We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Jasper Makes Music

by Matt Jasper

/
1.
Just Another Day 02:35
buy track
2.
Change Your Whole Tune 02:42
buy track
3.
One Sunny Day 02:34
buy track
4.
She's So Cool 01:54
buy track
5.
With You 02:27
buy track
6.
All The Tired Men 03:14
buy track
7.
Falling Off Track 02:46
buy track
8.
Don't Go Today 02:56
buy track
9.
My Whole Life's A Mess 01:31
buy track
10.
Who Is Wise 02:30
buy track
11.
Complete Me 02:17
buy track
12.
Call Me Baby 02:33
buy track
13.
Dragon Lady 02:48
buy track
14.
Mockingbird 03:22
buy track

about

For the first time in 20 years, Jasper Makes Music is now available digitally.

Jasper Makes Music is the first album by Matt Jasper, released in 2001, after being recorded on a 4 track recorder in the fall of 2000. The artwork is based off of the children's book of the same name "Jasper Makes Music" by Betty Horvath, with beautiful illustrations by Fermin Rocker.

For this digital album reissue via Bandcamp, Matt Jasper will be donating all June 2020 proceeds of Bandcamp sales of the music album Jasper Makes Music, to the Center for Racial Justice In Education (centerracialjustice.org/partnerships-and-initiatives/racial-justice-in-schools-initiative-rjis/), a NYC based non-profit whose mission is to empower educators to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in our schools and communities.

From Matt Jasper (written in June 2020):

Jasper Makes Music, the music album, is a document of an 18 year old boy from Long Island NY, learning how to use a basic multi-track recorder for the first time, and recording the songs that he wrote when he was 17-18 years old. Prior to beginning any significant romantic relationships, the songs flow as loosely conceived as a concept album about the span of how a relationship could go. Sonically, it is a raw sounding album, with 4 recorded track stems per song, largely of vocals, acoustic guitar, and bass, with a bit of bongo drums on a few tracks (not necessarily played to perfection, but with enthusiasm). An original limited pressing of 100 CD-Rs were pressed, with song titles and details handwritten and sold throughout Long Island coffeeshops and open mike nights in the Summer of 2001.

Viewed retrospectively from another lens, the artwork for the album as originally intended could be seen as a flashpoint of cultural appropriation on a few levels. I am a white, Jewish, (at the time) suburban musician, who was originally inspired to name the album after a children's book that I found in his parent's attic called Jasper Makes Music, written by Betty Horvath and illustrated by Fermin Rocker in the 1960s. His parents, both New York City public schoolteachers, with forty years a piece of public service, had the book on hand in their home to help teach the lesson of learning the value of hard work to their students, who were largely POC.

The children's book Jasper Makes Music, tells the story of Jasper, a young boy who sees an acoustic guitar in a storefront window for the steep price of $29.95, and asks his family for financial assistance to obtain the guitar. His family recommends taking part in some chores in order to begin to raise the funds for the guitar purchase. Additionally, Jasper gets creative, creating a guitar out of a cigar box and plywood to try to replicate the sound of the guitar. Ultimately the book ends without seeing Jasper's purchase of the original guitar, but commends the value of hard work towards accomplishing your goals.

It is not lost on me that the characters, as illustrated by Fermin Rocker, are of African American descent. It is important to shed light on the importance of stories large and small of People of Color, and for children growing up to see positive Black stories, of characters that look like them, reflected back at them.

At this moment in time (June 2020), we are undergoing a change moment in American history, under the challenges of a global pandemic and a time of extremely tense race relations between police who often exhibit excessive force at the expense of Black Lives. As a white man examining his privilege, that allowed him to create music and was inspired on this record by the black artists Betty Horvath and illustrator Fermin Rocker who came before him, I'm happy to re-examine the privilege in potential for cultural appropriation in my past, and try to make a contribution towards change.

As part of launching this album via Bandcamp, Matt will be donating all June 2020 proceeds of Bandcamp sales of the music album Jasper Makes Music, to the Center for Racial Justice In Education (centerracialjustice.org/partnerships-and-initiatives/racial-justice-in-schools-initiative-rjis/), a NYC based non-profit whose mission is to empower educators to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in our schools and communities.

-Matt

credits

released January 20, 2001

"Jasper Makes Music" words and music by Matt Jasper (c) 2001 Jasper Makes Music

*******
Recorded on a TASCAM Porta02 four track recorder in Merrick, NY, Fall 2000. Matt played a cracked Ovation acoustic guitar found by his father on the curb after a bike ride and restrung left handed, an Ibanez bass guitar, and recorded using a Shure SM57 microphone purchased alongside the multi-track recorder. He also played percussion on a toy bongo drum borrowed from Amy Krienes.

Originally Mastered off of the TASCAM to a CD burner by Tim Garry.
*******

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Matt Jasper image

Matt Jasper Seattle, Washington

Matt Jasper plays guitar, bass guitar, banjo, ukulele, keyboards, and sings. He has written hundreds of songs, recording 5 albums between 2000-2010 and is putting together an album a month in 2021. He has performed extensively throughout Seattle, New York City, New Jersey and Long Island, with experience performing at regional tours throughout the Northeast and West Coast of the US. ... more

contact / help

Contact Matt Jasper

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Matt Jasper, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now