Hey friends, I have a big announcement to make, and a request I've never made before.

The announcement: I wrote 2 original songs that I want to record and release in the next year. Each song features a top-notch guest singer, supported by my Jazz Trio. I won't say who they are yet, but I will say one is from Canada, the other is from New York, and they are some of the most talented singers working today. I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard them on the radio or seen them on TV. I'm really excited to make this music for y'all.

As you may know, it takes money to produce good music. And because I'm hiring two guest artists hundreds of miles away, and recording piano, bass and drums in the studio, this goes beyond my ability to fund the project myself. Up until this point in my career, all of my recording projects have been self-funded and sometimes self-produced. My first album of original music, First Impressions, was completely self-funded and self-produced at every stage of development.

At this point, I have demonstrated I know how to make records efficiently, with top quality musicians and professional recording quality. But this time, I'm gonna need some help. In order to produce these projects at a high level, pay my musicians and guest artists fairly, and reserve studio time, I've estimated that I will need $2000 to complete work for these 2 singles. I'm confident the songs will be successful, with the right support. I'm totally forgoing personal compensation for my hours of writing, arranging, and recording. I just want the people I work with to get the pay they deserve.

So I've set up a GoFundMe to make it happen. Every little bit of help counts! Each person who contributes above $100 will receive a personal 3-minute video from me, an improvisation on a favorite song of yours or a short composition inspired by your generosity. Every person who contributes above $250 also receives the video as well as an exclusive invitation to Wire Road Studios to see my trio record some of the tracks, followed by a coffee outing to discuss the creative process. Every person who contributes above $500 can also request a standard from the Great American Songbook for my trio to record on one of our studio sessions, in high-fidelity recording quality.

Thank you to everyone who has supported and continues to support my career, and I'm excited to share this new music with you soon! If you'd like to learn more about the kind of music I make, visit my website at www.musicbytomas.com