Derek Jameson
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Derek Jameson

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"Musically Speaking - Derek Jameson uses his songs to say what's on his mind"

Jameson has been building a local
following by playing at events such
as San Jose Pride Festival and area
clubs, and is set to release his second
compact disc, “Biology,” in May.
The songs on the CD explore the
processes of life, such as desires,
expectations and heartbreaks.
Jameson’s voice is set against a
brooding background of piano and
keyboards, all of which Jameson
plays. He also wrote the lyrics to all
but three of the songs.
The CD reflects Jameson’s passion for
life, and his compassion for others,
especially the people of Darfur
(located in the Western region of the
African nation of Sudan). Since 2003,
more than 400,000 people have
been killed in and around the area
as government-backed militia fight
rebel groups.
“People my age don’t know about
[Darfur],” Jameson said. “I make it a
personal point to say something.”
“Raise Your Voice,” one of the songs
on “Biology,” was inspired by Darfur.
The song features Jameson playing
piano and singing the lines:
“We turn our backs afraid to feel/All the
pain of what is so real/But this battle’s
just begun.”
“I felt like I was singing to save lives,”
Jameson says of the song. “It took so
much out of me just to perform that.”
For every CD sold, Jameson will
donate $1.50 to the Save Darfur
Coalition — savedarfur.org
— a group that works to pressure
policymakers in the United States
and abroad to help the people of
Darfur. People who purchase the
CD will also get a green “Not on Our
Watch – Save Darfur” wristband
they can wear as a visible symbol of
their support.
Jameson developed a connection to
Africa when he traveled to Morocco
and Egypt a few years ago. As he’s
learned more about the thousands
of men, women and children who
have been starved, raped and
murdered in the Darfur region, he’s
felt a growing need to call others’
attention to the atrocities.
Jameson said his passion for music
started when he was 15, when he
discovered that his talent gave him
a way to communicate. He’d taken
a few piano lessons before, but was
also starting to learn on his own.

“Until I found music, I could never
talk,” he says. Music was “the only
way to say what I felt inside me.”
When he won the grand prize at a
high school talent show, he realized,
“my song moved people. I knew I had
a voice I hadn’t had before that, so I
kept doing it.”
Jameson’s played in a couple of
bands before, but he then struck out
on his own. He’s now looking for a
record label. He says the intensely
personal music of Tori Amos has
been a big influence on him, and he
wants to connect with his listeners in
a similar fashion.
Jameson strives to communicate
what he’s feeling when he’s
singing a song, in order to bring
listeners closer to their own
feelings — and, hopefully, act on
those feelings.
“I want the person to feel what I felt
when I was going through that. I
want to let them connect so that
they understand themselves better.”
Jameson says e-mails to his myspace
page indicate he’s succeeding, as
people tell him how much his songs
mean to them.
Adis Eminic, a friend and fellow
musician, admires Jameson’s
compassion. “I don’t really see many
people our age doing what he
does,” Eminic says, noting that when
Jameson travels he skips destinations
that are popular with other college-
age people, like Cancun and Hawaii.
After hurricanes Katrina and Rita
hit in 2005, Jameson
took time off school
to go help with relief
efforts. “He stands for
those who don’t have a
voice,” Eminic says.
Jameson’s compassion
for other people
and strong interest
in world events
have been greatly
influenced by his
travels. His first trip
was a solo journey
to Egypt, which
was inspired by an
anthropology class he
took in college. Since
then, he’s traveled to
other places, such as
the Middle East and
Asia. He says being
alone without the
comforts of home,
and seeing modern
culture mixed with
history is addictive.
He encourages other
people to travel.
“It opens your eyes and
heart,” he says.
With the time he
spends making music,
going to school and
working out, Jameson
doesn’t have much
time to socialize,
especially when it
comes to dating. He
likes being free to
explore his music
— and the world. He
doesn’t expect to be
dating anytime soon.
“I’m free so it takes a
strong person to go
along with that and
understand and not
get offended — it
has to blow my mind,
and that’s very rare,”
Jameson says.
“My dad said ‘You want
to do too many things,’”
Jameson says. But
“there are too many
amazing things to be a
part of. I want to do it
all.” ON
Seth Hemmelgarn - ON Magazine - ON Magazine


Discography

The Island That Sun Forgot
Released 2006
Itunes or CDbaby.com for song samples

Biology
Released 2007
Derekjameson.com for song samples

Photos

Bio

Derek Jameson is a 25 year old singer/songwriter/pianist based out of Austin, TX. Derek’s music is a blend of electronic and symphonic support for very piano based material. He has written and produced most of all his material and occasionally works on projects for films and other established artists.

Since 1996, Derek has worked with a variety of musicians for selected shows and events ranging from benefit concerts to famous festivals. In 2003 Derek formed “The Betting Fraternity” with long time friend and co - worker Justin Imamura. The band grew over time and played many shows from San Francisco to Los Angeles, even winning awards for best pop/rock group at the New York Film and Music Festival.

At the same time as “The Betting Fraternity,” Derek joined the edgy rock group “Forgotten Sounds” and sang lead vocals as well as played keyboards. Along with performing his own material, Derek performed in a variety of stage productions at Santa Clara, C.A. based theme park Paramount’s Great America. There he honed his skills for entertainment in a variety of ways.

Along with recording and performing his material, Derek also continues his education with focuses on Anthropology, General Education, Global Studies, and Pharmacy. This, combined with a passion for world travel and humanitarian efforts, combines to empower the words and music he creates for anyone from any background to pull from.

Derek has decided to go on his own and produce music primarily as a solo artist. This is his project with goals of educating, inspiring, and moving people physically and mentally.