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Sophomore songwriter Justin Mitchell releases his first album, 'One Day'
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While some Tufts students pass their summers at the beach, clocking hours in an office or lounging b...While some Tufts students pass their summers at the beach, clocking hours in an office or lounging by the lake in Talloires, sophomore Justin Mitchell spent much of his time in a recording studio. The budding singer-songwriter is self-releasing his first album, "One Day," this coming week, after three months of hard work and preparation.
When Mitchell stumbled upon an unexpected and fortuitous connection through his summer vocal teacher, he jumped at the opportunity to record his work. "Most of how I find and meet musicians is through online sources," he said. "Over the summer I was searching for a vocal teacher and I found [Beth Burrows] through her Web site. She's fantastic and has a great résumé ... and she wanted to give me a push in the right direction."
Mitchell was drawn to Burrows before even knowing that she ran her own recording label in Manhattan, Pillar Records. He signed on and began crafting his debut album with the help of Burrows and several collaborators, including Mitchell's close friend Alex Cohen on drums. Mitchell funded his recording time and the weekend drives to Manhattan by hauling golf clubs as a caddy in his home state of Connecticut. "I guess I should give credit to the country club members, because they pretty much paid for this album," he said with a laugh.
The exhausting combination of caddy work, recording and songwriting kept Mitchell constantly busy, but he is used to multitasking while remaining engaged in his musical pursuits. At Tufts, Mitchell juggles a potential history major, hockey and his continuing vocal and songwriting work. He's been writing music since age 15 and has been playing the piano for even longer.
Mitchell is no stranger to live performance either; he has played at a variety of indie-rock venues from New York City to Boston as part of a rock quartet. With the help of a booking agent, Mitchell made his way to some sought-after stages in Manhattan and learned how to publicize effectively since, as he said, "It's definitely a competitive market trying to draw people into your show when the Yankees are playing!"
It's this combination of persistence and an audience-conscious outlook that allows Mitchell to bring focus to his independent work as well. With so much already on his plate, Mitchell won't be performing until spring semester at the earliest, instead concentrating on his solo album and on writing more songs.
Citing his biggest influences as popular bands The Fray and OneRepublic, Mitchell described his favorite style as "commercial ... with a more piano-based sound."
Ultimately, Mitchell aims to create music that can reach a broad audience. "The songs I usually enjoy playing [are] more emotionally laden relationship songs," he explained. "I think those are the things that get me and an audience going."
The tracks on his debut album often explore memories of past relationships and are neatly sandwiched between two versions of the title song "One Day." It was this particular song, Mitchell explained, that sparked the creation of the album. "I wrote the lead song over the summer ... [It] was actually why Beth took such an interest in me, more than anything. She took a real interest in this song, and in producing and arranging it. That was kind of where we got off the ground," he said.
The main version of the song kicks off the album, while the concluding counterpart includes more lyrical depth and a lengthy guitar solo by one of Mitchell's collaborators, Jason Jagentenfl. The extended version is "more personal," and the added lyrics give the ending a more specific context. Mitchell is particularly excited to hear reactions to this song, as it is at the crux of the whole album.
Another song on the album, entitled "Desert Playground," was done completely in one take. "It was the last day and we literally only had an hour or so left, so I just did it in one shot," Mitchell said. Under pressure but exhilarated, Mitchell pulled it off and was happy with the resulting track. The intensity of "Desert Playground," in a way, echoes the entire recording experience as a whole: a lot of work within a limited time frame, but with some wonderful discoveries along the way. "I learned through doing. I learned all the different things that go into the final product; and I learned just as much about how to sell myself and my music as I did about the recording process."
What's next for Justin Mitchell? "The sky's the limit, just go as far as you can," he said. "I definitely have goals and hopes but try to keep it in check and stay grounded in that respect." One thing that seems certain is that Mitchell's sense of determination and self-assurance will take him, as it did last summer with a little luck and caddy cash, to new challenges and musical experiences.
Check out the new album "One Day" on iTunes, or keep your eyes peeled in the coming week for Mitchell, who will be distributing free copies. For more information, visit justinmitchellmusic.com or myspace.com/justinmitchellmusik.
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In Our Midst: Justin Mitchell
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Written By: Emily Maretsky
Freshman Justin Mitchell juggles hockey sticks and piano keys in pursuit...Written By: Emily Maretsky
Freshman Justin Mitchell juggles hockey sticks and piano keys in pursuit of a career in music:
After dropping his hockey bag in the corner of the Bush Hall common room following a grueling practice, freshman Justin Mitchell usually collapses onto a couch. Wearing a pair of green seersucker shorts and a Choate athletics T-shirt, the tall blond athlete looks like the stereotypical prep-school jock.
But amid the hockey gear strewn around his dorm room, there is an old keyboard hidden underneath a jersey.
To his Bush Hall neighbors, Mitchell was a mystery at the start of the school year, only seen lugging his equipment to and from practice. But on occasion, Bush residents would hear soft piano music escaping through the crack under his door.
While jokes used to circulate about a secret Celine Dion obsession, Mitchell's hallmates soon realized that it was no recording - the soft piano music was actually Mitchell practicing on his keyboard. Unbeknownst to his peers, the athlete from down the hall harbored a secret ambition: to be a pop singer.
The Connecticut native did not start out as a music man, however. His parents encouraged him to try various sports as a child.
"When I was little, I had too much energy … My parents heard that hockey was tiring, so they handed me a stick and put me on skates," Mitchell said.
Mitchell's initial foray into music was unsuccessful. He began taking piano lessons at age eight with a strict piano teacher who only taught classical music.
"I thought it was boring and hated it," Mitchell said. "For my first piano recital … my parents had to force me out from under the coffee table, which is ironic, since now I'll do anything to perform."
But Mitchell's perception of music was turned around in middle school when a new piano teacher took a break from classical and began teaching him popular music.
In his sophomore year of high school, Mitchell transferred to Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Connecticut. Once there, he divided his time between his musical interests and sports, learning songs on the piano independently and teaming up with a friend to form a band called Pep Rally Friday.
Over the following years, however, hockey moved to the top of his priorities as he worked his way up to co-captain of the team by his senior year and Pep Rally Friday didn't live up to his expectations.
After high school graduation, Mitchell joined a junior hockey team based in Lawrence, Mass., where he worked two jobs and lived with hockey roommates in an apartment during the season.
But a turbulent relationship between Mitchell and his roommates forced the athlete-musician to take up residence in his car for three weeks, where he spent time writing songs alone.
In mid-December of that year, during one of his loneliest points, Mitchell was accepted to Tufts.
Mitchell explained that adjusting to the college atmosphere has had its benefits and difficulties.
"It's nice to be around people for a change," he said. "But it's [been a] big adjustment from not being in school to coming back, a rude awakening."
Mitchell said that he appreciates his new Tufts teammates as opposed to those he played with before coming to college. "The guys [on the team] here are more aware of real life," he said. "They aren't complacent like the guys I knew last year."
Although he was shy at first, Mitchell now welcomes his hallmates to his room to listen to his songs. The soft rock he composes, often expressive songs about relationships, usually surprises people who aren't acquainted with him - and now, the freshman frequently sits his peers down on his ratty old couch to play an impromptu concert.
Mitchell explained that the appeal of pop music is the fact that it has the widest audience of any genre.
"Although it's relatively generic, it just resonates with all people; it can apply to almost anybody," he said.
His room is crowded with his hockey equipment and keyboard, but he manages to make room for both, just as he has done for the past few years.
In between academic pursuits and hockey, Mitchell has fit in efforts to form a band. He now has a bassist, drummer and guitarist, and recently recorded a four-song EP called "Toll 4," in addition to launching a MySpace.com site.
Mitchell recently hired a booking agent and is planning to play eight shows in New York City this summer, in addition to a few college gigs next fall.
http://media.www.tuftsdaily.com/media/storage/paper856/news/2008/04/11/Features/In.Our.Midst.Justin.Mitchell-3319735.shtml
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Justin Mitchell Returns to Choate
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Finding the perfect balance between a passion for music and a passion for sports may seem difficult,...Finding the perfect balance between a passion for music and a passion for sports may seem difficult, but Choate graduate Justin Mitchell ’06 finds the time to enjoy both. Liz Spaulding ’08 describes Justin as “a triple threat—sick hockey flow, the piano-playing skills of a god, and perfectly defined quads.” Now a freshman at Tufts University, Mitchell has become very involved in music, writing his own songs and performing regularly. Choate students will get the chance to see him on May 16th , when he will perform at the SAC with drummer and backup vocalist Elijah Dabney ’07.
Justin came to Choate as a new sophomore, hailing from Darien, CT, and in search of a school with a “more competitive atmosphere” in the two sports he was passionate about: soccer and hockey. His interest in hockey began when his parents heard that hockey was tiring; the young Justin had “too much energy,” so they stuck him on skates, gave him a stick, and off he went. Justin considered sports his main extracurricular at Choate—he was elected co-captain of the hockey team his senior year, and went on to play junior hockey in the EJHL, or the Eastern Junior Hockey League, after graduating.
“Sunshine,” as his coach Pat Dennehy called him—a reference to the blond-haired athlete from Remember the Titans—was a “very hardworking, very determined guy.” Justin loved the “team camaraderie and competitive nature” of the sport, but after a season playing in the NESCAC league, his passion began to fade and music took the front seat. Dennehy recalled the first time he heard him play: at a team hockey dinner in the midst of a tournament, Justin sat down at the piano and began to play, while teammates, coaches, and families gathered around to listen, amazed at his talent. The same determination and work ethic evident in his athletics shone through his music, and it was clear to everyone around him that music was not something Justin would soon leave behind.
Mitchell began playing classical piano in third grade and strongly disliked it at first. Chris Mitchell ’08, Justin’s brother, can remember Justin’s first piano recital: “My parents had to drag him out from under a coffee table and force him to go. He really hated to perform then.” It was only after being introduced to pop music by a later teacher that his passion began to grow. While at Choate, he often bought sheet music online from artists such as Coldplay and really began to enjoy playing and performing. “These groups really struck a chord with me,” Justin remembers. “It was as if when I played their songs anything that was an issue in my life was immediately dissolved.”
An open-mic night at the SAC his sophomore year provided Justin with even greater inspiration. Doug Berman ’05, a housemate in EC, asked Justin to provide background keyboard on a song called “Konstantine” by Something Corporate. Doug inspired Justin; he suddenly wanted to “be at his level—to be able to learn songs more quickly.” This performance at the SAC opened the door to even more performance opportunities—at the SAC, at all-school meetings, and beyond. “The opportunities Choate presented to perform were the final piece in high school that gave music a bigger place in my life,” Justin declares.
Soft pop rock continues to be Justin’s preferred genre. “It was just what came out when I sat down at the piano,” he explains. Although he admits that it can be considered generic, Justin is confident that his is a genre many people can relate to—and inviting people to relate to his music is one of Justin’s ultimate goals. The Fray, Augustana, and OneRepublic particularly influence Justin’s sound, but artists such as Fort Minor and Linkin Park can be heard in some songs as well. Working with a voice teacher has helped his understanding of vocal melodies, piano accompaniment, and pop-rock structure, but for the most part Justin considers himself a “self-taught songwriter.” On May 16th, Justin and his band will be playing about twenty original songs, all of which were written this year, and one or two covers.
Justin is excited to play at Choate. “Any chance to go back is one I’ll jump at,” he declares. He was in contact with Mr. Yanelli last year, and after hearing about the Grayson Sanders Band’s performance, he was eager to play as well. Choate faculty members had a profound impact on Justin, and he is eager to visit with them. “I’ve been really fortunate in that the teachers and adults I’ve encountered have all been very helpful in any endeavor I’ve pursued,” he says fondly. His teachers and coaches remember him fondly as well; Mr. Lowery describes him as a “natural leader, someone whose sincerity, humbleness, respectfulness, and courage always impressed me.”
Choate will eagerly await his performance on Saturday, May 16th, at the SAC, and if any ladies are interested, says Liz Spaulding, “Justin loves long walks on the beach and spiced chais from Half Moon.”
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Big City Performance
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Darien native and musician Justin Mitchell will perform at the Annex at 8 on Tuesday, June 17. The 2...Darien native and musician Justin Mitchell will perform at the Annex at 8 on Tuesday, June 17. The 21-year-old singer, songwriter and pianist performs original music with the four-piece Justin Mitchell Band. His songwriting is influenced by contemporary rock artists such as the Fray, Augustana and OneRepublic. The aspiring pop-rock singer works with Boston Conservatory’s pop voice instructor Thomas Gregg. Mitchell recently recorded his first EP and will release it free of charge. Following his performance at the Annex, Mitchell will return to the studio to produce his second EP alongside veteran sound engineer Rob Ignazio.
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3153:big-city-performance&catid=96:darien-community&Itemid=58
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Justin Mitchell plays last summer city performance
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Darien native and musician Justin Mitchell will be headlining in his last Manhattan show of the summ...Darien native and musician Justin Mitchell will be headlining in his last Manhattan show of the summer at Club Midway on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 10.
The 21-year-old singer, songwriter and pianist performs original music along with his four-piece Justin Mitchell band. His most recent show at the Knitting Factory in New York City drew enough fans to have him rebooked for a September show.
Mitchell is currently working with Grammy voting member and voice instructor Beth Burrows. He has been recording his album at Wellspring Sound Studios in Acton, Mass., under the guidance of esteemed sound engineer and producer Rob Ignazio.
Mitchell will release his new album under Pillar Records by Aug. 25, and it will be available on iTunes and MySpace. To hear some of his recent work, visit myspace.com/justinmitchellmusik.
Club Midway is at 25 Avenue B in the Lower East Side of New York City.
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5726:justin-mitchell-plays-last-summer-city-performance&catid=96:darien-community&Itemid=58
