jesus on the mainline
release date: may 19, 2017
"The Morning Bell is Jesus On The Mainline’s debut full-length record and is our first opportunity to truly fly our flag as songwriters and record makers. As a band, we have been fortunate to receive great support for our live shows, and the stage has been our home. But we also love albums that stand on their own merit, and that is what we strove for with The Morning Bell. The pool of musical influences on this album is massive and includes everything from gospel traditionals to John Coltrane to the Alabama Shakes to Abbey Road. As a 15-piece band, JOTM already has a huge palette of sounds, and we’ve combined our many sounds in new ways on this record. We took deep dives into the abyss of guitar tone. We geeked out for six months straight after finding a 1960s Echoplex tape delay in the trash. We relished how much better a vintage Juno synth sounds than a software plug-in. All of these experiences made an impact on the album. Making The Morning Bell has been an awakening for us, and the process affirmed our commitment to discovery and embracing the unknown."
Vocals by Tim Emmerick, Andrew Neesley, Mel Flannery, and Natalie Cressman
Guitars by Andrew Miramonti, Tim Emmerick, and Simon Kafka
Keyboards by Pascal LeBeouf
Bass by Jeff Koch, Tim Emmerick, and Tomek Miernowski
Drums by Anders Flemming and Sean Mullins
Percussion by Jake Goldbas
Trumpets by Michael Gorham and Augie Haas
Flügelhorn by Andrew Neesley
Trombones by Natalie Cressman, Frank Cohen, and James Yardley
Tuba by Mark McGinnis
Cello by Tara Hanish
Violin by Andrew Neesley
Chord Organ by Andrew Neesley
Harmonica by Tim Emmerick
About jesus on the mainline
In a random encounter, unlikely collaborators Tim Emmerick and Andrew Neesley met in New York and soon began writing music together, locking in a unique partnership that seems to complete each writer. With the traditional song ‘Jesus On The Mainline’ popping up repeatedly in the mystical computer algorithm on Andrew’s feed, the band name was chosen and now permanently represents purposeful connection with the source, regardless of differences in background.
Award winning trumpeter Andrew Neesley has a Masters in Jazz Composition, and cut his teeth composing and arranging for Afro-Cuban big bands, including the Bobby Sanabria Big Band and the Latin Grammy nominate ‘Kenya Revisited LIVE!!’. Andrew has recorded or performed with a wide range of artists including Lady Gaga, The Roots, Chris Botti, James Taylor, Christian McBride, Randy Brecker, and Ray Barreto. He has appeared in venues large and not as large, from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to The Jazz Standard and Joe’s Pub.
Tim Emmerick is a songwriter and musician originally from Buffalo, New York. As a child he studied voice with beloved Western New York music teacher Barbara Wagner and started gigging in local bars and coffee houses at 14. Tim earned his Masters of Music in Songwriting from Bath Spa University in Bath, UK. As a songwriter he has written and recorded with artists in the US and Europe and has landed placements with major brands including Microsoft and Converse. Tim is a mainstay on the New York indie rock scene and has toured extensively in the US, Canada and UK including appearances with artists at South By Southwest, North by Northeast, CMJ and Brooklyn’s Northside Festival.
Jesus On The Mainline begins with this duo, but expands to a fifteen piece group of New York’s finest young musicians. Inclusion and collaboration make the band more than hired guns – the lush sounds on The Morning Bell are the result of a tight connection between members of a large ensemble – bringing Neesley’s experience to the center. Yet above everything in the room are the SONGS, and this deference on the part of each member creates a tight focus throughout the album. This is not a big band rambling through the repertoire, nor is it a couple of writers who hired out the finishing touches – this is a collection of players paying meticulous homage to the power of a song – times ten. Of course, when it’s time to hit the stage the big band cuts loose in a funky explosion of sound.