Baby Babar

The gestation period of an elephant is 22 months, the longest of any mammal. The gestation period of a Paul Jacobsen & The Madison Arm album is, apparently, 25 months (not counting the 3 years before we even started recording). Take that, Babar.

I know I've been super annoying about this. For some of you, this is probably the 5th place you've been reminded. The truth: I hate self promotion more than most. But the album is ready and I would love for you to come out and celebrate with us.



I couldn't be more proud of this album. It took as long as it needed to take to get it how we wanted it- up to Montana, down in Provo, even some help from Brooklyn. It's a step forward in terms of writing, and has some moments that still give me the chills. blah blah blah. If you want to know other ways you can help this album do something, there's a list way down at the end of the post where nobody but my mom usually reads.

Opening the show are two great friends and favorite songwriters: Dominic Moore and Sarah Sample. Sarah just played the main stage at Folks Fest in Colorado, after winning their Songwriter Showcase last year. And Dominic just started his residency in Phoenix; oh, and he just wrote about 10 songs that absolutely destroy me. I couldn't be happier about the bill.




I'll be playing with The Madison Arm, our band that's finally sorting itself out. It's the most rewarding, most fun I've had playing music for as long as I can remember.

So come out and hear us. You will have a great time, I promise.

SOMETHING A LITTLE LESS SELF-CENTERED
Finally, we'll be doing a raffle to benefit Stephanie & Christian Nielson, a family who has blessed the lives of many and now could use some help of their own. To keep it short, they (and their 4 kids) are friends of some of some of the guys in the band, were in a terrible plane crash, sustained major injuries and burns, and are obviously staring down the barrel of some tough days ahead, financially and just in general. To learn more, you can hear updates from Stephanie's sister Courtney or learn how you can help at Nie Recovery.
Suffice it to say, they need all the help and prayers and good luck they can get. So we thought we'd try to help out in our little way. So I hope you'll bring some extra money for the raffle, all proceeds going to the Nielson family and their recovery. We'll be giving away:
- 2 pairs of tickets to see Ray LaMontagne and Leona Naess
- original art by our favorite local painter, Leia Bell
- CDs from our favorite local record store, Slowtrain
- concert posters
- CDs by all the artists on the bill, and some other great artists
- and maybe more

You don't have to come to the show to donate, though. Any and all help is welcome and appreciated at Nie Recovery.

Thanks. We now return you to your regularly scheduled Leo sightings.

WAYS TO HELP THIS LITTLE ALBUM OF OURS. I dread asking for this kind of stuff. Oh well.

1) Buy it. Play it for friends. Buy it for friends. Stuff stockings. Put a song on a mix for your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/friends/family.
2) If you like it, review it on iTunes and/or CDBaby. If you like a particular song, make an iMix and post it on iTunes.
3) Host a house concert. It's simple. You supply the friends, I supply the music. These are usually really fun and intimate and some of the best shows I've played. We did one in Palo Alto a year or so ago with about 70 people and it was the best show of the tour by far.
4) You can request it on X96 or KRCL, if you listen to either of those stations. And it can't hurt to request it wherever you are.
5) Get your friends in other cities where we tour to come see us.