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The River Street Anthology

2015 October 23

Matt Jones started a music preservation project out of his basement with a “shitty microphone” and an “[obsession] with history.” He’s recorded over 150 musicians from Michigan, with no larger plan than to capture a piece of history and see what emerges.

Natalie interviewed Jones last month, and her story was published in Concentrate, featuring some great photos by Doug Coombe. (Read the Concentrate story here.)

After Natalie got off the phone with the musical preservationist, she mentioned to me one of her favorite quotes. Jones said, “The experience has turned me from a super wound-up, hyper critical, cynical man into somebody who can’t criticize anybody anymore…It’s just so fun to watch people do what they love.”

Every artist needs to find a River Street Project for themselves. I don’t mean a recording project, but an activity that helps one reconnect with the purity of the art. It’s so easy to get cynical, especially in the music business!

But unwinding the cynicism: I’m going to call that the River Street Project effect. The artist starts the project and finds a new sense of self.

During his BBC Music John Peel lecture, Iggy Pop said, “Not everybody is meant to be big. Not everybody big is any good.” Matt Jones is capturing a small piece of musical history, reminding us that music isn’t about being big; it’s about a song’s sense of place.

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