VIDEO: Songwriter Jamie Kent Pranks Starbucks, Listen to Neoteny

Jamie Kent, is fearlessly taking his music career down an alternate path. A close friend since high school, I've had the pleasure of watching his music grow from silly songs we wrote at 2 in the morning to a full-blown LP (Neoteny) released this past April, under the watchful eye and careful ear of Wes Talbot (Music Media).

Based out of our hometown, Northampton, MA, Kent has worked together "The Collective", a group of friends, family, and fans who have given some of their hard-earned capital and love over in trust to this young, gregarious songwriter. Providing "partners" in The Collective with exclusive media and web content, he's attempted to circumvent the usual waiting-in-limbo period that often plague artists who are on the move to get noticed. He gives them an incentive to invest in his career, beyond just buying a record or a t-shirt. In fact, Kent has guest-listed partners at shows, and even asked for input on the ordering of his LP.

Subsequently, he's dreamt up another innovative way to get noticed: a big honkin' media stunt. As seen in the music video above, Kent and crew, working under his alter ego the "Mischief Man", visited every single Starbucks location in Manhattan. They then quickly snuck a few of his CDs over the usual house blends of Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, and more. "The means of distirbuting music are changing and this is just another of getting creative," says Kent.

He's right.

Neoteny by JamieSKent

For full access to Jamie's music and the rundown on his story, see JamieKent.com for details.