Jesse LaMonaca

FEBRUARY 2009- singer/songwriter Jesse LaMonaca was about to play a solo set at a club in downtown San Diego. Before going on, he invited the house band, Maddox Revolution, to join him on stage for a song, and on Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” they did. With Jesse calling out the chord changes for a few of his own songs, the talented group of musicians- Brandon Conway on guitar, his brother James Conway on drums, Matthew Thompson on bass and Ed Kornhauser on piano- played the songs as if they had already rehearsed them a dozen times, and Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels had played its first gig. JUNE 4, 2010- JL and The DN release their debut album, “Until The Stars Came Out,” showcasing their unique Americana Soul sound in a powerful collection of songwriting, melody and performance. SEPTEMBER 2010- “Until the Stars Came Out” nominated for BEST AMERICANA ALBUM at the 2010 San Diego Music Awards. (award goes to John Meeks, “Old Blood”) NOVEMBER 2010- "The Left Coast Sunshine Tour- a solo journey to Australia." The idea of Jesse going on a solo tour to Australia had been floating around for some time, ever since he began working and playing every Friday night at an Australian Bar in downtown San Diego. At a Sunday afternoon BBQ in late August 2010 with some Aussie friends, this idea suddenly got a heartbeat. In just six short weeks, all the pieces fell into place and a solo tour took shape- 10 shows in Sydney, Fremantle, Margaret River and Melbourne. "You have to go on the journey to tell your story." These words became the theme of the tour; a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for an unsigned artist to share his music on the other side of the world. Family, friends, fans and 11 sponsors made this tour possible, reaching out via Kickstarter and with an incredible amount of support and generosity, helping Jesse with everything from booking shows, places to sleep and the round-trip plane ticket from Los Angeles to Sydney. Using a Canon T2i, an out-stretched arm and the helping hands of friends, Jesse documented the tour, and then spent months editing the footage with Aaron Browning at Flicker Fusion Video. The story is told in three short episodes, ending with a live performance by JL and The DN recording a song at Lost Ark Studio that Jesse wrote while on the tour, “Other Side Of The World.” AUGUST 2011- JL and The DN are nominated for BEST AMERICANA BAND at the 2011 San Diego Music Awards. (award goes to Blackout Party) FEBRUARY 18, 2012- JL and The DN release their second full-length album, “The Lament Of Tumbleweed Hawk" with a sold-out album-release party at the Casbah, joined by Blackout Party, The Black Sands and The Fire Eaters (who are now The Soul Fires). The album was recorded at Lost Ark Studio in San Diego during the summer and fall of 2011. AUGUST 2012- “The Lament of Tumbleweed Hawk” wins BEST AMERICANA ALBUM at the 2012 San Diego Music Awards.