Blue Jordan Records
Encyclopedia
Blue Jordan Records is an independent record label
in the Northside
neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio
. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley
founded the label. The label is self-described as "a collective of artists based in the Cincinnati area who have pledged to share their resources and talents with one another and with the listening public." The Cincinnati Post
said, "Blue Jordan is as much a state of mind as a record label." and described its origins, "When the coffeehouse folded the musicians who played and sang there simply stuck together and have been releasing CDs and making music ever since." In addition to releasing records the label has organized numerous acclaimed concert showcases and music festival
s. Their 2008 series of house concert
s is Living Room Shows.
, Blue Jordan Records has released albums by Mike Helm, Katie Reider
, David Wolfenberger
, The Marshwiggles, The Mood Rings, Gwendolyn Speaks, Joshua Seurkamp and Wild Carrot
. In May 2007 Blue Jordan added Cincinnati artists; Maurice Mattei, Liz Bowater and Sharon Udoh to their ranks. Brandon Dawson was added in March 2008.
. The festival ran 1998-2000. Headliners included acts like Carrie Newcomer
(1998), Over the Rhine (1999), the Cowboy Junkies
, and Victoria Williams
and the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
(2000). At its peak the festival included a diverse mix of two dozen local and national artists providing 10 hours of music on three stages and was described as "Cincinnati's premiere music event of the fall." All the Fall Music Festivals took place at the historic 19th century Open air museum
; Heritage Village Museum
in Sharon Woods Park and funds raised by the events went to the restoration, upkeep and historical interpretation of the village. The charm added by the location was noted in the Chicago based webzine Phantom Tollbooth, "After experiencing a folk festival in this atmosphere (and only shelling out $15), how could one go back to an auditorium? The event is well worth the drive from Detroit, Chicago or your hometown."
The label has also held other events such as the Spring Songs Music Festival, and the Blue Jordan Records Christmas Show.
The label's 2008 house concert
series, Living Room Shows, was named Best Intimate Concert Series in Cincinnati. The 2008 run will wrap up in December with a "Songwriters in the Round" Event.
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
in the Northside
Northside, Cincinnati
Northside is a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was originally known as Cumminsville, but changed names to "Northside" several decades ago after I-74 divided the neighborhood into Northside and South Cumminsville...
neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley
Janet Pressley
Janet Pressley is an American singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio, who founded the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse which later became Blue Jordan Records. She has released two full length records on the label; Late Last Night and A Deeper State Of Blue. She also released a special EP entitled Songs To...
founded the label. The label is self-described as "a collective of artists based in the Cincinnati area who have pledged to share their resources and talents with one another and with the listening public." The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post is a discontinued afternoon daily newspaper that was published in Cincinnati, Ohio. Distributed in Northern Kentucky as The Kentucky Post, it was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Since the 1980s, its editorial stance was usually conservative. The Post published its final...
said, "Blue Jordan is as much a state of mind as a record label." and described its origins, "When the coffeehouse folded the musicians who played and sang there simply stuck together and have been releasing CDs and making music ever since." In addition to releasing records the label has organized numerous acclaimed concert showcases and music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s. Their 2008 series of house concert
House concert
A house concert or home concert is a musical concert or performance art that is presented in someone's home or apartment, or a nearby small private space such as a barn, apartment rec room, lawn, or back yard....
s is Living Room Shows.
Artists
In addition to records by founder, Janet PressleyJanet Pressley
Janet Pressley is an American singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio, who founded the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse which later became Blue Jordan Records. She has released two full length records on the label; Late Last Night and A Deeper State Of Blue. She also released a special EP entitled Songs To...
, Blue Jordan Records has released albums by Mike Helm, Katie Reider
Katie Reider
Kathryn Ann "Katie" Reider was an American singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. Reider described her own music as "Folk/pop/rock fused together into some sort of 'genre-less' category." Reider released four albums, won five Cincinnati music awards and had her songs featured on television...
, David Wolfenberger
David Wolfenberger
David Wolfenberger is a singer/songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. Former frontman for The Marshwiggles and Thom Scarecrow, Wolfenberger has 3 solo CDs to date; Tales From Thom Scarecrow, and World of the Satisfy'n Place on Blue Jordan Records and more recently in 2006 on Fundamental Records,...
, The Marshwiggles, The Mood Rings, Gwendolyn Speaks, Joshua Seurkamp and Wild Carrot
Wild Carrot (music group)
Wild Carrot is a United States folk music duo from Cincinnati, Ohio. The group is made up primarily of husband and wife Pam Temple and Spencer Funk....
. In May 2007 Blue Jordan added Cincinnati artists; Maurice Mattei, Liz Bowater and Sharon Udoh to their ranks. Brandon Dawson was added in March 2008.
Festivals and concert series
The label has organized a number of shows and music festivals over the years, notably the Blue Jordan Fall Music Festival at the Heritage Village of Sharon Woods Park in Sharonville, OhioSharonville, Ohio
Sharonville is a city in Butler and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 13,804 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sharonville is located at .It is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
. The festival ran 1998-2000. Headliners included acts like Carrie Newcomer
Carrie Newcomer
Carrie Newcomer is an American singer and songwriter.-Early life and education:Carrie Newcomer was born in Dowagiac, Michigan, and raised in Elkhart, Indiana. She attended Goshen College and received a B.A...
(1998), Over the Rhine (1999), the Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Margo Timmins , Michael Timmins , Peter Timmins and Alan Anton ....
, and Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
and the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers are an Americana group formed by songwriter Mark Olson and his wife Victoria Williams after Olson left his previous band The Jayhawks...
(2000). At its peak the festival included a diverse mix of two dozen local and national artists providing 10 hours of music on three stages and was described as "Cincinnati's premiere music event of the fall." All the Fall Music Festivals took place at the historic 19th century Open air museum
Open air museum
An open-air museum is a distinct type of museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors. The first open-air museums were established in Scandinavia towards the end of the nineteenth century, and the concept soon spread throughout Europe and North America. Open-air museums are variously known as...
; Heritage Village Museum
Heritage Village Museum
Heritage Village Museum is a living museum or open air museum of twelve nineteenth-century structures from in and around the Cincinnati, Ohio area. It is located in Sharon Woods Park in Sharonville, Ohio....
in Sharon Woods Park and funds raised by the events went to the restoration, upkeep and historical interpretation of the village. The charm added by the location was noted in the Chicago based webzine Phantom Tollbooth, "After experiencing a folk festival in this atmosphere (and only shelling out $15), how could one go back to an auditorium? The event is well worth the drive from Detroit, Chicago or your hometown."
The label has also held other events such as the Spring Songs Music Festival, and the Blue Jordan Records Christmas Show.
The label's 2008 house concert
House concert
A house concert or home concert is a musical concert or performance art that is presented in someone's home or apartment, or a nearby small private space such as a barn, apartment rec room, lawn, or back yard....
series, Living Room Shows, was named Best Intimate Concert Series in Cincinnati. The 2008 run will wrap up in December with a "Songwriters in the Round" Event.
Releases
- The Uzzah Slip, Mike Helm 1996
- Late Last Night, Janet PressleyJanet PressleyJanet Pressley is an American singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio, who founded the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse which later became Blue Jordan Records. She has released two full length records on the label; Late Last Night and A Deeper State Of Blue. She also released a special EP entitled Songs To...
1996 - Stone Soup, The Marshwiggles 1997
- Blue Jordan Live, Various artists 1998
- Wonder, Katie ReiderKatie ReiderKathryn Ann "Katie" Reider was an American singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. Reider described her own music as "Folk/pop/rock fused together into some sort of 'genre-less' category." Reider released four albums, won five Cincinnati music awards and had her songs featured on television...
1998 - This Time, Gwendolyn Speaks 1998
- Yer Pal Mr. Snake In The Grass, Mike Helm 1998
- Tales From Thom Scarecrow, David WolfenbergerDavid WolfenbergerDavid Wolfenberger is a singer/songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. Former frontman for The Marshwiggles and Thom Scarecrow, Wolfenberger has 3 solo CDs to date; Tales From Thom Scarecrow, and World of the Satisfy'n Place on Blue Jordan Records and more recently in 2006 on Fundamental Records,...
1999 - Garden Of Sound, Joshua Seurkamp 2000
- I Am Ready, Katie Reider 2000
- Defined, Wild Carrot 2000
- No Retakes, Katie Reider 2001
- World of the Satisfy'n Place, David Wolfenberger 2001
- Sunrise For Someone, 2002
- A Slave Left Dreaming, Joshua Seurkamp 2004
- Blue Jordan Sampler 2005, Various artists 2005
- Songs To Sing In A Catheral At Advent, Janet Pressley 2005
- Portrait of NarcissusPortrait of NarcissusPortrait Of Narcissus is the third solo album by David Wolfenberger. It was released in 2006 on Fundamental Records with Blue Jordan Records as an imprint. The album contains 12 original tracks and features such notables as Victoria Williams on vocals, Michelle Shocked on vocals, Joshua Seurkamp on...
, David Wolfenberger 2006 - Sitting At Your Instrument, Sharon Udoh 2007
- Becoming Human, Brandon Dawson 2008
- Summer Lake Champion, Sunrise For Someone 2008
- Just Burned Upon The Page, David Wolfenberger 2008
- Kenwood Towne Centre, Maurice Mattei 2008
- We Raise Up Our Glasses, Mike Helm 2009
- Mauled, Maurice Mattei and The Tempers 2009
- Crowd Around The Mic, Wild Carrot 2009