Goodbye “Glee”, Set the “Boy” Free

This past week the TV Show, “Glee” came to an end. The show was a breakthrough on many levels: it blended episodic narrative with musical numbers; it changed perceptions about disabled, gay, lesbian, transgendered and other minorities with its messages of tolerance and acceptance; and it even made “Glee Clubs” cool! The heart of the show revolved around a group of kids who didn’t fit in, joined the Glee Club, and found acceptance with each other. We in turn accepted them. I tend to think everyone at one point or another in their lives feels like the underdog or the outsider who doesn’t fit in and longs to be accepted. I was a fan of the show, and was lucky enough to be invited to visit the set during filming in December 2011. I have very fond memories of the cast, the sets and the crew. It was magical.

Never being one of the popular kids, and never quite “fitting in”, is definitely something that made me stronger as the years passed. It helped form me into a strong individual. And, to this day, I am continually learning to embrace my uniqueness. This feeling of being an outsider is a theme that shows up in my songwriting. The most current song with this theme, is a song from my latest CD, “The Ride”, titled “Square Peg”. I will be releasing a music video for that song in the very near future. You can subscribe to my YouTube page to make sure you see it – by clicking here. Another song which is about feeling alone and apart from the crowd, is the song “Boy” from my second CD, “Ready”. “Boy” takes this theme to the next level, suggesting in its chorus, that love is the remedy:

     Set the boy free

     Let him know he is loved

     Set the boy free

     He is loved, let him know

The song “Boy” reached chart position Number 9 on the Electronic/Drum & Bass International charts – for my first Top Ten hit song! It was the first song I recorded for the album “Boy”, my first venture into Trip-Hop music, and is one of my personal favorites from my catalogue. You can hear it below:

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#ChrisColfer #Boy #CoryMonteith #settheboyfree #finalepisode #Glee #KevinMcHale #DarrenCriss

Apologies for all the emails – system update

I just updated my blog program, and inadvertently resent old posts to subscribers. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience, and it shouldn’t happen again!

There will be a new blog post in the next day or two – and no more old ones will be sent.

Again, so sorry for the barrage!

All my best,

Jay

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Personal Revelations about My Life and Music

Seeing as yesterday was the first day of spring, as well as a super moon – (when the moon is closest to the earth), seems fitting to begin a new chapter. The news stories and blogs I read about the equinox and moon say it is a great time to plant new seeds, and a high time for creativity. That has led me to think about my perception of the world and how it gets expressed in my creativity – most notably in my songs and my acting performances. Working as an actor for decades, I studied human behavior, which helped me come to my own conclusions about what it is to be human, and what is the human condition. I have a need to connect with my audience through my work on an emotional level, and have people get in touch with their own emotions. I have a desire to transform the world into a better place, by having people open their minds and look at life differently.

So springtime is very apropos for “restarting” this blog. From now on I will be mostly sharing with you how I see the world, and how it influences my creativity and art – both projects I created in the past, and new ones as I create them.

The first thing that comes immediately to my mind is the song, “I Need a Change” (which you can listen to below) from my latest CD, “The Ride”. It was written at a time when I felt I was in a slump and needed to break out and try something new. As the lyric states:

     Take me some place that I’ve never been before

     Deal me a hand I’ve never been dealt before

An important part of the meaning behind “I Need a Change” is the realization that life moves fast and one better give it your all before life is over. This is best expressed in the bridge of the song:

     Exit from this hiding place

     Go beyond my own safe space

     Stop from wanting to save face

     From now on

     Do what I dream

    Before it’s too late

As I get older, I realize that life is not quite the way I thought it would be, and accepting that is the key to peace and happiness. So online world, here I come, putting myself into the unknown, not knowing where this blog will lead. I’m in it for the ride!

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#Singersongwriter #moon #supermoon #music #humancondition #creativity #equinox #JayJacobson #springequinox #Spring #INeedaChange #TheRide