Jesse David
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Jesse David

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"Voice To Ambition"

Toronto Cop Sings For Charity

Cop gives voice to ambition

By: Cassie Jeysman
Police Constable Jesse David Weeks, 24, may be one of the youngest people ever accepted to the Toronto police force, but he spends his free time pursuing his real passion in life, music.

From an early age Weeks developed an appreciation for music. His dad was a professional musician and as Weeks grew older he began to enjoy writing songs just as much as he enjoyed listening to them. However, Weeks said he decided to be a cop before pursuing his music career because policing is a more stable job. As far as finances are concerned, he said music is a very risky profession because it's hard to get a break. Policing was another option because it provided stability and a steady paycheck.

After spending a couple of years on the Toronto police force, Weeks said music began to offer him a way to vent his emotions and be creative, providing a great balance to the policing side of his life.

"Policing is very serious, you are always dealing with reality of life. The music is very 'not serious'. It is relaxing, almost therapeutic in a sense," Weeks said. "You are escaping from reality and entering a creative phase where you can make something sound beautiful. I really enjoy that balance."

Once he decided to pursue music seriously, Weeks and his dad created Mission Music, a record label, where all of Week's profits go directly to charity. Although he called it "the business front" of it all, Weeks explained that the vision of Mission Music is to, "use music as a means to an end." He said since he has already supported himself through another job, the extra money should be used to help other people who are not enjoying their standard of living.

The first song Weeks did was called Trini Girl. For him this song was basically trial and error because he wanted to record a song and see what the process of marketing the song would be. He wrote Trini Girl without an instrument with only the melody in his head. He said he heard the song as pure reggae, but when recording with his producer the song came out more as pop.

"He did pretty much exactly what we wanted, except it isn't a huge market for a poppy reggaeish song," Weeks said. "It was an experience, but the fact the song had a pop image is not really me, it isn't what is going to be working for me in the future."

When Week's police friends heard his new song, he got the impression they thought it was really amazing that he had recorded a quality song. He knows that a cop pursuing music is not normal, but he said a lot of them were really surprised in a "wow that is really cool" way.

A long road ahead

However, problems arose for Weeks when he realized how tough it was to market a song without backing it with a full album.

"People want to be able to match up a song with an artist and an image," Weeks said. "You can't really like an artist if there isn't a collection of songs."

Once Trini Girl hit airways, Weeks decided it was wise to return to the drawing board and work on completing a full album, including more personal songs about Christianity and his experiences working on the streets of Toronto.

One song Weeks is recording is called Year of the Gun. "I wrote it right after seeing the news and hearing that they called 2005 the year of the gun. It is basically about gun violence in the city, but I do not mention Toronto specifically."

It is not just about the music

Weeks is guiding his own steps in his music career, but in the long run his ultimate goal is to help people and point them towards the Bible. He said in policing he gets many chances to help people but it disappoints him that the people he is helping don't really know that he is doing it for truthful reasons.

"They think it is more that I have to help them because it is my job and I have a uniform on."

He admits it would take a lot for him to leave policing and the kind of security that policing offers. He already has five years invested and it would be difficult to walk away from all of the benefits that come from that.

"I think that I would probably be very tempted to stop the policing if it got to the point where I could be guaranteed a long tour, or a few albums with a record company. Or something along those lines where you have some security, because the music industry is very contractual."

But for now Weeks said being a police officer, helping people, being involved with music and being willing to give that money to charity is a wonderful thing. "I think that, indirectly, it is also helping people believe in the truth of obedience and faith."



- Toronto Observer


"Striking A Tune With Trini Girl"


Officer strikes up a tune with Trini Girl

FANNIE SUNSHINE More from this author
Jun. 17, 2005

Jesse David Weeks was a camp counsellor in Trinidad when a local girl caught his eye - and captured his heart - four years ago.
"I worked there as a camp counsellor before becoming a cop," said the 22-year-old police constable, who works out of 32 Division in North York, adding he recently began to take a musical career seriously.
"We had good chemistry and kept in touch. I went to visit her when I was vacationing in St. Lucia and she's trying to come see me soon."
Shortly after meeting the young woman, Weeks penned a song in her honour, titled Trini Girl.
"The song was pretty much written in 2001 and two years later it was finished," said the Markham resident. "I wrote it out of love for her."
Since then Weeks, who has been writing songs for years, has begun to pen songs for an upcoming untitled album, which he hopes to complete early next year.
"I've sung for bands before and I jam with friends but I've never had my own band," said Weeks, who performs under the stage name Jesse David. "I would describe my music as having a reggae vibe, island feel."
Weeks, who started up the Mission Music label with his father Gary, who was part of the 1970s musical duo Gary and Dave, plans to donate proceeds from his music to various charities, such as the Yonge Street Mission centre downtown.
"Trini Girl has been getting air play and right now I'm trying to get it out to as many different radio stations as possible," Weeks said. "There is huge competition in the music world. I had no idea how tough it would actually be."


- Inside Toronto


"Striking A Chord With Kids"


Striking a chord with kids

Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 12:16 PM |






Const. Jesse Weeks is hoping to strike the right chord for charity. The 32 Division officer and amateur singer-songwriter is putting his talents on disc to raise money for the Yonge Street Mission.
"I’m not trying to become a star," said Weeks, 24, who goes by the stage name Jesse David (his middle name). He has no inclination to become a Canadian Idol.
But, as he has learned on the job, helping people out is enough reward. "It’s only right to do it for a good cause."
He said the Yonge Street Mission is a fitting charity because it helps young people like himself.
Music has always been part of his life, he says.
His father was Gary of Gary and Dave, who scored a gold record and #1 hit in Canada in 1973 with Could you ever love me again?
"I’ve got my love of music from my dad…I was raised listening to what he liked," said Weeks, who nurtured his love of song writing in high school.
After a few years in policing, he’s decided to give some time back to his hobby and started the Mission Music label with his father so proceeds can go to charity.
His first release, Trini Girl, is a reggae and soca-influenced ode to a woman who charmed him while he was acting as a camp counsellor for kids in the Caribbean nation.
"I’m trying to throw out different types of songs out there and see what catches on," Weeks said of the song that placed 15th out of 3,000 entries put forward in the Mix 99.9 Canadian National Songwriters Competition. "This song is appealing to different people."
Weeks even released the song to his shift – a tough audience on any day.
"I’ve got good feedback," said Weeks, who hopes to build on any feedback he can get.
He is now flogging the song to radio stations and trying to drum up publicity, something that is not easy despite having his father’s connections in the industry. From the sounds of feedback so far, Trini Girl will be heard over the airwaves. Kitchener’s YOUR FM 98.5 has already spun the track as part of an on-air interview with Weeks.
"My father always says the reward for work well done is more work," Weeks said of achieving success with this song.
For more information, check out www.jessedavid.ca

- The Badge


Discography

"M.I.C" - Arkiteks 5,000 copies
"Trini Girl" Single (not for sale) receieved substantial Am & FM radio airplay summer of 2005 across Canada

Currently #26 on International Charts of
www.sellaband.com/jessedavid

Currently 4 tracks available for streaming on www.bandspace.com/jessedavid and www.myspace.com/jessedavidmusic

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

My music is honest. It deals with the real life issues that affect us all in one way or another. Music makes you feel a certain way but the proper lyrics help spell out what you may be feeling. It is in this way that I attempt to catch people where they are with my songs. Like a good movie provokes thought, I attempt to do the same with my songs. I do not write vague lyrics with a veiled artistic meaning. I write songs that deal with issues that need addressing. My hope is that if my songs connect with a listener, that their thoughts would take them through a journey that would ultimately end with them making some positive decisions in their life that would lead to a new level of happiness or fulfillment.