look in the history books, music does change the world. Music is the most powerful form of art. In history rockstars have been more powerful than world leaders. The future is waiting and in desperate need of the next movement as icons aren’t as readily available as they were at the birth of decades such as the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The world has been drenched with ego and worry. Which is a contradiction of the senses which in turn leaves earth and its people gagging and clawing for help and guidance. Not from those who know the truth or the future as a psychic but from those who are enriched with one collasal inner structure and that word is belief.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?
A: The internet has given the opportunity to hear things that they would never be able to hear or experience visually or otherwise. But there are pros and cons as technology has ruined the beauty and excitement of lining up at your local record store for the latest release. Some of the kids of today unfortunately may never hear how beautiful a vinyl record sounds instead… well we know where we are now.

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

A: Clown shoes.

SIMPLY SIX: Jeff Jacob

Jeff Jacob is a singer/songwriter from Nashville.

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

My defining "moment" would have been a combination of being in school musicals as a very young kid all the way up through high school, quiting piano lessons after 6 years in my early teens and then realizing I could just write my own songs. They were pretty bad back then, but I recorded some with the guys in the house band on a river cruise ship and then just kept going...It was all about getting in the studio and recording for me.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

I love SO much of a variety. Favorites include - Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Bryan Adams, John Waite,early REM, The Beatles, The Stones....Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, John Fogerty, Dobie Gray, Ray Charles....Billy Joel, Elton John...Elvis, Steve Earle, Tina Turner....

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Generally speaking, I think there are small moments when people come up to me after a gig, or listening to a recording of mine and say how much a certain song moved them or meant to them. I have this song God Backwards, about a dog who has been put down by his owner as a humane choice, and the dog is talking through God back to his owner telling him how grateful he is....Only one time in the years I've been playing this song live, have I not had a least one person come up to me after wards and tell me how much that song meant to them because of their own experience with a loved pet.

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

Music can change the world, because change and revolution really happen one person at a time, until a critical mass or one huge unified voice rises up and demands that things change, and music can certainly if not directly lead to change, help inspire, galvanize and unify that focus.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Technology has been killing the commercial recording studios for the past 6-7 years at a very fast pace, but on the flipside here we indies have all sorts of digital avenues to promote and sell our products and gigs...that's pretty great. I really need to get more with that!

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

It's a battle between an old pair of "Chucks" and a comfortable pair of flip-flops these days. Check with me in the next few years...If I move to the beach as I'm hoping to do in the near future....you'll know which shoe wins!

Simply Six: Brother Joscephus

Just recently we did a Spotlight on Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution and today we're doing a Simply Six with the leader of the group, Brother Joscephus himself.

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

I grew up worshipping music. My younger brother and I would listen to the Beatles and Elton John and would sing and harmonize all the time. We also did a weekly ranking/arrangement of our collection of 45’s, spreading them out all over the floor in order of how we felt that particular week.

Believe it or not, the defining moment for me was when I had a visual to go with the audio – in my case it was MTV – back when MTV really was music television, when it was JUST starting out. I remember being around 10 years old and watching the guy from Men at Work play guitar and thinking – yep, time for guitar lessons.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

I’m a total iPod geek. I’ve spent years and years honing my iPod collection – sometimes up to 10 hours a day when I was really researching the importance of the iPod collection and trying to leave no stone unturned in the musical history archives. Every track in my iTunes is meticulously labeled and has the correct year of creation (live performances trump release date), original album, artwork, etc. If I download something that’s a compilation I have to find the original albums that the songs appeared on.

I like to make all kinds of intricate playlists and pretty much listen to everything on shuffle.

I always love song-oriented stuff as I consider myself first and foremost a songwriter. My favorite songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Donald Fagen, Tom Waits, Pete Townshend, Randy Newman. I also love Ollabelle and early Dixie Chicks.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

I once sang the National Anthem at Safeco Field in front of 30,000 people which was pretty cool. But seeing the evolution of Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra – the righteousness and originality of the music and what we’re doing and the way we’re doing it… nothing I’ve done in my 20+ years as a musician compares.

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

Music changing the world is kinda my thing. I mean, we ARE the Love Revival Revolution – we ARE actively trying to start a revolution here. Sure, why can’t music change the world? Art is a form of expression and has been influential in shaping world views since the dawn of time, if you think about it.

I think living in the information age and the worldwide accessibility to media and, hence, art makes the ability to change the world through music more viable and powerful than ever before in the history of mankind.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?

I’m still trying to figure out how to actually make money with this new technology thing. But I think it’s ultimately really evened the playing field. There’s good and bad and I think the whole thing is still sorting itself out. But to go along with my previous statement, I believe in my heart that making music and art much more accessible to everyone throughout the world is a good thing. Especially if you’re trying to change the world or just spread love and music to as many people as possible. In that respect, it’s really great.

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?
Well, I really have two personae, David Mendelsohn who’s the reality anchor behind the project, and my alias/alter ego/stage personae, Brother Joscephus.

David would be comfy sandals. BroJo would be alligator skin boots with 3 inch heels.