[9.17.07]
Hey all,
Summer’s over, I guess, and I hope that everyone has had a fun one. For me, it has been a summer full of changes and lots and lots of songwriting.
We kicked off the summer with some pretty major changes to our live show and lineup. As many of you know already, the live band is now a 3-piece with me on bass, Grant on lead guitar and keys, and Matt on drums.
The line-up really opens up the music to make room for the vocals while also giving Grant and Matt the ability to stretch out as musicians. As all the Grant fans out there have known for years, he’s not just a great singer, he’s a multi-instrumentalist who’s amazing at every instrument he picks up -- whether it’s guitar, keys, harmonica, etc. -- and a master with looping and other weird effects. He’s even playing his guitar with a violin bow on a song or two. He’s like the Edge and Jonny Greenwood all wrapped into one, with a touch of Jimmy Page.
I couldn't be more excited about the new lineup. I felt that my music needed a new arrangement and vibe, and as it developed, I wanted the live band to be able to match the sound that we’ve created. I think we’ve found just the right combo. For anyone who hasn’t caught any of the latest shows, we’ve got a couple scheduled in St. Louis in October and will be soon announcing some further dates in Chicago, St. Louis, and elsewhere for November and December.
Writing and recording is really what we’re up to right now though. In between shows, we’re planning on heading back into the studio. Like the live show, the songs for the next record also have a different vibe than the first time around. Grant and I have been writing and recording together a lot during our down time, and I also hammered out a tune with Goran Kralj from The Gufs called “Hey Princess” that’s been a centerpiece of our new live shows.
Through touring and working with new ideas and inspirations, I feel like I've grown so much as a songwriter and performer in the past year and a half, and have a better understanding of who I am and how I can express that through my writing. My last record was built from songs I wrote with and for an acoustic guitar in my bedroom; I had no influence from a band or live touring. Having now had those influences and experiences, the sound has naturally evolved. I hope you’ll like it as much as we do.
To whet your appetite, we’ve thrown up a couple demos on my myspace page for you to enjoy -- a new track called “MacArthur Blvd.” and a full electric version of “Everless” that I recorded as part of the sessions that produced my EP. Keep checking back, as we will be updating the sites with videos and pictures from the studio.
Finally, people always ask what the guys and I are listening to, so I thought I'd start listing some artists and songs. Below are some songs we're currently spinning... if you are looking for some new tunes, check them out!
Take care and stay tuned -- I promise the updates won't take so long next time!
JC
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[5.31.07]
Just a quick update to let you know that we've launched the presale for our Lucas School House show on June 8th. This is a short advance sale, but keep in mind this is a smaller, more intimate room than you may be used to seeing our show in. So, the presale is highly encouraged...
Also on the bill for the night is St. Louis' own One Lone Car as well as Josiah Rosen who used to play in the band Augustana. Just click on the image below to jump over to the ticket purchase page. Hope to see you there!
Cheers,
JC
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[5.18.07]
Hi everyone -- Grant and I just added a June show in St. Louis... We will be playing a really cool evening at The Lucas School House. Tickets are only $8 and will be available for presale very soon. The Lucas School House is very cool music venue in Soulard- check it out at HERE. It is a smaller room, so buying your tickets through the presale is highly encouraged to guarantee admission to the second floor music hall. Josiah Rosen formerly of Augustana and One Lone Car will kick off the night.
In other news, we have been hard at work on the new record. I am still finishing up some of the writing, but we are set to start recording in the coming weeks. We will keep updating the MySpace page with the new tunes as they are recorded. Currently, you can preview the tracks “Ordinary People” and “Dreaming Blue.” We are targeting an early fall release date for the record, and we will be working the new songs into live sets over the summer.
Hope to see you all soon and in the meantime, enjoy the beautiful weather and keep your eyes posted here and on the MySpace page for upcoming shows and the June 8 presale info
Cheers,
JC
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[2.14.07] 
Happy Valentines Day! Hope everyone is enjoying their greeting card holiday!
With regards to shows, we’ve slowed down a bit in February and March, but we’re gearing up for return headlining engagements at the Cowboy Monkey in Champaign, IL and The Blue Note in Columbia, MO. We also have some support slots with Dada at the Park West in Chicago and the Fine Line in Minneapolis, as well as some cool college dates on the upcoming schedule. If you don't make the Mardi Gras trip to St. Louis and are in Columbia, MO this Saturday- come on out to The Blue Note where we will be playing an acoustic set with Carbon Leaf.
Keep your eyes posted on the MySpace page and website for upcoming shows. We are adding them weekly.
NEVER COME AROUND MAKES THE CUT-
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) recently announced its finalists and semi-finalists. Jonathan Cour’s song "Never Come Around" has been selected as a finalist in the AAA category. Winners will be named in mid-March. Never Come Around was chosen out of almost 15,000 entrants, making this a very cool accomplishment for Jonathan and the songs co-writer Ted Bruner.
For more info on the ISC:
www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm
Take Care,
JC
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[1.30.07]
I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays as well as the lovely winter weather!! Here in St. Louis we’ve been hit by ice storms, snow, and blackouts. What a great start to the new year! I used the ice storm topic as a song title during a recent songwriting trip to Atlanta. Look for this song soon on the MySpace page.
I also wanted to thank those of you who came out to the free show on Jan 4th at the Duck Room. It felt really great to give something back to those of you that have been so supportive throughout 2006. 2007 should be another great year. I'll be spending the majority of this winter writing and recording demos with the plans of returning to the studio to make another CD. With regards to shows, we’ve slowed down a bit but we’re gearing up for return headlining engagements at the Cowboy Monkey in Champaign, IL and the Blue Note in Columbia, MO. Keep your eyes posted on the MySpace page and website for upcoming shows.
Take Care,
JC
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[11.9.06]
Hey everyone!!!
After taking some time to write some new tunes and polish up some old ones, the band and I are gearing back up for some shows. This time around we are teaming up with LaPush from St. Louis. We will be sharing bills in the coming weeks in Springfield IL, Columbia MO, and St. Louis MO. I couldn't be more excited to bring some new tunes to you all just in time for the holiday season.
The shows coming up should be some good ones! We will kick it off by returning to The Hoogland Center for The Performing Arts in my hometown of Springfield, IL on Thanksgiving weekend. Last time we were in Springfield, the support was overwhelming and the venue sold out! This time around we are back with support from 97.7 The River and also WNNS 98.7. Both stations are currently playing tracks from 'A Motion Picture Scene EP.' Tickets are currently available at The Hoogland box office or by calling 217.523.2787.
After turkey and Springfield, we make a return to Columbia, MO for a FREE show at The Blue Note on weds 11.29. We will be sharing the stage with LaPush and newcomers; The Province will kick off the night with an acoustic set.
Friday December 1st brings us to the duck room in Blueberry Hill in St. louis MO. Again, this show will be a co-headlining gig with LaPush. We've arranged to have our own pre-sale, due to the overwhelming response. Check out the info below.
[update 12.1.06]
Sorry, the presale has officially ended.
However, the show is NOT SOLD OUT. There are still plenty of tickets available for door purchase, so don't be discouraged if you were unable to get your tickets in the presale.
Doors are at 8pm, The Province will kick off the night at 8:30, followed by LaPush and Jonathan Cour.
Brave the elements if you can and see everybody at The Duck Room in Blueberry Hill TONIGHT!
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[11.7.06]
That’s right everyone, the band and I are making our way back to your cities. We will kick it off on Friday Nov 10 with our first show in Champaign IL at The Cowboy Monkey, followed by Thanksgiving weekend with a return to The Hoogland Center for the Arts in my hometown of Springfield IL. Then on the 29, we will be at The Blue Note in Columbia MO for a FREE/ALL AGES show with our pals LAPUSH and newcomers; The Province. Friday December 1st brings us back to St. Louis and The Duck Room in Blueberry Hill. Again, LAPUSH and The Province will share the night.
We are looking forward to returning to these great rooms. Expect some new tunes and a great night of music when you come out. We have seen a lot of new faces in the past months and are eager to see you all again.
Stay tuned to jonathancour.com and myspace.com/jonathancour for more show and news updates, we are adding them weekly!
See You Soon,
JC
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[10.12.06]
Hey all,
The band and i are not playing out much this month, but don't worry, we're scheduling some great dates for the upcoming holiday season. We'll be making our way back to Columbia, MO, The Duck Room in Blueberry Hill, and my hometown of Springfield, Illinois. Currently, i am taking some time to work on new material both in the studio and with other songwriters. I'll be doing a bit of traveling work with these other songwriters, one of which is the amazing Thom Donovan. Look for his band (Lapush) on some of our upcoming bills as well.
So stay tuned, we'll have more shows posted soon, and i will continue to update the myspace page on the writing/recording progress. I also wrote a new blog about a recent trip to LA and some of the studio work currently in progress. Click here to view it on the myspace page. You can also checkout the new demo of 'Ordinary People' while you are there.
see you all soon and take care,
JC
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[9.12.06]
I wanted to thank everyone in Chicago who came out to see us at the Millennium Park stage on 9.7 and at the Ravinia Amphitheatre for the sold-out Hootie and the Blowfish show on 9.9. The band and I had an awesome few days in the windy city!!!
We’ve got some great dates coming up. In addition to a festival date with the Cowboy Junkies and Shelby Lynne, we’re headlining our own shows at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO and the Pageant in St. Louis. We also have a very cool acoustic showcase planned in Los Angeles on Sep.28th at the Hotel Café. Check out the SHOWS tab for more info.
See you at the shows!!
JC
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[8.22.06]
Just Announced...
My band and I will once again be sharing the stage with Hootie and the Blowfish. This time, the venue will be the expansive Ravinia Amphitheater in Chicago IL on 9.9. Tickets for the show are officially SOLD OUT. Go to www.ravinia.org for location and information.
Also don't forget about LOMA on 9.16 and our headlining dates at The Blue Note in Columbia (9.21) and The Pageant in St. Louis (9.22). Voting is still going on for the RFT Music Awards as well at riverfronttimes.com..
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[8.15.06]
It has been a great summer! I wanted to send out a huge thanks to everyone who came out to the shows. It’s been a bit overwhelming to see the continuing support, along with all the new faces. After a relaxed month of August focusing on some new songs and polishing up the set, my band and I are ready to go full force into the fall. I am currently hard at work in the studio recording some really cool versions of new songs. We have been playing them live and now it is time to bring the stripped down, more acoustic versions to you! We will be launching them via MySpace in the coming weeks.
We have a very eventful fall shaping up so far. September is full of some really cool shows including; a festival with Cowboy Junkies and Shelby Lynne, our own headlining shows at The Blue Note in Columbia, MO and the Pageant in St. Louis and a very cool industry showcase at Club Twenty Twenty in Los Angeles.
Stay tuned to the calendar page and MySpace for updates and tour dates. There are plenty more to come. We will also be getting some pictures up from the summer shows, look for those in the coming weeks.
JC
IN OTHER NEWS
Jonathan Cour has been nominated for “Best Singer/Songwriter” by The Riverfront Times in St. Louis MO. After only five months on the scene, the nomination comes as a great compliment. Nominees are placed by recommendation of local industry members, the RFT staff and venue management/owners. Thank you to all who made it possible for the nomination. Voting is currently under way to determine the winner at riverfronttimes.com.
Click here to be directed to the ballot.
Selected nominated artists will be showcasing their talents at the annual RFT music awards showcase in the U. City Loop. This year’s showcase takes place on Sunday September 10 in various venues throughout the loop. You can catch Jonathan Cour and band at Blueberry Hill with other performers including Ludo and Grant Essig.
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[8.1.06]
We had a great time in Chicago this past Saturday. What an awesome festival!!! It was great to see our friend Will Hoge again and we appreciate all of the local support.
Check back on the site soon. We're adding several new shows in September, including a festival in St. Louis co-headlining with the Cowboy Junkies, a headlining date at the famous Blue Note in Columbia, MO, our own headlining date at the Pageant in St. Louis, and a industry showcase in Los Angeles. We're taking a bit of time off this month to continue writing, recording, and chilling a bit, but we'll see you soon enough.
Take Care,
JC
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[7.10.06]
Bon Jovi Contest Update
I want to bring everyone up to date about the Bon Jovi Have a Nice Gig contest. There is some good news... and some not so good news. First the good news. Thanks to the votes and efforts of all of you, I qualified to compete against four other artists in Chicago for the chance to open up for Bon Jovi at Soldier Field in Chicago. My music got me in the top 10, but your votes got me in the top 5. Thanks to all of you who voted and especially to those committed fans who voted more than once (you know who you are).
Now the not so good news. After finding out that I qualified for the next round, I also learned that whoever wins will be obligated to sign a management agreement with a company called Monarch Entertainment. The terms of the management agreement have not been shared with me (or, as far as I know, to any other contestant); nor have I been able to figure out what Monarch Entertainment’s qualifications are (if any) to manage an artist like me. Needless to say, these additional requirements came as a complete surprise. As many of you know, I already have a great team of people supporting me (including a manager), but even if I didn’t, I don’t think it’s fair for any artist to have to commit to sign an agreement he’s never had an opportunity to look at that will obligate him to work with individuals he’s never had an opportunity to meet. For this reason, we have declined the invitation to compete further in the Bon Jovi contest.
Thanks again to all who voted for me. I know this a disappointment for you. It is for me, but we have a lot of other exciting developments that we’ll be sharing with you soon.
JC
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[6.28.06]
My band and I have been selected by 101.9 WTMX in Chicago to be one of the competing bands for HAVE A NICE GIG in Chicago. We are in a competing with 9 other bands to play with BON JOVI at Soldier Field on July 21! All of the bands are competing by your votes and on July 5, the top 5 will be selected to play a showcase at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on July 16.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU: Click HERE to be directed to the voting screen. Scroll down to Jonathan Cour and “Motion Picture Scene”, and select LOVE IT. Scroll to the bottom and select submit votes. You can only vote once a day from a computer. So if you have multiple computers, vote from them all every day!
The voting will end on Wednesday July 5 at noon. Pass the word onto all of your friends, this will not be possible without EVERYONE’S help.
Thanks... see you soon!
JC
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[6.19.06]
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Duck Room this past Friday!!! It was great to play again with our new friends Bottle of Justus, as well as seeing Robynn Ragland for the first time.
Big news... my e.p. “A Motion Picture Scene” is NOW available at Apple iTunes!!! Follow the link below to download the songs:
Also, check out the “SHOWS” section. We’ve got some great gigs with Brian Vander Ark, Hootie and the Blowfish, Will Hoge, and our own headlining shows coming up. We’ll also be playing several new original songs in the set that I’m very proud of. Come out and see a show!!!
JC
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[5.30.06]
read the playback:stl review of "a motion picture scene E.P." here.
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[5.25.06]
We are getting geared up for another big show at the Duck Room (inside Blueberry Hill, St. Louis) on June 16th. Due to the high demand for advance ticketing and the overwhelming success of our last show at the venue, beginning TODAY we are offering you a chance to purchase tickets online to the show.
The 16th promises to be an awesome night of music. I’m very excited to bring special guests Bottle of Justus and Robynn Ragland back to ST. LOUIS, AND I CAN GURANTEE YOU’LL GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH!! Robynn Ragland (voted "Best Pop Artist in St. Louis" & winner of the 2004 DIY "Songwriter of the Year" in Los Angeles) will be kicking off the night with a special acoustic performance. Having shared the stage with everyone from Fleetwood Mac to Oasis and James Taylor, Robynn is a true talent and this is her first show in St. Louis in over 2 years!!!! Our new friends Bottle of Justus will be playing a full-band show and after you see them perform you’ll understand why their new singles “Hello” and “Easy” are currently blowing up at radio in virtually every Midwest market. These guys are true touring professionals and regularly sell out large rooms like the House of Blues in Chicago.
Click the tickets below to be directed to the E-Ticket Purchase Screen NOW!!
[ticket presale is now closed for the 6.16.06 show]
See you at the show!!
JC
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[5.9.06]
Check out the “shows” section for updates. We’ve just added some great dates in St. Louis. Grant and I will be playing an acoustic opening set for Lifehouse at Mississippi Nights on June 5th, the full band will be playing at the Duck Room on June 16th, and Grant and I will again be playing an acoustic set with Brian Vander Ark from the Verve Pipe at Finale on June 24th.
Also, for those of you who haven’t made it to the shows to pick up the CD, along with www.cdbaby.net you can pick it up at Vintage Vinyl and Euclid Records.
See you at the shows!!
JC
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[4.21.06]
Many thanks to everyone who made it out to the Pageant (St. Louis, MO) on April 14th and Mojo's (Columbia, MO) on April 19th. For those who made it out to my first show in Columbia, MO, thank you for the great response!!
I've got a very cool show coming up on May 6th in St. Louis at Finale Music.
Check out the "Shows" tab or visit www.finale-stl.com or www.ticketmaster.com for tickets. This is an ALL AGES show in a very intimate setting. We're playing two shows this night, 7:30 and 9:30pm.
Also, check out my MySpace page for a previously unreleased track available as a FREE DOWNLOAD!! The song is called "Bounce."
Enjoy the free track and I'll see you at Finale.
JC
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[4.11.06]
Thank you to everyone who made it out to the SOLD OUT Jonathan Cour cd release show on Friday. For those of you who were unable to attend/unable to get in or just are ready for some more, jonathan and the guys will be playing LIVE again this week.
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The Pageant | St. Louis MO
w/ Operator 303, Next Sunday, The IN?
all ages | 8pm | 21 and over tickets are free, under 21 tickets $5*
www.thepageant.com
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The show is FREE for patrons 21 and up with a ticket. If you are under 21, it only costs $5 to get in. For those of you who don’t have tickets… don’t worry, you can still get them-
ON FRIDAY NIGHT FROM (7:30-9:30pm) we will have someone standing in front of the pageant (rain or shine) HANDING OUT FREE TICKETS! Look for someone wearing a Jonathan Cour t-shirt offering tickets. These tickets WILL ensure free admission, so even if you don’t have tickets now, come out on Friday and get yours BETWEEN 7:30 and 9:30pm.
There will be plenty of cds and t-shirts available to purchase for those who did not get them at the release party. Look forward to seeing everyone out again!
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[4.9.06]
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Duck Room CD Release and helped us sell out the show!!! The band and I had an awesome time and we appreciate the overwhelming response.
Check out the "Shows" section for a number of new additions. I have an all ages shows coming up this week at the Pageant in St. Louis as well as an 18 and up show in Columbia, MO on April 19th.
See you at the shows!!
JC
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[3.27.06]
For everyone that came out to the Samples show at the Duck Room this past Friday the 24th, THANK YOU!!! The response was great and wesold quite a few “Advance” copies of the new CD. Also, you can now by the CD online at CD BABY. Check out www.cdbaby.com/jonathancour to order your copy online.
Finally, we’re getting ready for the “official” CD release on April 7th. Don’t miss this show!! It’s going to be a great night of music.
Take Care,
Jonathan Cour
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[3.21.06]
Hey all...the website is finally here! Well, a busy spring is just underway with the upcoming "offical" release of my first E.P. There's a lot to look forward to. To bring the songs to you live, I've teamed up with some great musicians from the STL area. They include former members of the groups Colony, Just Add Water, Seven Star, and Lord Baltimore (see the "About" tab for more info). We've got a lot of shows and interviews scheduled so far, including, a CD release show (April 7 @ Blueberry Hill), the River Homegrown Show (April 30, 9:00 p.m.), and more still to come.
You can check out my songs on the media tab of this site as well at: www.myspace.com/jonathancour
The disc will be released at the April 7th Duck Room show in St. Louis and will hit local stores (Vintage Vinyl, Streetside Records) the same day. You'll also be able to buy songs from iTunes - www.itunes.com, buy cd's online from CD Baby - www.cdbaby.com and have access to my music on the subscription service Rhapsody - www.rhapsody.com in the coming weeks. I'll keep you posted!!
See you at the shows!!!
Jonathan Cour
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