Hello all in "MySpace", My name is Jermaine Mondaine. I am the youngest brother of two older sisters and a bit of a "momma’s boy" from Muskogee, Oklahoma! I am married with two of the world's best boys (speak those things which be not as though they already are LOL!!!) I am the associate pastor at Christ Church, Muskogee under Pastor David C. Howell. I have spent the last 9 years working in advertising and am excited to start pursuing my first love (music) more vehemently.
THE MUSIC -
I have been playing saxophone professionally for well over 15 years now. I have been blessed to share the stage and record with some of the world's best and most anointed talent (seen and unseen) such as: Phil Driscoll (world renown trumpet player), Sharon Daugherty (singer co-pastor of Victory Christian Center), Wayman Tisdale (bassist and NBA superstar), The Swon Brothers - Zach and Colton Swon (Local superstars soon to be household names!), Dennis Jernigan (world renowned worship leader and song writer), Scott Matthews (world renowned producer/musician), Bishop Noel Jones (pastor and world renowned speaker/author), David Howell (pastor, musician, friend and brother) and many more! I'd like to consider myself a diverse player. I grew up learning contemporary jazz and gospel, but since have learned that if done right sax can fit in almost any genre of music!
ANNOUNCEMENT! -
I am excited to announce that I now have the capability to record my sax via e-mail!
What do you mean?
I'm glad you asked...
If you have a song that you need sax on (soprano, alto or tenor) all you have to do is e-mail me the song with a couple of notes on what you are looking for at:
[email protected]. I will record the song here, save it as a wave file, and send it back to you. It really is a simple and painless process. Listen to samples of me on other peoples projects in my player. There's a mix of different styles in my player! What are you waiting on get to sending!!!
HOW IT ALL STARTED/BACKGROUND -
It all started about 23 years ago when Muskogee Jr. high band director Jim McPhearson brought his band to my elementary school for a recruiting concert. After playing for us they sent us home with a form that said, "Circle the instrument you are interested in playing". Needless to say I circled the saxophone and the rest is history!
Music was huge in the Mondaine house. My father did not play anything (instrument wise), but had and still has a love for music like you would never understand. His album collection was (and still is) huge and totally off limits to me and my two sisters! He said more than once "Touch em and I'll break your fingers"! He often used this same album collection as a reward system for me. If I did good in school I was allowed to go thru and pick whatever album I wanted to hear.
I used to love (still do) to watch my father listen to music. He would close his eyes, throw his head back and gently nod as though the music was taking him somewhere far away. As a kid I used to think, "Someday I want have that same effect on him and anyone else who hears my music!" (I'm proud to say to this day my father is my biggest fan!). This was the catalyst for everything I did musically as a child.
I grew up playing with my fathers contemporary jazz albums (David Sanborn, Hank Crawford, Wilton Felder and the Crusaders etc.) about a year after starting saxophone I started going to church with my mom to Faith Mission Church of God in Christ. I would sit between the Leslie speaker for the organ and the drums with no microphone. I can't count how many times I busted my lips tryin to be heard.
Over the years I was often sent to represent my church at district meetings and conferences. I was one of the featured soloists in my high school jazz band which took state both my junior and senior year (it should be noted here that almost every member of that band is now playing professionally or is associated with music in some capacity).
During my college years at Lincoln University "The Real L.U." (sorry Langston folks!) I hooked up with one of the greatest music mentors one could ever meet, Dr. Robert L. Mitchell ("Pops"). Under his teaching I learned more about straight ahead jazz and playing progressions. He studied at both North Texas State and Berklee School of Music and was (and still is) great friends with jazz great David Baker. It was also during these years that I would meet the love of my life Deonandrea Sides, who coincidently was a member of "Pop Mitchell's" Vocal ensemble.
During my senior year in college I met evangelist David Stokes. While under his ministry I realized that I had let my ego get the best of me. I thought I was "all that" because of the places my talent had taken me. It was as though God had turned the lights on and let me see how ugly I had become with vanity and greed. I left college and came home to Muskogee, Oklahoma. For the next 3 years (1995-1998) I really didn't do much musically other than play at my local church. Don't misunderstand me, the hunger was definitely there, but it was a processing time (you know the times where God strips unneeded junk outta your life!).
I have gradually worked my way back into the music seen with a new found understanding...
It was never about me! It has never been about the gift itself! It's all about the gift giver. When I was coming up in church the people use to always say, "When praises go up the blessings come down". Through my processing time I have learned there was some validity to what these folks were saying, but they missed the bigger point which is...
When praises go up the blessor Himself comes down! I am just now beginning to understand that I have spent far to much time seeking the blessings and open doors instead of seeking the one who carries the blessings and has the ability to open all doors!
To those in the music industry trying to "Make it" or "Break through" or even those of you that in most people's eyes have already "Made it", please understand something that I heard Myles Munroe say during my processing time: "If the world discovers you they can also undiscover you, but what God reveals no man can cover up!"
Please note 2008 will be a great year for Jermaine Mondaine Music Ministries, simply because I no longer have that mentality I spoke of earlier where I try to seek my father or man's approval! I now seek my Father's approval (God's approval for my slower MySpace readers (sorry to ruin a deep moment, but I know some of y'all out there need a little help)), and I now understand that's where the true blessing lies!
God Bless!
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Muskogee High Grads
