Hello everyone and thanks so much for tuning in. Today I’ll be sitting down with Dave Jordan. Dave is a guitar player, songwriter, band leader, bass player, and singer. 

He grew up in Mandeville, La., eventually settling in New Orleans. He is the anchor point for the Neighborhood Improvement Association. It’s what he calls an umbrella band that consists of a rotating roster of 50 or so members spread out across the country. This has allowed him to tour extensively without bearing the cost of room and board for a full band. He also plays solo and is in a trio called Almost Acoustic. 

Growing up, church was his first exposure to music. And while he sang there and in school plays, being the youngest of several siblings meant the rock of the 70’s garnered the majority of his attention. While Dave didn’t actually pick up an instrument until he was about 18, things moved relatively quickly for him in retrospect. His college band, Hopper Grass was a hippy-esque jam band that blended the sounds of the Grateful Dead with the Meters, the Allman Brothers, and the like. Hopper Grass would morph into funk band Juice, where Dave would set down the acoustic for an electric bass. While playing a house party near Jazz Fest, a booking agent happened by and would eventually have Juice booked across the west. The momentum grew over the next 15 years, with Juice playing 180 dates a year for several years. 

Amidst his life story, we explore several concepts like butterflies versus the rush before and during shows, how significant life events like death and divorce affect bands and members, and how marketing and authenticity can come into question for a band that is not genre-focused. We go on to speak about what kills a band, what breaks a band financially, and what strategies lead a band to success.  

Dave Jordan has recorded and performed with a broad spectrum of musicians including Art Neville, George Porter, Joe Krown, and Anders Osbourne. He’s played main stage Jazz Fest several years, filled large venues in over 40 contiguous states, even venturing out into Maui and Alaska for shows. 

There will be a link in the show notes to connect you with Dave, along with links to connecting you with ways to support this show. This can be directly through PayPal donations, or through our sponsors. Right now we have Opus Clip for video editing and Realmushrooms.com for health and lifestyle. Both of those included links will land you hefty discounts and perks while affording this show a small commission. And hey, if neither of those are a fit for you, it would mean so much to me if you would consider following the show. This tells the robot world we’re cool enough to show to more people. Thanks again for tuning in and I hope you enjoy!!

DAVE JORDAN: https://www.davejordanmusic.net/

OPUS CLIP: Bit.ly/clipgrowth

REAL MUSHROOMS: https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494

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