biography
Jesse Eubanks is a musician, producer and recording artist from Philadelphia, PA. His recent recording efforts have been hailed with such titles as, "a masterpiece" (HM Magazine), "one of the best albums in a long time... perfect." (Bandoppler.com), "...truly new and original." (The Phantom Tollbooth). He's known for his multi-genre songwriting abilities, his intimate, cutthroat lyrics as a songwriter, and his enthusiastic performances as a live percussionist.
He has worked with a large array of musicians from both the West and East coasts of the U.S. and has been the songwriter and front man for projects ranging from punk rock to orchestrated ballads to droning washing soundscapes. More recently Jesse has been influenced by authors such as Richard Foster and Dallas Willard, exploring the realm of the spiritual disciplines.
Jesse's album, "Meditation, Contemplation and Prayer", is perhaps most responsible for gaining him national attention. It is an endeavor of music and written word to aid in the spiritual disciplines of meditation, contemplative thought, prayer and private worship. Exploring ethereal layers and celestial landscapes, Jesse uses various sounds including drones, e-bow, hand drums, bells, cello, voice, shakers, organ, and a variety of luscious guitar effects. Joined by a patchwork of musicians, the album says a graceful, "Thank you" to modern artists such as the Prayer Chain, Peter Gabriel and Monk while offering quiet reverence in the spirit of the monastic tradition.
Jesse's solo acoustic album, "West Coast Politics East Coast Love," is a 14 song album of bare acoustic music and delicately crafted words. It has been called "Confessional music" by many. "All the music is just a backdrop to the words," says Jesse. "These are songs to stir the mind and spirit." ECP WCL is a melancholy folk album composed of half-thoughts and scattered notes strewn together to journal the intellectual, spiritual and social journey of Jesse's life living in California, Kentucky and Pennsylvania over the last four years.
Jesse has also released an EP in early 2003 entitled "Soundscapes & Serenades" and is currently set to record another new EP in April 2003 tentatively entitled "The Harmony of." This EP will meandor in neither the realm of folk nor drone, instead exploring the sounds of pop rock and sonic guitars.
He has done inner-city missions in Oakland, CA and played drums at the predominantly Black church he attended there. He also helped with the beginning formation of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY. He is expected to travel to Ethiopia within the next year to study with various people groups that use percussion as their dominant form of worship. He now lives in Philadelphia, PA, serving as the Worship Arts Director for the Port community church and doing free-lance writing for various magazines.
PHOTOGRAPHS : : :
INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES : : :
The most recent, frequent albums in the CD player:
Charity Empressa - self-titled
Sigur Ros
Peter Gabriel & co. - Passion & Passion Sources
The Lassie Foundation - El Rey EP
Common Children - Inbetween Time
Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
The Lassie Foundation - El Dorodo LP
Zwan - Mary, Star of the Sea
Books that have come down off of the shelf lately:
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster
Love Must Be Tough - Dr. James Dobson
The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis
Ordering Your Private World - Gordan McDonald
From the Bible - Genesis - 1 Kings, Proverbs, Hosea, Mark and James
The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
Fresh For '01... you Suckas!: A collection of The Boondocks - Aaron McGruder
The Secret Language of Eating Disorders - Peggy Claude-Pierre
Kingdomworks: true stories about God and his people in inner city America - Bart Campolo
Vows and Observances - M. Gandhi
The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
The Imitation of Christ - Thomas à Kempis
The Jesus I Never Knew - Philip Yancey
Wild At Heart - John Eldridge
Soul Survivor - Philip Yancey
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
Freedom of Simplicity - Richard J. Foster
The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King - J.R.R. Tolkien
Fearfully and Wondefully Made - Dr. Paul Brand & Philip Yancey
Addicted to Love - Steve Arterburn
Favorite Movies:
The Story of Us
The Wedding Singer
Braveheart
Twin Peaks TV series
Swing Kids
Usual Suspects
Boyz In The Hood
The Big Kahuna
10 Things I Hate About You
Favorite Albums:
The Prayer Chain - Mercury
Over The Rhine - Good Dog Bad Dog
Denison Witmer - River Bends EP
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
Rich Mullins - The Jesus Demos
The Violet Burning - Faith and Devotions of a Satellite Heart
Favorite Quotes:
"Love is woven of sacrifice." - Jean Vanier
"Good art is often inappropriate for polite company." - Sherry Pofahl
"...where tears are the very wine of blessedness." - J.R.R. Tolkien
To the question, "What is a poet?": "It is being willing to cry in public... It is to cut
a vein and let the audience watch you bleed." - Rob McQuin
"Sometimes you waddle in the mud so long that you start to think it's okay to
waddle in it." - Allen C. Langston
When asked how he helped his patients get rid of their fears, he replied, "I don't.
Everything that's worthwhile in life is scary. Choosing a school, choosing a
career, getting married, having kids - all those things are scary. If it is not
fearful, it is not worthwhile." - Paul Tournier
"God asked Adam to name all the animals, which was asking Adam to help in the creation of their wholeness. When we name each other, we are sharing in the joy and privilege of incarnation, and all great works of art are icons of Naming. When we look at a painting, or hear a symphony, or read a book, and feel more Named, then, for us, that work is a work of Christian art. But to look at a work of art and then to make a judgment as to whether or not it is art, and whether or not it is Christian, is presumptuous. It is something we cannot know in any conclusive way. We only know if it speaks within our own hearts, and leads us to living more deeply with Christ in God." - Madelein L'Engle
Favorite Bible verses:
The entire book of 1 Samuel
1 Cor. 13
Matt. 6:9-13
James 2:14-26
Romans 5:8
John 3:16
