Are you looking for somewhere to watch the UW Badgers take on the TCU Horned Frogs on New Years Day? Look no further than Monk's in Baraboo. Stick around after the game, because Francie and I will be performing a victory concert! Great drink specials and free shots when Wisconsin scores. See you there!
On, Wisconsin!!
January 1, 2011 - after the Rose Bowl Monk's Bar and Grill 116 4th Avenue Baraboo, WI map - facebook event
I am very excited to be joining forces once again with Madison songwriting legend, Michael Massey, for another night of original music at the Brink Lounge. Taking turns at the piano, Mike and I will be playing many of our favorite songs as well as some tunes that we've each only just written this year. Mike will also share a few songs from his Christmas album, "The Present." I have a feeling that a special guest will be there too, helping us bring these songs to you the way they were meant to be heard, Madison's own--vocalist Francie Phelps!
Come on out to the Brink and warm yourself with some great, local musicians, as well as some delicious drink specials at the Brink Lounge.
Michael Massey & Josh Dupont The Brink Lounge 701 East Washington Ave. Madison, WI map - facebook event
I am so excited to be heading home to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for Thanksgiving. I get to see my family, and best of all, I'll be performing two shows in town. This will be my first time playing at home, and I can't wait to see all my old friends. The shows will be in downtown Gulfport at the new Watson's Piano Bar. The incomparable vocalist Francie Phelps will be joining me at the shows, and we'll be taking requests as well as performing a bunch of my original songs. I'd love to see you. Come on by!
Friday, November 26, 9pm-1am Saturday, November 27, 9pm-1am Watson's Piano Bar 1307 Highway 49 Downtown Gulfport
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Dry Bean last Friday! I had such a great time on stage, and it made all the difference in the world to see so many familiar faces out there. I recorded video of the whole show, and I am currently uploading the individual songs to YouTube. Keep an eye on my channel at http://www.youtube.com/pianojoshdupont for these videos and more. Here's a little taste...
The debut show is coming up! The Josh Dupont Band is the first in a line-up of four bands at the Dry Bean on Verona Road. Hear Josh's originals with the band for the first time. We're starting at 9pm and playing for an hour. Get there early, grab a drink and say hi!
UPDATE (10/25)--Francie and I will be starting at Maduro this Wednesday, Oct. 27. We're playing from 9pm-12am. See ya there :)
UPDATE (10/12)--Francie and I will be starting at Maduro either Wednesday, Oct. 20 or Wednesday, Oct. 27, depending upon the health of her father. We want to present the show as a duo from the get-go! In the meantime, keep Francie's family in your thoughts as they navigate through this difficult time.
While my good friends Anthony and Leslie Cao are busy with the current production of the Madison Opera, I'll be filling in on the piano at Madison's only cigar bar--Maduro. Come on out every Wednesday from 9pm-midnight. I'll be playing all requests as well as some originals--a couple weeks solo, then Francie Phelps will join me for duo shows!
Wednesdays: 9pm-12am Maduro 117 East Main Street Madison, WI
I'm going to be returning to Plan B on Willy Street for piano sing-a-long after their Glee watching parties on Tuesdays. If you're in the neighborhood, come on by and request your favorite tunes. I'll be playing originals as well. See you there!
Tuesdays: 8pm-12am Plan B 924 Williamson St. Madison, WI
Here's the latest in the Living Room Concerts series. Part four - "I Try to Be"
Lyrics are below...
"I Try to Be"
I don't know what to say, I don't know where to go With all the lovely ladies I meet out on the road It's painfully obvious each time I try to speak I ain't no Casanova, though I try to be.
I go out to the club, I sit down at the bar Old friends come talking at me, I don't know who they are I smile and nod politely though I got no memory I ain't no Merriam-Webster, though I try to be
It seems that every time I sit and write a song Every other line starts to sound like Elton John I'd be flattered to keep such company, but I ain't no Amadeus, though I try to be
I thank you all for sitting here and listening to my tune I didn't change your religion, didn't see no ladies swoon We're all just out here drinking, we're one big family Cause we ain't no proselytizers, and we don't pretend to be
Come down front and have a beer, your first one is on me We're all best friends tonight, 'least till that clock strikes three.
So here is the much-requested "Ninja" song. Come to the Dry Bean on October 29, 2010 to hear it with the whole band! Lyrics below...
"Ninja"
A shroud of darkness fills the empty street As a single shriek cuts through the night But the days of crime in this fair city are fleeting Alone he carries the burden of the fight
A lone wolf--a warrior in the night A sole survivor of three thousand years of fighting He shall never die, lest he be bested and beset But the battle rages on and that has never happened yet
Who is this man who through the shadows creeps Whom evildoers loathe and fear He is the ninja and from his body seeps Pure vengeance and for the victims he perseveres
A lone wolf--a warrior in the night A sole survivor of three thousand years of fighting He shall never die, lest he be bested and beset But the battle rages on and that has never happened yet
Here's another new one. Come out to the Dry Bean on October 29, 2010, to see it with the band! Lyrics are below.
"You're a Creep"
Hopping in your car you're driving halfway round the world You can't push it too far from where you've been You got your radio controlled To amplify your soul I guess you never bothered growing old
You pull into the hottest spot that's open late at night Push and shove everybody outta your way Gotta find your piece of tail Who's too young to know you've failed Moving as the big subwoofers wail
You're a creep And everybody knows what's underneath When you're waiting on the other side of the street
It wasn't long ago I heard you calling out her name It always hurts to say goodbye Now everyone you know can't begin to fill that hole You're left alone to reap the seeds you sowed
You're a creep And everybody knows what's underneath When you're waiting on the other side of the street
You're a creep And everybody knows what's underneath When you're waiting on the other side of the street
Here's a new song of mine. Come out to the Dry Bean on October 29 to see it with the band! Here's the video. The lyrics are below.
“Girl of My Dreams”
I learned my lesson about taking advice From Friday friends—next time I'm gonna think twice I’ve heard some rumblings of you messing around With the guys downtown—how very nice
The same old echos I heard time and again, like “You’ll love this girl,” and “man I swear she’s a ten” Now I find out that it all just depends On whether you’re out or whether you’re in
Now I’m all alone in this this wide world, trying to find another girl to fill the void you left in my mind I guess I’ll just have to wait another day before she finally comes my way And leaves you others far behind The girl of my dreams so hard to find
I guess it started near the end of July It was first time I noticed things were going awry Up til then I guess we never had fought I guess I never had thought of asking why
The little hints I thought I’d misunderstood I never hollered—I thought I never would Verbal aggression never came to no good But now I need the release, and I think that it could
'Cause I’m all alone in this this wide world, trying to find another girl to fill the void you left in my mind I guess I’ll just have to wait another day before she finally comes my way And leaves you others far behind The girl of my dreams so hard to find
It never seemed so wrong—did it now To string me out along In all honesty I guess I can’t be mad And truth be told I’m glad
That I’m all alone in this this wide world, trying to find another girl to fill the void you left in my mind I guess I’ll just have to wait another day before she finally comes my way And leaves you others far behind The girl of my dreams so hard to find
I have just remembered how an old song of mine goes that I haven't been able to place for over a year. For some reason, it just popped into my head! It's a tune about trying as a musician to keep life and stage separate. I have to write a little more for it to be finished, but I am still ecstatic that I've remembered how it goes :) Here are the lyrics I have so far...
I love to feel you breathe at night Shallow breaths with just the slightest hint of laughter You lie alone
Without a sound you leave Before the sunlight even floods the hall Away from home
The coffee pot is empty, but the smell still fills the air I feel your gaze behind me you're not there anywhere
I work the scene, I play my keys It always seems so easy when you're with me tonight you're gone
I want to play my heart But all they want for their part is rock and pop and disco I sing their songs
But every note I play them is a lie they can't perceive All I really want to do is cry, oh lord I want to leave.
I crawl in bed beside you while the moon hangs in the sky The darkness tries to hide you in the night, but I feel right
I had a wonderful time in the Wisconsin Dells last week. My girlfriend, the incomparable vocalist Francie Phelps, and I have put together a great duo show, and Thursday's performance was a lot of fun! I've compiled a little promo video from the footage. We'd love to take our show near you, so check out the video and pass it along to your favorite club :)
Just finished up a little trip to the Big Apple, where Francie Phelps (of Ivory Room fame) and I were brought in to perform for a special 60th birthday party. We had a blast, and the show was a smashing success. The only downside was that we had a hell of a time making it back home to Madison. Between flights getting cancelled and re-routes not being properly booked, we were extremely lucky to make it back in time to run down to Fins in Edgerton for our debut performance on the deck. The weather on the Rock River yesterday was perfect! With no humidity and no mosquitoes, the three-hour show blew by. I can't wait until the next time we perform there. Incidentally, the next show that Francie and I are doing will be on July 29th at Monk's at the Wilderness in beautiful Wisconsin Dells. This is the second of our "Night Out" shows there, and we'll be performing some of our favorite tunes including plenty of duets and originals. Hope to see you all there! Also, I have just added a list of my upcoming shows to this page. You can find it on the right hand side above my Twitter feed. I'm still doing plenty of dueling pianos shows too, and you can find the full schedule of those on the PianoFondue calendar. Album vocals recording next week!!...
Last week, after two solid days of rehearsal, the band went into the freelance studio at Madison Music Foundry. I was playing keys, Nate Rentmeester was at the guitar, Rob Jolin played the drums, and Matt Pea did double duty playing the bass and running the recording equipment. It was an amazing experience, and we were able to knock out eight songs in two days. Granted, the vocals have yet to be laid down, but we came out with solid rhythm tracks. They have a nice space over there, and the folks at MMF were very accommodating. You can find some nice pics of the process here.
The other day I mentioned on Twitter that having been a piano teacher, I get the occasional spam email fishing for some personal info. Thought I'd share the latest one--this one's pretty typical. Perhaps I should start teaching private grammar lessons instead ;)
-Josh
Hello,
I'm Mr Kelly Freeman during my search for a music instrument lessons teacher that would always take my Daughter (Lara) and I found your advert.Your advert looks great and it is very okay to me since you specialize in the area I am seeking for her. My daughter will be coming to the United States of America before the ending of May for 2 Months. She is just 14yr Old and also a beginner,I want you to help me teach her music Lessons during her stay in the United States of America because i will not want her to less busy, i want her to engage in something to keep her busy during her stay.
So, kindly let me know your charges cost per week in order for me to arrange for the payment before she travels down to your country.I would also like to know if there is any Text Book you will recommend for her as a beginner so that she will be reading privately at home after the lesson during her stay.
Please Advise back on;
(1) Your charges per 1 hour twice a week for 2 Months?
(2) The Day and time you will be available to teach her During the week?
(3) Tuition address?
I will be looking forward to read from you soonest.
So, over at the Project M website (found here) we are encouraged to blog about the experience. I thought I would share my first one here as well :)
"The Great Outdoors"
Here we go! I am so excited to be a part of this season of Project M. This week's meeting was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed meeting and spending some time with the other contestants. The impromptu after-party at O'Grady's was particularly enjoyable! I look forward to not only spending the next few weeks with these guys, but also the connections and friendships that are sure to bloom.
Our first challenge actually got me pretty excited. Earth Day... I have always been a nature nerd :P As I thought about this first challenge, I started remembering everything from reading "Your Big Backyard" and "Ranger Rick" when I was a child to camping as a teenager--especially recalling the times I would spend with my grandfather in the woods of central Wisconsin.
I was born and raised on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, but my grandparents lived in Ripon, WI. I'd come up and visit every summer! My grandfather owned a couple tree farms up near Princeton, and we'd make sure we spent plenty of time there. He taught me almost everything I know about the outdoors and our stewardship of this planet. A lifetime member of the Sierra Club, he was personally instrumental in acquiring some of the land used in Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail. He has always been a hero of mine, and I feel like this challenge is the perfect topic to dedicate to my Grandpa, Joe Mills. I hope you enjoy the song half as much as I have enjoyed this unique trip down memory lane :)
I was selected as a finalist in Project M this year. I'm very excited and a little nervous! The website is here. Filming begins next week, and I'm really looking forward to meeting the other contestants. We'll also receive our first week's challenge on Monday... no idea what to expect! Constraints tend to help the creative process, so hopefully the challenges won't be too broad or vague.
Today I'm working on getting my songwriting chops ready for next week, so I decided to pull some old backburner tunes out of the cellar and see what I could do with them. Things are going well, I think. Right now, I'm looking at a tune I based off of a whole-tone scale. The melody and chords of the verses are done, but the lyrics are out-dated. So, I'm rewriting the lyrics, and I need to come up with a chorus and/or bridge. I'll post the tune if and when I finish it ;)
So, I figured I would bite the bullet and enter a songwriting competition. 105.5 Triple M in Madison, WI started their second annual Project M competition. It looks like it would be a lot of fun--every week the finalists receive a writing challenge and have to come up with something awfully quickly! All of the submissions and challenges are going to be videoed and posted online.
I decided to enter with my song, "A Lot of Road to Go." I will find out on April 2 if I have been chosen as a finalist... crossing my fingers!
I had the guys over to my house last night for the first four-piece rehearsal of my upcoming album. Rob Jolin was on drums, Nate Rentmeester on the guitar, and Matt Pea played the bass. On the docket were three of the more rockin' tunes--"Lot of Road to Go," "Where Are You Tonight," and "Together Alone." Nate and I had played through these tunes a few times already; tonight was really Rob and Matt's introduction to them. The boys took to the songs extremely quickly, and as the evening progressed, things actually started tightening up! Big props to Nate for making such quick work of translating my ramblings into "drummer-speak!" My favorite comments of the night came from Rob--"I can't wait to get my full kit in here and start opening up!" and "I am pleasantly surprised... I figured we'd be in here playing some Joshua Kadison."--don't worry Rob... there will be plenty of sappy slow stuff on the album too!!
Let's see... It's been almost a year since I've done anything with this blog. We'll just act like nothing happened and continue as usual... Here is a song that I found while rooting around in my old Google Docs. I did a little tweaking of it today, and I think it's pretty much performance ready. I put a fun little bass part in the left hand that I'm awfully proud of (I just need to practice it a bit more!!), so come to my next solo show and request "I Try to Be" (do infinitives get capitalized? I don't know.)
I Try To Be
I don't know what to say, I don't know where to go With all the lovely ladies I meet out on the road It's painfully obvious each time I try to speak I ain't no Casanova, though I try to be.
I go out to the club, I sit down at the bar Old friends come talking at me, I don't know who they are I smile and nod politely though I got no memory I ain't no Merriam-Webster, though I try to be
It seems that every time I sit and write a song Every other line starts to sound like Elton John I'd be flattered, Lord, to keep such company, but I ain't no Amadeus, though I try to be
I thank you all for sitting here and listening to my tune I didn't change your religion, didn't make no ladies swoon We're all just out here drinking, we're one big family Cause we ain't no proselytizers, and we don't pretend to be
Come down front and have a beer, your first one'll be on me
We're all best friends tonight, 'least till that clock strikes three.
