After writing to reschedule our interview several times, Brian Jacobs '02 finally had to speak to me between his rehearsals for Modern Madrigals and the Dodecaphonics. Actually, he combined dinner with his interview and chatted between bites. Jacobs is not different from your typical Dartmouth student who juggles a busy schedule of classes and extracurricular activities.
He doesn't look too different from your typical Dartmouth student, either. He sports a black T-shirt and khakis with the now ubiquitous messenger-bag slung across his body. However, there's at least one thing which sets Jacobs apart. How many college sophomores can claim to have single-handedly recorded, produced and funded the release of their solo debut album?
The process that led up to Jacob's album "Untie Me," which features his vocal and piano talents, can be traced all the way back to childhood. When recalling his younger days, he does not remember himself as an extraordinarily musical child, although he admits that music "seemed to come very naturally" to him.
Jacobs didn't begin to take piano lessons until the fifth grade. His parents were never the nagging, pressuring type; they didn't force him into formal training. Rather, Jacobs wanted to take piano lessons after tagging along at his best friend's own lessons. Music was something he loved. He was self-motivated and never needed reminders to practice.
In high school, Jacobs sang in choirs and studied music with a professor from the Julliard School. When asked why he decided to come to Dartmouth for college instead of a conservatory, he mulls it over for a short while.
"The reason why I enjoy [music] so much is because I'm not forced to do it," Jacobs responds. He explains that he wanted to attend a liberal arts school as opposed to a strictly musical school because he couldn't imagine studying music all of the time. Jacobs didn't even apply to any music schools, though Dartmouth's strong music program was certainly an important factor in his decision to study here. Jacobs does enjoy subjects other than music, such as French, though he confesses to an abhorrence of math and science. He's taking Linguistics 1 this term to fulfill the QDS requirement.
With his extensive background in music, it's no surprise Jacobs had been considering the possibility of recording his own album for several years. He worked a desk job at a large clothing company for a couple of summers to save up the money to fund his CD. The original plan was to record and release a sampler last year, but that never happened.
Jacobs had scheduled time with the recording studio, Hillside Sound, but the sound engineer had to cancel the session due to health problems. The cancellation turned out to be fortuitous since Jacobs wasn't completely ready at that time. He's glad he got to wait an extra year. The actual recording took just two days, though Jacobs spent immense amounts of time practicing at home beforehand.
Jacobs began writing the songs for "Untie Me" during his junior year of high school. He had been writing his own music since the eighth grade but describes those pieces as "cheesy songs that I'll probably never play for anyone."
The songs on his album are far from cheesy and are instead vastly personal and serious. His mother's bouts with cancer and his father's sudden death in 1998 profoundly affected Jacobs' music.
According to Jacobs, after tragic events occur at a young age, a person truly understands what it means to feel. This sensitivity comes across in his music. All of his songs are about his friends, his family, his personal philosophies, and aspects of society that have touched him.
His music has also touched others deeply. Jacobs has received letters and e-mails from fans telling him that his songs put words to feelings that they couldn't express. People across the United States have bought "Untie Me," and some out-of-state fans are even coming to Hanover to see Jacobs perform. He uses the Internet to reach out to the public, saying it's one of the best methods to gain exposure right now.
Jacobs designed and maintains his own personal website (www.brianjacobs.com) which provides a bio, allows his songs to be downloaded and lets people know how they can buy his album. He wants to travel and perform as much as possible, but being a college student makes that a difficult at the moment.
Jacobs is content forming a fan base and performing here at Dartmouth while he's still a student, though he is trying to get some gigs in New York City.
Jacobs' first concert is free and will take place Friday, October 15 at 9 p.m. in Collis Commonground.
