Jacob S. McLaughlin Music
Vermont based pianist, vocalist, organist, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter.
LATEST NEWS
NOVEMBER 18 CATCHING UP AND STAYING BUSY
Hello to all! Sorry I've been neglecting to provide updates here. It's been quite the ride since my July post. I've endured some show cancelations and performed a lot less than I might wish in person. Still, I'm doing all I can to keep myself and my family safe during this pandemic.
I've tried adapting some doing what I can to perform plenty via Facebook and some other streaming platforms (Twitch and Instagram). It's a different way of connecting with audiences, but I find I need the music as much as my audiences do.
I've played Facebook the most with a few various formats of streams: Originals Night playing my own songs; Instrumental Night (solo piano); Viewer Request Night where I play only what the audience wants; and Artist Night where I highlight a particular band or solo artist and poll my fans about what they want to hear to build a set. I've done some other formats on occasion, but those are the big ones. Growing in popularity, I've done Name That Tune! a couple times, rewarding the winner with an hour set of their requests. I've been too busy to do it this month, but I'll pick it up again in December.
I'm still working on writing more of my own songs and building my proficiency on guitar and other instruments. I even got a kalimba on my birthday over a week ago which I'll have to check out.
The holiday season is quickly approaching and I'm eager to get into all that music again. It won't be like normal -- much like plenty of things changed this year due to COVID-19 -- but we'll make it through! I'll fill all of you in more soon to catch up. Thanks for stopping in and I hope you enjoy all the content.
MUSIC
JULY 6 A NEW MONTH AND MOVING FORWARD
Happy July to all of you! I had a fun weekend with streaming a bunch of patriotic favorites and requests over Facebook, as well as playing plenty of great music at church. It's hard to believe it's been a month now since we've reconvened post-shutdown. Numbers are still down with plenty of folks still not feeling the safest about going out.
I feel a bit uneasy about getting out lots myself, so I'll be taking it slowly. Currently, I'm trying to plan out one or two gigs a month outside of my church work. I do have plenty of streams scheduled on Facebook -- and posting my PayPal link for Originals Night shows. You can go to my page and click the "Events" tab for more details on those.
Speaking of Originals Night, I'm working on writing more materials. The downtime from "stay at home" that lasted from mid-March to June really did something for my creativity and inspiration. It allowed more time for me to try to practice guitar regularly as well. Hoping to have some new materials to share this week...and I'm gradually trying to get working on recording materials (and some of your tips help go towards this process). Regardless, I'm going to keep producing some great music and happy to share it at whatever live shows I'm doing and over Facebook.
Working on preparing a couple weddings now: one in a couple months, the other not until next year. That will be great and keep me a little more busy. Glad to hear that they're still happening given the postponing of plenty of others and still some that were probably restricted with the pandemic.
Be on the lookout...I'll have some business cards coming out soon, and I'm overhauling my YouTube channel. SoundCloud needs some updating which I'll do. I'll have more merchandise available at live appearances. Those are always cool collectibles! As I've said to a few folks, I don't get bored because there's always something I could be doing! Even if it's slow and steady, it gets done. Speaking of which, I think I'll get back to work now! I'll leave another update soon.
JUNE 20 WELCOME TO MY NEW WEBSITE!
Welcome to all of you! Thanks for coming to check out my new website. I'm glad to launch this. I've needed a proper website for a bit, but as some people say, good things take time. This undertaking has taken some! Bear with me as I learn more how to construct this to serve my purposes better. I hope to organize everything here effectively to get all of you to both be able to see what you need and get you to affiliated websites for more related content.
2020 has been quite the year so far...a bit of a new beginning which actually began late last year when I shifted more focus on my solo endeavors. That brought opening doors to work with some other talented area musicians and beginning some new friendships and connections on the local music scene. January brought me performing more at some local spots, doing more work at new spots, hustling to reach out to more. And February was chock full of some great performances and a bit of composing.
After playing some of my usual jobs at church and The Castle Hill Resort, and some other gigs -- a couple stops at Charity's Saloon on Killington Resort; an expo in Greenfield (kind of like a farmer's market of sorts); a benefit for Australian wildfire victims; and a debut at PK's Pub in Bellows Falls -- I capped things off with a Mardi Gras performance at Du Jour in Ludlow playing among a great lineup of local professionals.
The momentum carried up through the beginning of March with opening for a friend with a set of my originals works down at Stella Blues in New Haven, CT and running to Northern NH the next weekend for Alburrito's Mexican Restaurant and a local show at Neal's Restaurant the next night. Then it came to a sudden halt...
That's when I was worried and had a close call with with someone testing positive for Coronavirus. After a week of isolating at home, I felt so relieved I exhibited no symptoms and was well. That didn't stop me though!
Since then, I've taken time to go ahead and work more on some other tasks I'd only begun before...cultivating and improving my online audiences via Facebook stream, rehearsing more guitar on a regular basis, composing new songs and finishing up fragmented ideas, messing with some of my recording equipment. I've found ways to work alternatively as well with collaborations fueling inspiration and my bank account in small bits adding to some PayPal tips from streams exhibiting my own works. In addition, the extra time has given me a chance for this: developing my own site!
Things have begun reopening gradually at this point. I plan to make my comeback in like fashion. I'm going to make it strong though, having made good use of my time staying in my studio. Thanks to all of my family and friends old and new for having been so supportive to me through these periods. All of you help inspire what I do and I feel grateful. Hope you'll continue sticking with me as I work towards bigger and better!
LIVE DATES
JUNE 26 LIVE RADIO PERFORMANCE
Uncle Dave, host mornings from 6-10 a.m. on 101.5 FM WEXP Rutland, has invited me to perform live in their studio in Rutland this Friday. I'll be playing some selections from 802 Experience and some newer songs. Should be a blast! Tune in if you can. More details, and to stream online, go to https://wexp.org .
JUNE 26 JAZZ GIG IN CHESTER
I'll be performing at pizzeria/bar The Pizza Stone in Chester on Friday, June 26th, as accompanist to Jazz vocalist and Berklee alum Robin Lloyd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Curbside pick-up and outdoor dining available. For reservations, please call them at (802) 875-2121.