The Art of Giving – JD Shultz donates Art for 2010 Grammy/MusiCares Auction

Artist and musician JD Shultz is a man on a mission. For the 6th consecutive year, he makes his way to the Los Angeles Convention Center – with a gift under his arm. His gift is his art – a 4×6 foot original painting called “Reality of Dreams” he created for the 2010 Grammy/MusiCares silent auction. Over the last 6 years, his art has raised nearly $60,000 to help musicians in need.

Aside from the MusiCares Foundation, his endeavors have also raised money and awareness for numerous charitable foundations, including The American Heart Association, The Art of Elysium, The City of Hope and The Drukpa Foundation.. Shultz  is also the current featured artist of TheButterflyEffectFoundation.org.

Local to LA, Shultz spent his youth under the tutelage of his parents, pioneers of the Los Angeles Art Show circuit in the 1970’s. He was given paintbrushes and drumsticks in his early childhood. Now, he stands on the precipice of stardom in the worlds of art and music.

Despite selling a few thousand of his own paintings over the last 10 years, JD has managed to keep everything in perspective. “It humbles me that my art has been received so well by so many people”, says Shultz.

His art has been described as “complexity at its most whimsical” – mirroring his own brand of playful and inquisitive genius. Even some of the biggest celebrities have chimed in with their praise:

“I love JD’s art. His work is both inspiring and timeless. My entire family enjoys the bright and youthful ambience his art brings to a room”.  Actor/musician Will Smith. 

“JD’s art is so optimistic in nature. The brilliant colors and whimsical style that he employs is truly uplifting and inspirational”. Professional athlete Lance Armstrong.

The Music

Under the artist name, Human Brother, JD just launched his debut album, “Vision Days On The Life Ride”, in tribute to his late mother Carole.

The concept behind Human Brother is as deep as the man himself. He derives this sonic masterpiece from his electro and alt/funk rock roots to the ethnic sounds from all over the globe. “In today’s rocky climate, and with all the uncertainty and separation in the world, I wanted to establish a connection between people from all walks of life“. “Music can be a powerful healer and communicator“. says Shultz.

A true renaissance man, Shultz wore all the hats on this one. He wrote, produced, engineered, played all the instruments and mixed the album himself at his home studio in the Hollywood Hills. The result is a sound unlike anything else in music history.

Exploring multiple genres, “Vision Days On The Life Ride” presents an inviting and universal perspective, covering influences from the past four decades. The album is as soulful and reflective as it is provocative.

Utilizing extremely varied instrumentation, from Turkish violins and hypnotic beats, to rock guitar and African choirs, Shultz weaves together a multitude of sources to sculpt a new sound that stands alone.

Shultz’s vocal stylings  has drawn comparisons to giants of the industry: Bono, Robert Smith, David Gahan, Peter Murphy, and Perry Farrell. “Vision Days On The Life Ride” could easily become a benchmark for future artists.

See below for a sampling of the songs of Human Brother from “Vision Days On The Life Ride“, and stay tuned for my upcoming review of this album.

To learn more about this crucially important artist for 2010, go to www.jdshultz.com for his art, and www.humanbrother.com for his music.

Listen

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