The Talented Mr. Poe

Ladies and Gentlemen…may we introduce to you, the one and only Jason Poe!

Jason is a singer/songwriter born in Springfield, MO in nineteen eighty-something, and he’s been in the ATX for 6 years.  He is obsessed with creating cleverly crafted hooks, relying on a piano and leaving his guitar behind.  His catchy choruses and thoughtful lyrics leave listeners wanting more (at least that’s what his bio says).

Jason is not only a great musician and writer, he’s a great person and a loyal MFTC volunteer.  In fact, he hasn’t missed a single Music For The City Saturday at the Austin Children’s Shelter, he contributed a song to our 1st album, and he’s on board for Volume 2 (coming out October 7)!  We are thankful for Jason Poe.

I talked with Jason earlier this month and would love to share what he had to say about volunteering, inspiration and his music.

What’s going on with you musically right now?

I’ve slowly been working on a few new tracks that I’ll be releasing in the fall.  I’ve also been working with local hip-hop artist Zeale on some of his new songs, and have been mixing for a few bands.  (read Jason’s blog post titled “Am I the next Dr. Dre?” for more info on this).

From where do you gain inspiration?

Lately, I’ve found a lot of inspiration through the music of my peers and friends.  There are so many amazing musicians in Austin that it’s hard not to be in awe of the talents that surround you.  It also keeps you from getting a big head, because you can get humbled pretty quickly in this town!

What do you love about MFTC, what keeps you coming back?

Music For The City is such a great way for artists in Austin to reach out to their community.  The staff at MFTC make volunteering really simple and fun.  Once a month, a lot of artists volunteer at the Austin Children’s Shelter, and it’s been such a rewarding experience for me.  The children and young adults there really just want to connect with people.  It’s as simple as bringing your guitar and just talking with them while they check out the instrument.  It’s extremely rewarding.

Why do you think serving through the arts matter?

Art opens up communication that wouldn’t otherwise be available.  It’s important to pass on and experience art both in community and as individuals.  Volunteering through MFTC has helped me connect with other great artists in Austin, and has given my own art more personal value because I can see how my abilities can impact others in my community.  That’s an exciting thing!

Isn’t he great?!

To conclude, here are a few links we highly recommend you check out…one may even include a FREE DOWNLOAD:

Jason Poe on iTunes

Free Download of Now Is The Winter EP

www.jasonpoemusic.com

until next time…

Makenzie Magnus, MFTC summer intern

an introduction…

We at Music For The City would like to introduce you to our summer intern, Makenzie Magnus.  Makenzie is a student at Wheaton College just outside Chicago, IL.  We’re excited to show her how we do things here in Austin, TX.  During her first two days on the job, she volunteered with us at The Austin Children’s Shelter and helped us pull off a great show at The Nutty Brown Cafe benefitting Water NOW.

The following is her first impression of working with MFTC…

 

I’m so excited to be in this beautiful city and working with MFTC…this past weekend was my first as the intern and I hit the ground running with Austin Children’s Shelter on Saturday and the WaterNow benefit at  the Nutty Brown Cafe on Sunday. WHAT an incredible weekend. Here’s a quick run-down:

MFTC has been working with ACS since January and is the only consistent group (which is HUGE) that comes to work with the kids. So what happens on a Saturday is a bunch of great musicians, artists, photographers and dancers set up shop in different rooms and the kids go around and hang out in whatever room interests them–some stick to one room, others go around to all of them. Walking around you hear music jam sessions, off-key singing in the Rock Band room (but seriously, who can sing on key with Rock Band?), and see kids running around with cameras on a photography scavenger hunt. It. Is. Awesome. Also, don’t even get me started on a peek of the dance room: 7 or 8 of the cutest little ones you have ever seen rolling around and jumping…geez. Could it get any better?

We also had a short meeting before everything started, and here are a few things that really resonated with me. Lamar talked about his 72-hour Street Retreat experience with Mobile Loaves & Fishes (read post below for more info) and how many of the people he met grew up in the foster care system. To paraphrase…“Most of us here have had opportunity after opportunity as well as encouragement and love from our families, churches, friends…our whole lives. And life is still pretty damn hard. Imagine life without all of that, and then try to imagine making it.” Janis, the staff leader we work with, followed by sharing how much this means to the kids and how there have already been sparks of interest and changes towards passion of the arts in some of their lives. “Each of us carry around a bucket of negative experiences and a bucket of positive experiences…the kids here carry buckets of negative experiences that far outweigh the positive. Every day, our goal is to put a little more in their positive bucket.” Needless to say, it is really cool to be a part of all this.

Sunday was the benefit concert for WaterNow (a great community-based organization bringing sustainable water wells to villages in Africa) at the Nutty Brown Cafe–we had a great turn out and it was such a blast. 10 bands, a crazy photo booth, kids running around, beautiful hand-made jewelry, a golden sunset, and plenty of dust makes for a great night. What’s special about events like this is that it’s a fun night for all ages to come hang out, enjoy great local music, eat good food…all the while knowing it’s all going towards something beyond that one night. $20 can provide one person clean water for 20 years. Cheers to that.

Looking forward to the MFTC adventures to come…

In love and light,

Makenzie

Party at the Children’s Shelter!

“With our staff and resources, we can provide for their basic needs…food, shelter, security and therapy.  Anything that these kids experience beyond that has to come from the community.  The staff here is their family, and the community is their launching pad.”  These are the words of Janis Gernert of the Austin Children’s Shelter (ACS) as she was preparing me and 16 other Austin artists to meet some amazing kids.  We at Music For The City hope to do our part to be a launching pad.

You see, last Saturday, we threw a party for the teens at ACS to kick off a series of art workshops we will be hosting there on the fourth Saturday of every month.  16 local artists–dancers, visual artists, musicians and more–came out to the shelter to meet and simply hang out with the kids.  Sure, we had live music and root beer floats, but the highlight of the morning was seeing a group of artists and teenagers clumsily step out of their comfort zones and find some common ground.  Images stick in my mind such as Joshua Zarbo and Brian Batch playing basketball, Dave Schwab and his mustache leading an ice-breaker game, Nate Vasquez scooping ice cream, and Jason Poe tearing his skinny jeans playing hacky-sack.

I think the demeanor of the artist is disarming.  Uncertainty and skepticism on the part of the teens soon turned to smiles and laughter.  Our own Kristin Vasquez recalls the walls of a few teenage girls immediately falling at the prospect of dance lessons.  We’re so excited to teach these kids about music, film, dance, photography, painting, even journalism…but more than anything, we’re excited to be present, to be a part of their lives on a consistent basis.  We’re excited to know and love these kids.

Our first official Music For The City Saturday at ACS is March 26…and I can’t wait to share the stories!

until next time

lamar stockton

MUSIC FOR THE CITY

ARTS program at the Austin Children’s Shelter

Hello friends.

MUSIC FOR THE CITY is excited to start an ongoing arts program at the Austin Children’s Shelter!  The 4th Saturday of every month will be Music For The City Day.  From 10am-12pm we will host art workshops for the teens who live on campus in the long-term housing (the Shelter is home to approximately 40 teens who stay for an average of 6-9 months).  ALL of these teens are interested in art as a way to cope with, process, and express complex emotions.  We would like to give the kids a chance to experience all kinds of art…music, photography, painting, design, film, dance, poetry, etc.

If you love kids and you’re awesome at what you do, then we would love for you to be involved.  We’re throwing a party at the Shelter on Saturday, February 19, 10am-12pm, to kick off this new partnership.  Live music, food, games, etc.  We would love to have a bunch of artists come and hang out with the kids…it will be a blast!

Beginning in March, we are committing to every 4th Saturday for 6 months (March–August)…we would like to have some degree of consistency so we can build relationships/trust with the kids.  That said, please, Please, PLEASE let me know as soon as you can if you are interested in being a part of this.  The impact that your time and your art could have on these kids is immeasurable, and I can’t wait to witness some of these stories.

I look forward to hearing from all of you soon!  Thanks!

lamar stockton

lamar@musicforthecity.org