River Jones Music
Encyclopedia
River Jones Music is an independent record label based in Phoenix, Arizona
. It was founded in 2007 by River Jones. The label is home to Courtney Marie Andrews
,, Steff Koeppen and the Articles, Michelle Blades, and many others. Courtney Marie Andrews was the first to sign to the label in 2007. The regional start with the collective has been compared to previous label upstarts such as Sub Pop
, Saddle Creek, and Merge Records
.
(a collection of song demos done with Beck
's musical director Greg Kurstin
). In late 2007, River Jones and Katy Rose parted ways. River Jones set out to find an artist to produce and met Courtney Marie Andrews
at an art gallery in Phoenix, Arizona. Courtney Marie Andrews's first album Urban Myths, which was recorded, printed, and produced by River Jones out of an apartment June 2008. Andrews's second full length Painters Hands and a Seventh Son was recorded, produced, and released by Jones exactly one year later.
The release was followed by Michelle Blades' first full length album Oh, Nostalgia! in 2009 and Owl and Penny's first LP Fever Dreams in 2009. Both albums were again produced by River Jones.
In 2010, Steff Koeppen and the Articles and Sownbones submitted already produced albums to be released through the label.
Also in 2010, Courtney Marie Andrews' third album titled For One I Knew was produced by Jones and Andrews herself. It featured Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World
, and Ethan McCracken recorded and mixed part of the album in Seattle, WA. It was mastered by Roger Seibel (of Elliott Smith
, Bikini Kill
, and Death Cab for Cutie
fame), through SAE mastering in Arizona.
In 2011, RJM signed its first international artist; Christine Owman from Sweden
who released a duet with Mark Lanegan
as a single to her debut album. River Jones started focusing his attention nationally, while Courtney Andrews continued to have her festivals and shows locally while touring internationally with Jimmy Eat World
Steff Koeppen and the Articles and You Me and Apollo both signed with major management in 2011. There are upcoming albums by Christine Owman, Courtney Marie Andrews, Owl & Penny, Michelle Blades, You Me and Apollo, and Steff Koeppen and the Articles.
Media
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. It was founded in 2007 by River Jones. The label is home to Courtney Marie Andrews
Courtney Marie Andrews
Courtney Marie Andrews is a singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. She released her first album, Urban Myths, as a teenager in 2008, going on to release two more albums and perform with Jimmy Eat World in 2010 and 2011.-Biography:...
,, Steff Koeppen and the Articles, Michelle Blades, and many others. Courtney Marie Andrews was the first to sign to the label in 2007. The regional start with the collective has been compared to previous label upstarts such as Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
, Saddle Creek, and Merge Records
Merge Records
Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records...
.
History
The first full-length release was set to be an album by Katy RoseKaty Rose
Katy Rose is an American singer, songwriter, producer, musician and actress. Her music styles vary from indie rock, electro pop, grunge, pop, lounge music and techno....
(a collection of song demos done with Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
's musical director Greg Kurstin
Greg Kurstin
Gregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
). In late 2007, River Jones and Katy Rose parted ways. River Jones set out to find an artist to produce and met Courtney Marie Andrews
Courtney Marie Andrews
Courtney Marie Andrews is a singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. She released her first album, Urban Myths, as a teenager in 2008, going on to release two more albums and perform with Jimmy Eat World in 2010 and 2011.-Biography:...
at an art gallery in Phoenix, Arizona. Courtney Marie Andrews's first album Urban Myths, which was recorded, printed, and produced by River Jones out of an apartment June 2008. Andrews's second full length Painters Hands and a Seventh Son was recorded, produced, and released by Jones exactly one year later.
The release was followed by Michelle Blades' first full length album Oh, Nostalgia! in 2009 and Owl and Penny's first LP Fever Dreams in 2009. Both albums were again produced by River Jones.
In 2010, Steff Koeppen and the Articles and Sownbones submitted already produced albums to be released through the label.
Also in 2010, Courtney Marie Andrews' third album titled For One I Knew was produced by Jones and Andrews herself. It featured Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
, and Ethan McCracken recorded and mixed part of the album in Seattle, WA. It was mastered by Roger Seibel (of Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
, Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
, and Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
fame), through SAE mastering in Arizona.
In 2011, RJM signed its first international artist; Christine Owman from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
who released a duet with Mark Lanegan
Mark Lanegan
Mark Lanegan is an American rock musician and songwriter. Lanegan began his music career in the 1980s, forming the grunge group Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band Lanegan would start a low-key solo career...
as a single to her debut album. River Jones started focusing his attention nationally, while Courtney Andrews continued to have her festivals and shows locally while touring internationally with Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
Steff Koeppen and the Articles and You Me and Apollo both signed with major management in 2011. There are upcoming albums by Christine Owman, Courtney Marie Andrews, Owl & Penny, Michelle Blades, You Me and Apollo, and Steff Koeppen and the Articles.
Artists
- Courtney Marie AndrewsCourtney Marie AndrewsCourtney Marie Andrews is a singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. She released her first album, Urban Myths, as a teenager in 2008, going on to release two more albums and perform with Jimmy Eat World in 2010 and 2011.-Biography:...
- Michelle Blades
- You Me and Apollo
- Owl & Penny
- Steff Koeppen and the Articles
- Sareena Dominguez
- Sownbones
Further Reading
- By the Time I Get to Phoenix (April 8, 2010)
- Damien Joyce: The Story of RJM (January 4, 2011)
- Phoenix New Times: RJM and Friends Festival (January 17, 2011)
- State Press: RJM and Friends Festival (February 2, 2011)
External links
- River Jones Music on BloggerBlogger (service)Blogger is a blog-publishing service that allows private or multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries. It was created by Pyra Labs, which was bought by Google in 2003. Generally, the blogs are hosted by Google at a subdomain of blogspot.com. Up until May 1, 2010 Blogger allowed users to publish...
Media
- River Jones Music on SoundCloudSoundCloudSoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform which allows collaboration, promotion and distribution of audio recordings.-History:SoundCloud was originally started in Stockholm, Sweden, but was established in Berlin, Germany in August, 2007 by sound designer Alex Ljung and artist Eric Wahlforss...
- River Jones Music on Last.fmLast.fmLast.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
- River Jones Music on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....