Jerry Velvet Blogs

Calvaire

2007-10-19T18:54:00.001-04:00

Calvaire | The Music Thereof

2007-06-15T13:23:00.000-04:00

Spin a while, hast it not? The Calvaire Record is complete. It is currently being mastered and will be duplicated shortly thereafter. In the mean time, please visit the band's new website @ www.calvaire.ca The website is designed and maintained by Robin Jones. It is still under construction, but it is still worth checking out.

Also, the band can be emailed:

insertbandmember'snamehere@calvaire.ca

shane, kris, jason, joe, robin

or if you would like to email the entire band, calvaire.band ( at ) calvaire.ca

Band

2007-04-04T19:21:00.000-04:00

"In on the action in Velvetland"

2007-04-01T03:08:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: This post contains no fooling, April or otherwise.

Last night Calvaire (well, 80% of Calvaire, specifically), strolled over to Rancho Relaxo to witness the unveiling of the Avenue's new EP, "How the Story Goes". For those of you who don't know, Jerry Velvet spent the lion's share of 2006 recording and producing this effort. 12 months of blood, toil, tears, and sweat from the band embodied in one little plastic disc. $10 got you admission and your very own copy of the EP. $4.75 got you a pint of Amsterdam Blonde which is quite the deal. Anyway, the bar was filled with dozens upon dozens of Avenue supporters who lapped up the show as eagerly as they did the pints. Jerry Velvet's name and contact info were exchanged with many eager clients wanting to get 'in on the action in Velvetland'.

The Avenue are very proud of their work, but no more proud than Jerry himself.

Lots and lots of photos of the event are available for viewing on Facebook (so become a friend if you haven't already... get with the times...).

Calvaire were happy to support their friends in the Avenue and hope to see them at events for years to come. Inter-band projects have been going on for years, and many a drunken idea was spewed from one person to another, surely spawning countless albums to be made...

As for Calvaire, we'd say the record is 85% complete. Once the album is out, you will refer to all periods in your life to BCE and CE (before Calvaire era, and Calvaire era, respectively.)

As for Elm Hawks, Jerry, Filip, Frank, Nick, and Chris have decided to scrap pretty much all the work they have done and begin anew. Jerry and Chris have begun to really put every aspect of the project under the microscope to sculpt out the perfect record from start to finish. This ain't gonna be half-assed. Time must be taken, and there is lots of time in the future.

I love every one of you that reads this (please comment)

JV
FE
PRK
RJ

Elm Hawks & Elsewhere

2007-02-28T23:58:00.000-05:00

"As for Elm Hawks..."

The Elm Hawks project has been injected with a lot of adrenaline. Things are really starting to pick up steam. Chris Morais (vocals, guitar), Frank Grano (bass, backing vocals), and Filip Endula (guitar, drums) have begun to rehearse songs. Jerry Velvet and Chris have already begun recording, and have approximately 25% complete. Guide tracks were laid down at Jerry Velvet Studios, and the master files were then transferred to Chris's home studio for further sonic manipulation. Filip Endula has the responsibility to record the drum tracks at Jerry's studio, but will primarily be guitarist for the band. The search will begin to find another drummer for shows and such once the album is complete. Frank Grano has stepped in and taken the position of bassist. His unique approach and unconscionable attitude have been warmly welcomed by both Chris and Filip. A decision will also be made on whether or not the 'live band' will need a keyboardist. The band has a number of people in mind for who they'd like once the decision is made. Everyone is pleased as punch at the direction this band is going in, and we are excited for the world to see what will happen...

So, bottom-line: Album out soon, shows to be booked very soon (possibly with Calvaire, and possibly with a number of catchy covers to get the crowd going. Not to mention, possible Filip Endula songs live?), full line-up to be announced...

"Elsewhere..."

Justin Beaubien has been in talks with Jerry about his solo album. Studio time is quite tight at the moment, but Jerry always has time for the ones he loves... Work on this will begin soon, and the recording process promises short-but-sweetness.

Jerry's got a lot of acts on his hands, and it seems a "Jerry Velvet Live Showcase" is imminent. Springtime will be a good time to start playing shows, once these projects move from the recording phase to the performing phase.

An Update

2007-02-02T23:22:00.000-05:00

So here's the deal: Calvaire are in the studio. Jerry Velvet has been working with the band, helping to sculpt the sound (insiders say he is living vicariously through the drummer...) The preliminary foundation has been laid for an EP of sorts. The new singer has added a phenomenal new element to the band; his vocals are adding depth and character that is quickly becoming an intrinsic component of what is known as Calvaire. These are very exciting times in Calvaire land. Stay tuned and prepare for a monstrous beast - the likes of which ye have never seen - to emerge from the depths of Jerry Velvet Studios...

Velvet Nation

2006-12-15T01:07:00.000-05:00

Once again, Velvet Nation, it is time to root on your hometown boys, CALVAIRE!

This time the scene is thus:

FRIDAY DECEMBER 22ND, 2006 @ THE SMILING BUDDHA @ 8PM!

This is promising to be another historic performance, as (rumour has it) it will be their FINAL instrumental performance! The band are also planning to unveil a batch of new songs on this very special night.

This will be the last Calvaire show for a little while as the focus will turn to working with Jerry Velvet in his studio. The band plans to record their entire oeuvre and have it set for release as soon as possible. Jerry Velvet will man the controls once again and provide sonic elucidation where necessary.

While we're here, things to look for on Jerry Velvet Records in the New Year:

- LP or EP from Calvaire
- EP from the Avenue
- EP of Avenue Remixes (by Jerry and Filip)
- Recording with Elm Hawks
- Recording with Frank Scornaienchi
- Recording with Jeff Razon
- Recording with Rob Duffy
- Recording with Justin Beaubien
- As always, ongoing recording with Filip Endula (Look for Filip's "Planothetic" LP to be released in the new year.
- As always, more and more and more projects to be fathomed every day...

Stay tuned, more surprises, twists and turns are in store!

PS Jerry Velvet + Myspace =

www.myspace.com/calvaire
www.myspace.com/elmhawks <------Chris Morais' Demos
www.myspace.com/theavenueca <------check out Jerry's Remix of "Shut My Eyes"
www.myspace.com/frankgrano
www.myspace.com/jeffacousticfolk

Thanks

2006-11-29T17:04:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, the band would like to sincerely thank everyone who came out to the shows this past weekend. It was a very intimate atmosphere and based on the responses we've received, everyone enjoyed the set had a good time. Both evenings started with a stirring set from (a tequila-rich) Chris Morais. Needless to say, the crowd were more than intrigued by his material, and Chris displayed a natural flair for the stage, and a knack for creating original compositions (and not to mention a penchant for accidentally hitting the mic with his guitar). When Calvaire eventually hit the stage - amidst a melange of speakers, kaoss pads, crash cymbals, skeletons, mic stands, cables, and (perhaps a few too many) drums - they immediately transformed the room into a swirling aural vortex and left no attendee behind. Suffice it to say, it was loud. The band plowed through their set (unveiling a new song along the way), creating an oxymoron atmosphere of intensity and relaxation, pausing only for a swig of beer, to yell at someone in the crowd, or wave at someone outside the window. After the set more drinks were bought, shared, and passed around as everyone in attendance subscribed to the thus-far established theme of general good-timery.

The next night saw an equally impressive set by (an admittedly less alcohol-fueled) Chris Morais. Chris entertained the crowd with his songs, singing, and crowd interaction (giving shout outs to Jerry Velvet along the way). As was the feeling the night before, the crowd really connected with all that Chris had to offer. Calvaire then made their way to the stage and began to play their first ever unplugged set. Once again feeding off the intimate atmosphere in the room, and the shots of tequila and ouzo supplied by the bar owner, Calvaire did not disappoint (unveiling yet another new song). Translating their oeuvre into the warm, delicate, and rustic world of unplugged-ness, was a daunting task for the band, but the response from the crowd indicated success in this respect. In hindsight, it was definitely worth the bruised conga-slapping hands, and calloused fingertips to create what was on Saturday night. After the set, everyone once again engaged in keep the good times rolling, and the evening was extended as late as possible. Based on the generally impressed crowd, the band has not ruled out doing another unplugged set possibly even at the same bar (despite someone being dragged out by their hair on the first night, and a murder across the street on the second).

Once again, the band are very, very grateful for those who came and made these two nights the most enjoyable in the (infantile) history of the band! Woooo!

Calvaire

2006-11-21T00:56:00.000-05:00

I know it is short notice and we apologize.

Calvaire will be playing two shows this weekend:
Friday November 24th
Saturday November 25th

Both shows are at the TIME ZONE Bar at Keele and Rogers in Toronto. Both nights will be photographed and filmed (technology permitting), for the impending (and oft rumoured) DVD.

Friday is being billed as the "loud" set, while Saturday is the "unplugged" set. Unplugged?! I know, it's weird (and been done before), but the band and Jerry are very excited about it. It gives new perspective to such Calvaire classics as "Breakfast" and "Tokyo Rose."

Neither of these shows are to be missed!

As a side note, Calvaire also put down some serious dough and booked studio time at Jerry Velvet Studios. Jerry has been working with the band on a number of songs, and once these shows are over, the focus will shift back to the recording. The initial recordings are sounding pretty sweet, and planet Earth will be shaking once this record drops! Post script: Video cameras have been installed in the studio for the primary reason of capturing the band as it puts to tape their masterpiece again, for the DVD. (Are you as excited as we are?)

Post post script: Mandatory viewing:
chris.morais.googlepages.com
Advice from Jerry Velvet:
"Catch on to Chris' work now, so that you can say that you've been there since the beginning. This is sure to catch on absolutely everywhere, you've got Jerry Velvet's guarantee."

The secret is out...

2006-10-21T19:09:00.000-04:00

...Calvaire

October 20th 2006 bore witness to an historical moment in music history: the premiere performance of Calvaire at the El Mocambo.

Barrelfuls of our close, personal friends and family came out to attend this performance and were not disappointed. Spectators were dazzled by the the efforts of (in alphabetical order) Robin Jones (drums), Chris Morais (guitar), Jason Nobrega (bass), and Joe Pascale (guitar). Although the show was short, it was a sweet taste of things to come. Plans are in the works for another (longer) show and arrangements are being made to record at Jerry Velvet Studios. Robin Jones would like to add that Jerry and Filip Endula have been a huge source of motivation and inspiration throughout the writing process. Demos have been recorded with Jerry's portable studio at the band's rehearsal space, but the band wants to wait until professional recordings have been made before any material is heard (except for live shows, obviously).

Although plans were made to have the show filmed for a special dvd, technical difficulties (specifically, batteries were not charged) prohibited this from happening. The band promises that all future shows will be taped as well as recording sessions with Jerry Velvet, for an extra special dvd. Stay tuned!

The band's official photographer, Jeff Razon, was commissioned to photograph the show and his work will be posted here or at the googlepages website shortly. The band would also like to thank Jeff for his work and hope to see him at future shows. We would also like to invite anyone wanting to either photograph or film these shows or sessions to contact Jerry at jerryvelvet (at) gmail (dot) com. All used media will be credited and paid for (good for your portfolio, too).

Fan support has been very encouraging, and the band wish to thank whole-heartedly all of those who attended. Your comments mean a lot to us and we can't wait to see you at our next shows.

(for a 14 second clip from the show, click here. Video shot by Daniel Pascale)

New website

2006-09-12T03:15:00.000-04:00

Jerry and Filip are pleased to announce a new website:

http://filipendula.googlepages.com/index

Finally, something to add to the Links column on the right...

On this site, anyone can download clips from two of Filip Endula's previous releases:
2004's Banana, and 2005's Puppet.

Full versions as always are available for purchase by emailing Jerry at jerryvelvet ( at ) gmail.com

There is a lot more coming on the website as work has only just begun.

Props to Jeff Razon for the photography

Unfathomable

2006-08-27T15:36:00.000-04:00

Montreal

2006-08-24T23:28:00.000-04:00

Alright us four are once again in Montreal which means we have been drinking... Details to follow...

JV/FE/PRK/RJ

Slow

2006-07-31T02:55:00.000-04:00

Hi there, this is JV. Just to let everybody know, Filip and I are both reading our new "Quickstart Guide to Macromedia Flash 8" books so that we can take full control of every step in the creation of the real JVR website.

Perhaps a minimalist theme would speed things up...

PS. Progress is being made on all of the aforementioned projects, so stay tuned. Filip has discovered a new toy in the studio...

Excuses

2006-07-21T14:42:00.000-04:00

Two reasons why Jerry, Filip, and Robin have not been updating:

Not to fear, though. A lot of work has been done in the past few weeks. A few ideas have also been thrown about with a few people. And perhaps some mp3s will be uploaded soon for all your enjoyment. On another note, Jerry and Filip are working on a trailer advertising Filip's 2005 release, 'Puppet'. Better late than never, right? Although 2005 was sort of a writer's block year for Filip, he is working hard to not disappoint his fans. Jerry had the idea for the trailer when he was driving up Yonge street listening to Puppet a few weeks back. Jerry's pitch sounds pretty cool, so stay tuned.

( PS please excuse the accidental beer ad)

So...

2006-07-18T13:20:00.000-04:00

So... What's happened in the past 1 1/2 months?
- Jerry Velvet has done some more work with Mr Duffy on the Avenue's EP.
- Filip Endula has written about half of his new album.
- Robin Jones has rejoined the Porter fold. Jerry has been bringing his laptop to the practices to record the magic. Rehearsals will lead to recordings which will lead to shows... Exciting?
- Filip Endula has also began trading mp3s with Frank and Bryan for a new Love-themed pop project. Very very exciting. Chris Morais has also expressed an interest in the project.

Is that enough for 45 days? Swimming, bbq'ing, cottaging, and drinking really eat up a lot of time.

More frequent updates, I promise. Perhaps some mp3s?

JV

Ten Bellair

2006-05-24T00:46:00.000-04:00

I'm just back after a reflective dinner with Mr Rob Duffy. We finished work on Ten Bellair (possibly Rob's favourite song), and we agreed that things went well and the coming weeks will be very productive. Things are moving on the JVR Showcase front as Jerry pitched the idea over fajitas and Keith's. A few more dinners, and we'll probably have a show on our hands (not to mention, if things go well, perhaps the live debut of Filip Endula!). As for the recording, Rob and Jerry agreed that the M-Audio Luna matched his voice quite well. Hooray, Jerry is very happy with his purchase. Here's a couple pics of Rob during the session:

It's Happening

2006-05-23T15:25:00.000-04:00

As I write this, Rob Duffy is on his way to Jerry Velvet Studios to cut a few vocal tracks for the Avenue's EP. Photos from inside the studio will be posted shortly. Today's microphone will be Jerry's new M-Audio Luna. Hopefully it will do justice to Rob's voice as much as the Neumann TLM103 did. We'll soon see...

JV Montreal

2006-05-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

UM BEIJO!

Jerry Velvet and Filip Endula just came back from a gluttonous orgy of food, wine, and board games. Filip came back and quit his job to work on his solo project full time and take in a few Blue Jays games. Jerry also has made a lot of space in his schedule to work with Mr Duffy on a few projects. Lots of work to be done this spring and nothing but time to do it. Anyone that wants to donate to Jerry Velvet Records is free to do so. Email Jerry at jerryvelvet (at) gmail.com. Jerry has a Paypal account that would suffice.

Inspired

2006-05-10T13:21:00.000-04:00

Ok, Jerry Velvet's got a few ideas. Summer's coming, right? What better time to organize a series of JVR Showcase concerts? I'm gonna get together a crew to help me organize a couple of shows and hopefully sign some eager artists. If you are reading this and want to play a show in the next month or so, email JV at jerryvelvet(at)gmail.com and maybe send in an mp3 for Jerry's enjoyment. Keep your eyes open for flyers appearing soon! JV

Jerry's New Recruit

2006-05-03T12:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday at Jerry Velvet Studios, the one and only Jeff Razon stopped by to do a short recording session for his upcoming solo album. The song was called Angry Man and recording went very smoothly. Jeff managed to record the acoustic guitar in one take and nailed the vocals on the next. This is a very exciting project for both Jerry and Jeff, and discussions are taking place for Filip Endula to add some drum work on the song and hopefully on the future recordings. I'm not very good at describing sounds or styles of music, so all I will say is that it is very refreshing and something that Jerry has never been a part of before. Stay tuned, more sessions are planned and the outcome is very promising.

On another note, the Avenue vocal sessions are resuming again this week and the Montreal Canadiens lost to the inferior Carolina Hurricanes and that is bad.

Our Mission Statement

2006-04-23T17:23:00.000-04:00

Jerry's week

2006-04-23T16:12:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a busy week for me. Vocal sessions will resume with Mr Duffy, up next is Ten Bel Air. This should be a pretty laid back affair. Rob can get in the zone when he has a belly full of warm food, and his players are scoring in his hockey pool (hopefully jj's arm won't make him upset). We'll probably use the same mic from This is Paradise. That Neumann TLM103 is a pretty sweet sounding mic, I must admit.

Other than that, I might be starting work on a new project with a mystery artist later in the week.
Might as well give you an update on JVR releases for 2006:
- the long-awaited ep from the Avenue should surface soon. All thats left is vocals, final overdubs, finishing mixes, and mastering. Springtime should see a dramatic increase in work for this. Definitely an album for the ages. It'll be worth the wait!
- the highly anticipated Frank Scornaienchi side project. Frank has been working with Jerry on his days off from the band, and the product has already garnered rave reviews from those who have been allowed to sample it. Filip Endula has been featured on a couple tracks adding instrumental overdubs where necessary.
- Speaking of Filip, he's been hard at work putting together pieces for a (hopefully) full-length album.
- Demos have been circulating via email for a new project featuring Robin Jones, Chris Morais, and Jason Nobrega. No word yet on whether Joe Pascal will re-enter the fold. Chris and Jason have been jamming together for some time now and sending mp3s over to Robin to figure out. Studio time has been booked for later on in the Spring.
- Production will begin on resurrecting the Porter Live at the Rivoli tapes to DVD status for a possible CD/DVD release on JVR.

Lots to look forward to, not to mention all of the post-humous releases Jerry talked about in his last post.

JVR Website

2006-04-23T15:36:00.000-04:00

Update from Jerry Velvet:

"Preliminary work has begun on the new Jerry Velvet Records website. Realistic publishing date would be 6 months from now. I'll be recruiting some more staff to help with the design. I have also been busy as hell trying to sign artists, and getting together a backcatalogue of now-defunct projects. In addition, I am pleased as bacon to announce that among the albums to be available in our online store is a special compilation compiled by me personally of side projects, demos, live cuts, and one-off collaborations from each of the JVR artists. Filip Endula has been gathering together these songs, and scouring his numerous hard drives to unearth these gems. Lots to look forward to! Jerry Velvet."

Sounds exciting. Post script: Jerry neglected to mention that he is accepting demos from artists to either produce or release as is. To contact Jerry, please send an email to jerryvelvet (at) gmail.com

Glimpse

2006-04-23T04:34:00.000-04:00

Milk Cat

2006-04-23T04:24:00.000-04:00

Another venture in random internet searches. This from the depths of Flickr, the photo-sharing website. Well, I confess I found this through steve isaacs' blog (singer from panic channel)

anyway, I encourage everyone to explore the spontaneous possibilities of the internet. One thing I like doing is clicking "random article" on wikipedia.

Dinsdale?

2006-04-23T02:57:00.000-04:00

I still resent you for not showing up at my intervention.

Day One

2006-04-22T15:28:00.000-04:00

So, upon entering the world of "blogging" I can't help but feel that this is just an ego-inflation. As if I'm writing to all my fans around the world, or as if people really care what kind of coffee I had today (Sulawesi, by the way).

I also resent the word blog. Like the word podcast, this is a new word invented for something really old. A blog is a web journal. The internet began over a decade ago with people publishing their web journals. Now, all of a sudden, some writer for WIRED magazine calls it a BLOG (backwards abbreviation for weblog), and we're to believe this is some new technology! Fuckers. And podcasting. A podcast is a downloadable radio show, right? Since when was this something new? Someone put the word pod in there to make it sound like it's part of the ipod revolution. Now both of these stupid words are in the Oxford English Dictionary. Oh well.

Stay tuned for more fascinating insights from your man, Filip Endula