Joel Van Dijk Album update!

Hey all, it has been a little while since I have mentioned this project in particular but let it be known it is still in full effect! This whole album has been a definitive learning process in all areas (singing, writing, recording, mixing, arranging etc…) but it has been well worth it and I have been working on and off since January perfecting and crafting what I am willing to call my current masterpiece!

The process has been on and off for multiple reasons, the first being that I don’t make a living from making my own record! (yet!) So I gotta shlep my services around for some change and time. That being said, I have been playing and touring with my friend and musical cohort Aloe Blacc (as you can see below) and that has been a fun experience which I value greatly. I will have this record finished and released before our September tour to Europe in support of his album “Good Things.” You best know I had Aloe sing some backgrounds on this record!

I really am so grateful for the amazing group of musicians that have shared their soul and talents on this record, though you will see it again I gotta give these guys as much cred as I can:

The Glue, Bennie Rodgers II on the drums
The sauce, Te’Amir Sweeney on Percussion
The Gonzo, Joseph Gonzales on the electric Bass
The smooveness, Ron Avant on Rhodes and Organ
The Dyerisms, Peter Dyer on keyboards and synthesizers
The Berg! Adam Berg on Keyboards and owner of the beautiful facilities I have been able to use in the this process Manifest Studios
The Beast!! Douglas Showalter on guitars and programming
The Orchestra, Paul Dateh on Violins!
The Horny Horns! Ben Adamson-trumpet, Reginald Paul-sax, David Olivias on flute and sax
DJ Just Matter on the 1′s and 2′s

And last but absolutely not least the wonderful background singers:
Mary Akpa for the jazz notes and “negro spiritual” as she called it , Esther Adjepong for the low notes and English accent, Leah King for some amazing tone and mista Aloe Blacc for the old soulness!!

I need a clap track for these folks, seriously my one clap ain’t enough. I highly recommend hiring all of these folks or checking them out as each one has a wealth of talent and amazing creaitvity.

So anyhoo, back to the album! It will be featuring 10 originals, it is entitled “Truthseeker.” I already have a music video for one of the songs, “So Far From Myself” conceptualized and created by the illustrious Marcus McDougald of Enso Films. This track will also be featured in the yet unreleased movie “Playback” (not sure of the release date on that yet) in which I scored the majority of the flick. So there you have it folks! That’s the news, I am finishing up the mixing of the album and will be releasing it at the end of august/ early september. Keep an eye and an ear out as I will be performing in advance of this as well as having a release/listening party for all my peeps! Thanks for reading all this nonsense and being a supporter, I hope you will enjoy my art as I believe it is one of my only duties to share it with you!

BreezyLoveJoy

Nice little video of a session I did with the homie BreezyLoveJoy and crew, if you haven’t seen or heard of him or his band, just know they are dope.

BreezyLovejoy.com

Here is another personal favorite from the Breezy camp:

Joel Van Dijk Album Spring 2010

Greetings friends and observers of all sorts!! This is the news:

It has been too long, I have too much music unheard and unavailable to the masses and I won’t stand for it any longer! I have the framework and material for a full-length album in the recording/production phase with a number of tracks almost done or completely finished and many others written and in the conceptual stages.

The style will be an eclectic fusion of electric soul-hop and organic instrumental flavor. I will be taking on the majority of sounds, from vocals to production, guitars, and otherwise with some projected appearances by Aloe Blacc, U-N-I, Cook Classics and others (If you are reading this and want to get involved please hit me up!). Live joints and other instruments will be featuring The Love Supreme (Bennie Rodgers, Peter Dyer, T’eamir Sweeney, Ron Avant, and Joseph Gonzales), Manifest Music Productions‘ Adam Berg and DJ Matter, production by Nathan @ DTA Studios (Rough Status big ups!). Newest update: Envisage Films (Marcus McDougald) has began production on one of the music videos to be featured with this release!

So there it is! My Manifesto for Artistry. I have some reservations and occasionally fear about being an artist. Some may say that I already am an artist per se, but until now I have never marketed myself as such or focused my effort into finding my sound and I am excited about sharing a part of myself with the world, some of the experiences I have had in my life and some thoughts on our state of affairs in society, spirituality, and otherwise.

For years I have focused my efforts on mastering the guitar and other instruments, to compose, record and produce music, but recently my goal has shifted to tackle the art of song and the stories, the melody and the emotive. To find the essence of who I am and share it with you.

For now I will leave you with a simple youtube video performing an acoustic version of my song “Change.” I am considering blogging throughout this production process and giving some previews of where I will be going with this one. PEACE, BLESSINGS & HEALTH to all!