Dec 16, 2022
My guest for this episode, Dean Johanesen,
first appeared on the podcast in July of 2018. This is his third
feature on the Unstarving Musician. He has a new album called
Cautionary
Tales, which is out Feb 3, 2023. This date is also the
anniversary of the release of King King (1933). Dean says that this
release seems to fit his style perfectly with its influence of
swing music ala Django Reinhardt, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Louis
Jordan etc.
With a sonic palette that dips into speakeasy-era Americana, and swingin' Hot Club jazz doused in circus tent hues, the New York-native has made his home in many parts of the United States. Dean's mother delivered motor homes when he was young and the family traveled around listening to a wide range of artists. Hearing everything from Led Zeppelin to Simon and Garfunkel, classic country to Broadway Musicals. That provided the soundtrack of Dean's youth and heavily influenced Dean's interests musically.
In 2013, Dean released his first solo record focused on the storyteller songwriting format. Meanwhile, a recent passion for Hot Club jazz music in the vein of Django Reinhardt put him on a musical path of telling new stories of old times. Non-fictional characters from the '20s and '30s – circus performers, the sideshow, prohibition, the war of currents (Tesla vs. Edison) all inform Dean's writing. These stories are projected against a backdrop of uptempo jazz in a style Dean has coined "Circus Swing."
In this conversation we talk about mutual acquaintances, the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival, Album Artwork Development, Song Reference Files, Journals, Record Release Mode, Balancing Creative Time, The Arc Of Writing A Thematic Album, Writing Press Releases, Framework Of Release Campaign, Heightened Creativity Of Songwriters Festivals and more.
"Dean is simultaneously a throwback to an era of gypsy jazz
and circuses while pointing the way to what will always be
timely"
- Steve Huntington, Sirius/XM Radio
Margaritaville
You can find all things Dean Johanesen, including stories and songs from his forthcoming album, Cautionary Tales at DeanJohanesen.com. We had a real nice time catching up and I think it was a really good conversation, that I hope you will enjoy.
Support the Unstarving Musician
The Unstarving Musician exists solely through the generosity of its listeners, readers, and viewers.
Learn how you can offer your support.
This episode was powered by Music Marketing Method, a program for independent musicians looking to grow their music career.
Music Marketing Method was created by my good friend Lynz Crichton. I’m in the program and I’m learning tons! I’m growing my fan base and learning about many ways that I’ll be earning money in the new year. It’s also helping me grow this podcast. How cool is that?
To lean more and find out if Music Marketing Method can help your music career, visit UnstarvingMusician.com/MusicMarketing.
This episode of the was powered by Liner Notes.
Learn from the hundreds of musicians and industry pros I’ve spoken with for the Unstarving Musician on topics such as marketing, songwriting, touring, sync licensing and much more. Sign up for Liner Notes.
Liner Notes is an email newsletter from yours truly, in which I share some of the best knowledge gems garnered from the many conversations featured on the Unstarving Musician. You’ll also be privy to the latest podcast episodes and Liner Notes subscriber exclusives.
Sign up at UnstarvingMusician.com. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at anytime.
Mentioned in this Episode
Mo Meta Blues: The World According to QuestLove
Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
Resources
The Unstarving Musician’s Guide to Getting Paid Gigs, by Robonzo
Music Marketing Method – The program that helps musicians find fans, grow an audience and make consistent income
Bandzoogle – The all-in-one platform that makes it easy to build a beautiful website for your music
Dreamhost – See the latest deals from Dreamhost, save money and support the UM in the process.
Pardon the Interruption (Disclosure) Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I make a small commission, at no extra charge to you, if you purchase using those links. Thanks for your support!
Visit UnstarvingMusician.com to sign up for Liner Notes to learn what I'm learning from the best indie musicians and music industry professionals.
Stay in touch!