VIP Café Show – Youngstown, Ohio – Local Guests with Amazing Impact to Our Community

Turning Passion into Purpose: Jere B's Musical Journey

• Debbie Larson and Greg Smith • Season 4 • Episode 60

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Jere B takes us behind the curtain of Entree Musician International, a thriving global community born during the 2020 pandemic when musicians everywhere faced the devastating reality of canceled performances. Drawing from his own career of failures and comebacks, Jere B transformed personal lessons into a movement that now connects artists across continents.

What began as practical advice quickly evolved when industry veterans recognized something special in Jere B's approach. Linda Bolero from Berkeley, Tony Bennett's former road manager Vance Anderson, and metadata strategist Daryl Looney joined forces with him to create a virtual hub where musicians could grow together through honest feedback and encouragement.

The magic happens in Jere B's collaborative sessions where musicians present their work to receive constructive criticism from seasoned professionals. One participant, a young Youngstown native named Jaron Brooks, has been working with Jere B since age 16 and is developing into "the next Usher" through this mentorship. Jere B's production philosophy echoes that of his heroes Arif Martin and Quincy Jones—drawing out each artist's authentic spirit rather than chasing fleeting trends.

Having started his musical journey as a church drummer at four years old, Jere B learned his craft by studying the masters. He shares insights on finding your musical voice through careful study of influences (like Prince did with James Brown and Little Richard) while emphasizing that true musicianship requires more than talent—it demands the right mindset, discipline, and focus.

For Jere B, music must fulfill four essential purposes: engage the spirit, enrich the heart, encourage the soul, and empower the listener. This philosophy guides everything he creates and produces. Ready to unlock your potential as an entrepreneur musician? Visit https://theentremusician.com/ or join Jere B's free workshop on April 3rd, focusing on sharpening your musical mindset.

Speaker 1:

hey, hey, hey. It's a vip cafe show coming to you from the havana house in boardman, ohio, and I'm here with my lovely co-host, debbie larson it is so good to be back.

Speaker 2:

I feel like it's been like a while and I miss these when we don't do them every week.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, it's been three weeks now, and, but we got to see something this weekend, oh my goodness, yes, I got a last minute invitation to.

Speaker 2:

it was called Embers of Floyd and it was phenomenal. Literally I got video until my phone died. But it's this local band who does Pink Floyd cover.

Speaker 1:

It's in. The place was packed out. It was sold out.

Speaker 2:

Before you even walked in, it said, basically, don't even come in, I'll take it, we're sold out. Yeah, sold out of it, but it was phenomenal. Thanks to Greg for the last minute invitation.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it was my nephew's group. He's been working at it and it was their first concert.

Speaker 2:

That was their first concert, so how many get to play?

Speaker 1:

in a 400 plus seat theater sell out. Wow, for their first show but I asked him interactive he said, they practice 35 to 40 hours a month and they've been doing it for two years, so that makes sense absolutely every single one of those musicians and members were phenomenal and also like multi-talented, Like they.

Speaker 2:

sometimes on one song, one guy would be the lead singer. There was one main lead singer, but man, the feel they captured the feel of Pink Floyd, the voice. It didn't sound like, oh, we're trying to be Pink Floyd, it was just. They were authentic and it was great.

Speaker 1:

Speaking about local artists and people that recognize local artists, maybe you should introduce our guest.

Speaker 2:

Speaking of music, we have Jerry B with us today. He is a musician, a producer, he is founder of Entree Musician International with hundreds of musicians internationally and he has his own show. Normally he is doing the interviewing. He actually interviews quite a few musicians and has introduced me to a couple of them, including Paul Brown. Anyway, before I get off track, welcome, Jerry V.

Speaker 3:

Welcome, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1:

I'm saying welcome because I think I'm interviewing, but I have to put the other hat on. I'm sure this is going to flip Somehow this will flip.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so welcome. Can you share a little bit about what it is you do, what it's grown into, what it looks like right now? I think you've said it all. Then we'll reverse.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I'll interview you, but yeah, I think really you've said it all. We've been blessed to start a wonderful podcast and be able to swell into this internet. It wasn't called the international at the beginning. That was not. My vision should have been greater than that, but we had good starts. What I because I of my time in radio. Okay, I started this podcast when the shutdown happened in 2020.

Speaker 3:

And the focus was what are we all going to do? All of these musicians, nobody can perform. And when the green light comes on, we better have our stuff together. You know what I mean. And so I started a podcast by saying okay, if you don't do these things, you may succeed, Because I had failed and gotten back up and failed and gotten back up, so don't do these things. You may succeed because I had failed and gotten back up and failed and gotten back up, so don't do these things right.

Speaker 3:

So that's what made the podcast take off is look at that jerk.

Speaker 2:

You're not going to do that.

Speaker 3:

And it attracted the attention of some really great people. Linda Bolero she's an associate professor at Berkeley. Vance Anderson, who's no longer with us, but he was Tony Bennett's road manager for 20 years prior to his diagnosis, and so he gave a lot of insight.

Speaker 3:

Daryl Looney, who's a metadata strategist, and we just said, hey, let's take this off the podcast and just begin a real time virtual community in which we discuss resources, we discuss mistakes, we discuss how to actually do this thing and again, with 20 years of experience on the road with Tony Bennett, vance really knew how to do some things. So that's how the community began to grow.

Speaker 2:

So I got to see and be a part of one of your collaborative efforts and I got to watch one. So let me tell you what it looks like efforts and I got to watch one. So let me tell you what it looks like. What Jerry B does is he puts together a panel and then he invites two I think two at a time of the musicians in the community from international I think at the time there was one from Louisiana and one from Trinidad or something and then he invites them to play their newest music video. Now these are some. They're getting into it, like these are are not experienced musicians. So to have a panel of experienced people in the industry to give their feedback, it was really interesting to watch and then give an evaluation like the here's what you did, exceptional at. Here's what I feel watching your stuff, but here's what could really take it to the next level. And it was it very interesting to watch. I loved it. And then I got to see you interview Paul Brown, who's responsible for 75 number one hits. Yeah, 75.

Speaker 2:

He's produced 75 number one hits. He came to Youngstown and didn't even fill half of the playhouse because people didn't know who he was. They didn't know who was right in front of them, that this guy had just he had worked with all the greats and his stories and stuff. Yeah, okay, so basically now for the entree. Musician, how do you, how do people find out about you? Like, when it comes to, is it just like word of mouth, it's like catching on, and then is there a membership fee, like how's that work?

Speaker 3:

Sure, first thing is you can go to theentremusiciancom, and entree is short for entrepreneurial, because music is not just music anymore. You have to have your business on point. I'm sure your nephew did, not only practicing and being great at their instruments, but knowing how to market their show, knowing how to sell out a theater, knowing what promotion does and does not do for you as you build your brand, and so those are some of the things that we talk about. So you can go to the entremusiciancom. It doesn't mean entree like Like an entree.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we're serving up some food, exactly.

Speaker 3:

And people have. Until we've explained it, they've taken it for that.

Speaker 2:

I never even thought of that. I immediately knew entrepreneur musician.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, but on this, on April 3rd, thursday at eight o'clock, we are having a free workshop, so get into that and we're going to talk about sharpening your mindset, discipline and focus, which every musician should do, and it doesn't matter what age and that's the beautiful thing about the Entree Musician. We have musicians of every age. Our prime is those who are over 50 years old, because there's a different mindset actually that comes with that age group. I just turned 60, so I understand it. Plus, we're able to talk about Credence, clearwater, revival without me having to explain anything actually.

Speaker 1:

That's great. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 3:

But, yeah, with respect to that, having a sharp mindset, your discipline on point and your focus, who you are and why you are that comes before your talent. So there's a lot of things that I won't bore you with here, but to musicians would find that this is very catchy because that's why the community is swelling. And again we have membership from Serbia, from Finland, from Sri Lanka. We were able to write a course for iClassical Academy in Italy and it was their number one curriculum in 2024.

Speaker 3:

And I'm not a classical musician, but mindset, discipline and focus works, I don't care what genre of music you're talking about, it works, so I'm grateful for that. Yeah, it's called being a pro said discipline and focus works, I don't care what genre of music you're talking about.

Speaker 2:

Wow, it works, so come on I'm grateful for that yeah, it's called being a pro and doing it again absolutely okay, greg is a vocal coach and he could immediately listen to somebody talk and tell what they're doing wrong do you ever have once people know I'm a?

Speaker 1:

yeah, he's not a criminal critic, but Once people know I'm a vocal coach, seriously, I went to a conference and the Secretary of State was giving a talk and he looks over and he goes like this and he walks up after and he goes. You in the audience had to really pay attention to how I did this. I'm going like it's not like that, You're right?

Speaker 3:

Yes, it is. I'm starting to straighten up myself.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's hilarious.

Speaker 3:

We all sit up. Better posture, oh man. Okay so do you ever?

Speaker 2:

have somebody request membership in the Entree of Musicians, who is just not a good musician. Has that ever happened?

Speaker 3:

Of course you have to take it like a church choir not everybody's gonna knock it out of the park okay, so is there some sort of qualification there's always a cowbell.

Speaker 1:

There's always a cowbell or is it?

Speaker 2:

hey, like you hang around this there's a joke how many, okay, is there? Or is it like, hey, you're welcome to join in because it'll rub off on you and you'll learn and you'll grow Like how does that work?

Speaker 3:

That's exactly correct, Because not all songwriters are the best, and one of the things we do on a weekly basis we have listening sessions. Okay, You're bringing your whether it's your demo or it's an idea you have you're humming over it. We give encouragement we do and then we give yeah we provide helpful critiques, okay, and so they come back the next week and it's a little better, and that was the whole. The show you were talking about was artist impact and we were doing that for armstrong media okay the beauty in that was we had music industry professionals, the real deal critique.

Speaker 3:

So that was more like an American Idol, without the cast prizes or the competition, but there were industry professionals who were involved in that. So we took that concept and we do it on a smaller level. But the musician becomes a better producer, better songwriter.

Speaker 2:

Wow, Just getting to hang out in that room per se.

Speaker 3:

It rubs off on you is what happens.

Speaker 2:

Wow, and how long have you been a musician? Have you been in your share of church choirs?

Speaker 3:

I was a church drummer at four.

Speaker 2:

What yeah, my goodness?

Speaker 1:

So I got a question what was within the music world and within your experience, what would you say was the greatest lesson you've ever learned?

Speaker 3:

Keep playing. When you mess up, don't make it obvious to the audience because they don't know. They really don't know. That was the greatest lesson, and I learned that in church. You just keep it moving.

Speaker 1:

So it's like politics.

Speaker 3:

That's great yeah and learn your craft, everything you so who's your hero? Oh, that's too broad of a question.

Speaker 1:

Okay if you had one choice? I said you got one choice. You can pick anybody that's alive or gone to have a set with. Who would that be, Duke?

Speaker 3:

Ellington, duke Ellington. Yeah, duke Ellington wrote brilliant music. His life and times showed a man who rose above every obstacle that was presented to him, and his music is timeless. What are some of the songs he wrote? Just the big band era of just intricate arrangements that are so soft and elegant. Just stand on your shoulder, but it makes you stand tall. So he had the baritones going, he had the energy, and then he had the lush little oh, what was that? Floating in the air?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, wow, oh man, you're a very good picturesque storyteller too.

Speaker 3:

That's the way I kind of listen to music. My wife doesn't particularly appreciate that.

Speaker 2:

Do you ever see color when you hear music? I don't. I've heard some musicians do that.

Speaker 1:

I don't. How about shapes? No, I feel vibrations, vibrations yeah.

Speaker 2:

Wow, good vibrations, but I'm a drummer, that makes sense.

Speaker 3:

And the bass player, and it's a great focal point because I get to experience everything that's happening here, and so the pulse of what's happening is more of what I'm feeling.

Speaker 1:

Very interesting. I just want to throw this in. But a lot of people think I'm tone deaf. Right, they say I'm tone deaf, and right they say I'm tone deaf and I'll say okay, I'm gonna sing happy birthday two ways. I'll go happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, and then I'm gonna sing it this way happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Were those different?

Speaker 3:

yes, then you're not but the thing is what I found in.

Speaker 1:

what I found in in instructing people is they listen internally versus externally. And what's that mean? If you hold a balloon, like Beethoven did, to feel the vibrations, that's what you should be doing with your ears when you're singing or hearing, when you speak and you listen to yourself internally, you'll be flat every time because your bones absorb everything.

Speaker 1:

90% of your voice is absorbed by your body and it gets deadened until it hits the room and comes back at you. That's what you want to listen to. And a balloon. If you hold a balloon and feel a balloon and start to tune yourself to that balloon, that sounds crazy but it really works Like an empty balloon.

Speaker 2:

Filled with air, not filled with water or anything. Tune yourself to that balloon. That sounds crazy, but it really works.

Speaker 1:

Like an empty balloon Filled with air not filled with water or anything. No cement. You want to hold a cement-filled balloon?

Speaker 2:

I could also see water. I don't know why I pictured a balloon like a water balloon, no, just a regular balloon.

Speaker 1:

You would probably have a water balloon so you could throw it at somebody when you were done. That's what you would do, wow.

Speaker 2:

Anyway, I got to get details okay.

Speaker 1:

You know, the vibration thing is excellent. Everybody's different. It's kinesthetic, some people see things, some people hear things and feel things.

Speaker 2:

Wow, that's amazing. So what do you feel like music can do to a person Like you've been in it your whole life? What do you feel like is one of the best benefits On a side sing what we listen to, I'm sorry. What we speak, what we say, it's literally. We are affected by it. When people speak bad words it's phenomenal. So I'm sure you've understood and seen the power of music and people. Can you expound a little bit about that?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, absolutely. The band that we put together back in 2000 is called Sound Doctrine. Okay, now, sound Doctrine is on a slight hiatus right now, but it was important for us as a jazz funk alternative band to make sure that the music that we put forth was healing music. And so there's a scripture in 2 Timothy where Paul talks about. People are going to have itching ears, but make sure you teach sound doctrine.

Speaker 3:

And so we looked at the etymology of sound, doctrine, and sound is far more than vibration, but it's sound here, a sound investment, sound advice, something that's wise, something that's solid. And then doctrine means teaching. So you want to give, whether it's an instrumental song or songs with lyrics, you want to give something that is going to be transformative to people, and so that's how we approached our compositions, that the music has to do four things it has to engage the spirit, it has to enrich the heart, encourage the soul and empower the person listening.

Speaker 1:

That's how I feel about music.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, engage the spirit, enrich the heart, encourage the soul, empower the person listening.

Speaker 2:

Wow, that's good.

Speaker 3:

Everything. So no matter what project that I'm involved in because I'm involved with a lot of other musicians' projects, but if it's coming out of here, if I'm contributing to it it has to do those four things.

Speaker 2:

So do you produce other people's work?

Speaker 3:

Very much.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so if there's a musician out there and they want to put out there, they want to record and stuff, they could also find you through Entremusiciancom and then producing is just what. You listen to it and say here's, if we do this, you could make it better.

Speaker 3:

We start with. What do they want to do? Are they a singer? Are they a musician? What type of project is it? What is it for? After the why has been determined, then, OK, we're going to listen to you. We're going to listen to the essence of who you are and find out what we can do with that. I'm not one of the, because there's a lot of producers who come out and say, okay, yeah, I got this for you and this is this is the happening trend right now.

Speaker 3:

No, I, like Arif Martin and Quincy Jones and those who really took the art of what was going on inside that person's spirit and bring that out, and that's why sometimes our projects can go 18 months, but you know what they stand the test of time because I'm not trying to be the next one hit wonder or the artist that I'm working with going. Now there are some libraries that I work for music libraries who put music into film and TV commercials and whatnot and you have to go. Okay, we need this by Friday. Okay, that's one element of it but if you're going to talk about artistry then we're going to treat you like an artist.

Speaker 2:

Okay, like a painting. You're painting a song, you're painting a picture.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I'm working with Lisa McDavid, who's a Youngstown native. She is now in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Lisa is doing excellently there. She's in four bands and we're working on her project. Now she has a country music project that's happening down there but for Funkin' Soul, she's coming back to her roots and we're just taking our time with it and painting I keep using.

Speaker 1:

Greg they can't see this, but I'm using him as like the visual. He's the artist I'm framing you. He goes to see the Mona Lisa and it's a little dinky painting.

Speaker 2:

He's trying to get it in focus. He's like art is like or yeah, greg is like the piece of art You're like.

Speaker 1:

No, seriously ever seen a Mona Lisa.

Speaker 2:

No.

Speaker 1:

It's really small.

Speaker 2:

It's not big.

Speaker 1:

Really it think it's huge. It's not big.

Speaker 2:

Wow.

Speaker 1:

Anyway, that's what it reminded me of. Yeah, my question for you is one thing about music is phrasing is coming from the soul?

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

How would you if somebody wasn't getting that and they were very mechanical? What would you say to that person do with that person? What would you say to that person do with that person? What would you do to help that person get into expressing their soul? What would you?

Speaker 3:

We'd sit and listen to music. We'd watch because I've done this before we'd watch a lot of YouTube videos. I have a young man that I'm working with. He turns 18 next month and we've been working together since he was 16 years old and he is going to be the next usher hands down. His name is Jaron Brooks Watch out for him, youngstown, because he's coming out but he did not have a lot of roots in what he was trying to do when he got behind the microphone. So when you sit him down and you go, hey, this is Curtis Mayfield, you need to check out his phrasing and we would sit in the studio and that would be the session we have on the big screen YouTube and we're going to watch some Temptations. We're going to watch the four tops. We're going to watch how they are singing and moving about Just like an.

Speaker 1:

NFL player watching film.

Speaker 3:

Exactly. And you know what happens he begins to absorb it. So when he gets behind the mic he has these images and he says, oh, that note could be held a little longer, I'm too much to the meter. And I can flow through the measures and the brother is coming out and he's doing the same thing, nice, and he's from Youngstown.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, come on coming out and he's, he's doing this thing. Nice, and he's from youngstown. Yeah, come on, you know. I asked roger love once. I said what's the difference between an amateur and a pro? He said a pro has literally listened and mastered at least three to four artists before they start on their own.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely you saw that in the artist prince you could see three people in prince right away. Yeah, couldn't you james brown little richard? Couldn't you James Brown Little?

Speaker 1:

Richard, couldn't you see it? Yeah, right, no, I can't.

Speaker 3:

And he stood there and he watched and absorbed and said I'm taking this, I'm leaving that out, and he perfected it.

Speaker 2:

Wow, yeah, who do you think is one of the greatest performers of all time?

Speaker 3:

The easy answer is Michael Jackson jackson. Right, yeah, that's the easy answer.

Speaker 2:

The one he did at the super bowl. I re re-watched it, yeah, listening to the directors. He said the director told him I don't want anything to happen until I make a move, until I turn, and he said it felt like forever and he kept. His director mind was like go, you can't have dead space. And he just froze and then when he finally moved, the crowd went crazy. But to hear them talk about it in retrospect and to see it, I was like man as great as he was in life. When you really break down how his mind worked and and the boldness with which he believed in his in, in his vision, it's very inspiring so that was the easy okay, that was the easy answer the difficult answer is the one that he modeled was sammy davis jr I was gonna ask okay, he models.

Speaker 3:

Because you said okay, he bought really yeah, sammy davis jr james brown, that's michael Jackson.

Speaker 2:

You're kidding.

Speaker 3:

And Jackie Wilson. So when you say who's the great, when you put Sammy Davis Jr and Michael Jackson side by side, you got to go with Sammy. And the only reason Sammy has the edge is because Sammy could play piano, he could play drums, he could tap, dance, he could do and he frequently did it all in a particular performance. Wow, he sat down on the drums, he played the vibes.

Speaker 2:

Now you've got to go back and watch some Sammy Davis Junior.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and then you can see. Michael.

Speaker 2:

What. So it's kind of like athletes, athletes. You say, oh, this one's better than this one. But I think it was Greg that said, yeah, but they picked up where the other one left off, exactly right.

Speaker 1:

Wow, exactly right.

Speaker 2:

You know what it's time for. Rapid fire.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

All right, shout out one of your greatest mentors.

Speaker 3:

Oh my gosh, I shouldn't have so many Ray Charles.

Speaker 2:

Ray Charles. Wait, have you met him, or did you get?

Speaker 1:

Or he's just a mentor in Okay, okay, you have mentors because of their.

Speaker 2:

Okay, I was like wait a minute.

Speaker 3:

Truth, truth. I've been listening to music since my mother. My mother said that my grandmother left me at home because they would put on the records and when they would clean the house I would watch the records. Okay, I know this is rapid fire, so I'm going to be concise. Here's the thing. The thing is that was school to me. You know, some people went to college and got a degree in music. I listened to music. Those were people who taught me. Larry Blackman from Cameo taught me how to play drums because I sat there with a stack of albums. Oh, that's what you do, and that's what you do, wow.

Speaker 3:

So Larry mentored me as far as the drummer is concerned because it's not what you play, it's what you don't play, how the rest is going to make that song okay all right, I'm sorry I just

Speaker 2:

wanted to say it was a mentor. Yeah, no, that's great, ray charles man we started we got a.

Speaker 3:

Sorry about that I know we got a cold vote. I did that. No, I love it.

Speaker 2:

I love it. Okay, okay, okay okay, North or south.

Speaker 3:

North.

Speaker 2:

North. Oh, that's the rare one Mountains or ocean.

Speaker 3:

Mountains.

Speaker 2:

Wow, he's the rare breed.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, coke or Pepsi.

Speaker 3:

Oh, Pepsi for sure.

Speaker 2:

What book are you currently reading or most influential in your life?

Speaker 3:

Wow Okay, which one?

Speaker 2:

Right now. Horrible rapid fire question. Yeah, right now I'm in Exodus.

Speaker 3:

I'm really slowing down and I'm in the book of Exodus and yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3:

Most, very influential, because God is exacting in Exodus he's giving Moses the tabernacle and he's giving him the length and he's giving him the material and he's this is how I want it done. And then he blessed this guy named Bezalel with wisdom, understanding and knowledge to do exactly what he called him to do. And I'm like okay, lord, I'm that guy, give me that wisdom, that knowledge, that understanding to do exact, because he's not leaving it up for chance. When this tabernacle was being built, he's going yo, this is how I want it built, wow.

Speaker 1:

OK, well, if he has you building an ark, come get us, because we'll help.

Speaker 2:

Great, we'll do. We'll do Good call Good call.

Speaker 3:

I ain't't gonna miss that boat.

Speaker 1:

That's right it was raining on the way here I know I think we're due for one, aren't we? Speaking of a book.

Speaker 2:

I just want to read this real quick the path of the entree musician. There's a part of it. He says here are the. Here are a few considerations. Start because you know it's in you. Start because you've always wanted to start, because you need to Start, because there's no better time than this precise moment. Start because there are many souls who would truly benefit from your gift, your message, your song, your spirit. Start because you were born for this specific purpose Start. That's a book written by our very own Jerry B, our guest today.

Speaker 1:

Where do they get that book at?

Speaker 3:

They can have this one. I brought this so you can give it away to somebody. I don't know how you do that. What about the?

Speaker 1:

zillions of people that listen to this podcast. Amazon, yeah, amazon.

Speaker 3:

And the audio book is there as well. It's called the Path of the Entree Musician. Nine Keys to Unlock your Mindset Discipline and Focus.

Speaker 1:

Jerry B, j-e-r-e, and then the letter B. That's awesome, and how do they get to your website?

Speaker 3:

TheEntreeMusiciancom.

Speaker 1:

EntreeMusiciancom All right.

Speaker 3:

We try to make it easy.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we're talking about musicians here. Thank you so much. Thank you, jerry. Thank you very much.