Ezemdi Chikwendu and Jared Jones have formed their own company, Speak-EZ Music, to produce and promote the album they are working on. (AMELIA KUNHARDT/The Patriot Ledger)
By FRED HANSON
The Patriot Ledger

RANDOLPH - Jared Jones and Ezemdi Chikwendu are hoping to break into the music business.
The duo hopes to finish its first professional album this month. It was recorded in the studio at Chikwendu's Karen Street home in Randolph.

The project doesn't stop there. Rather than hope to land a contract with a record company, the 19-year-old college students have formed their own company, Speak-EZ Music, to produce and promote the album.

‘‘Why not? This is what we do. This is our passion,'' said Jones, who is a sophomore majoring in marketing at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.

Jones doesn't want to give up the creative control that comes with a record deal or give up the ownership of their product.

Jones has researched the music business and even wrote a paper on the pitfalls of recording contracts for one of his college classes.

‘‘I didn't want to be ignorant to the business,'' Jones said.

So while they finish work on the music, they're trying to line up financing to get the album mastered and the CDs made, and purchase equipment so they can go on the road and promote the album through shows at colleges in the area.

‘‘We know it is going to take a lot,'' Jones said.

The two met while they were students at Randolph High School.

Both have been writing songs since they were 13. Chikwendu said he's ‘‘lost count'' of how many songs he's written.

‘‘I'll wake up in the middle of the night, I'll hear something and I'll go over and record it,'' said Chikwendu, who now studies at Massasoit Community College but will transfer to the Berklee College of Music next year.

‘‘We feed off each other,'' Jones said. ‘‘I'll take a quick idea, play three notes, and he can take it and run with it.''

Their music is mainly r&b and pop, with a little jazz, soul and urban mixed in. They hope to include some gospel songs.

Jones plays a little piano and drums, while Chikwendu plays piano, organ, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet and trombone.

Jones started singing in church choirs but wanted to go more in his own direction.

‘‘It was something inside me,'' he said. ‘‘I needed to sing.''

While at Randolph High, Jones and Chikwendu were part of a quartet, True Talent. They also recorded and sold their first album, selling 80 copies to friends and classmates.

‘‘It was a little thing, but now we want to do it professionally,'' Jones said. ‘‘I love performing. I love having the opportunity to perform.''

Major record companies have been hit hard by Internet piracy, but Jones doesn't see it as a problem.

‘‘It's extra promotion for us, even though people are downloading for free, so we're not fearing that,'' he said. ‘‘Now, everyone in the world gets to listen to our music.''

Some of the songs can be heard online at soundclick.com/jaredjones.

Jones and Chikwendu know that the music is a major factor in the success or failure of their fledgling company. Once their songs find an audience, they have to touch a listener in some way, Jones said.

‘‘When you connect with people, the money will come,'' he said.

They hope to have the album on sale by the end of the year.

Fred Hanson may be reached at fhanson@ledger.com.

Copyright 2005 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Friday, July 01, 2005

Like many prospective Elon students, Jared Jones was attracted to the campus by the beautiful weather and its well-manicured landscaping. Finishing up his freshman year at Elon, Jones has managed to set himself apart from most of his peers by performing all over campus.
        Performing in public wasn’t always easy for Jones. It was only at age 13 that Jones overcame his shyness and joined the school chorus and church youth choir. Youth choir was only a short stint and Jones soon moved on to mass choir. Mass choir lasted a bit longer, but Jones realized that it just wasn’t what he was looking for. Joining his sister and a friend, Jones established “R2J.” “R2J” performed special arrangements for the church upon request, and it was here that Jones got a real taste for public performances.   
In the years prior to Elon, Jones performed with some high school friends in a group called “True Talent.” The group sang the national anthem, Christmas carols, gospel songs, and other selections at many school and community events.
While Jones has had years of experience performing, he has never taken a dance class or voice lesson.
“I don’t want people to think I can dance because I took a class. I want them to see that this is a gift that God gave me,” said Jones.
Jones started performing at the age of two. As a young child, he watched several Michael Jackson tapes and learned that he could imitate what he saw. Jones started composing while he was seated by his small green hippopotamus-shaped piano. While this may seem ordinary for some children, what sets Jones apart is the fact that he is still singing and dancing at locations all over campus and back home in Randolph, Mass., about 15 minutes south of Boston.
Jones has managed to get himself quite involved on campus, as well. A member of the Black Cultural Society and Gospel Choir, he can be seen running from place to place with a large Converse duffle bag, packed with his lyrics, dance shoes, CDs, and other tricks of the trade.
During the day, Jones attends classes to complete his bachelor’s degree in marketing. Jones said he chose to major in marketing to help him further his entertainment career. Marketing will also help Jones manage his label Speak-EZ Music, which he created to house his own talent as well as a few of his friends.
Speak-EZ Music records in Jones’ dorm room in Danieley Flats as well as his home in Randolph. Jones is currently without a manager but is doing well organizing his career on his own. He can be seen performing on April 2 at the Black Cultural Society Pageant. The Elon Gospel Choir, which Jones is a part of, is also touring and will perform their Spring Concert on April 17.
While Jones is content attending classes at Elon, he is seriously considering transferring back home to a school in Massachusetts that is yet to be decided. “Staying at Elon for the next 3 years would only be more of a hassle,” said Jones. “Financially, and for my career, it’s better for me to move closer to home. There’s more of a music industry around New York than in North Carolina.”
When asked which he prefers more, singing or dancing, Jones said that he’d rather be thought of as an “entertainer,” as someone who can do both equally well. The idea of a packaged deal is more appealing to the industry. Jones does prefer performing live to recording in the studio. “There’s something about being out there in front of my friends and fans,” said Jones
Fans can expect to see a J.Jones CD on the market in 2006, courtesy of Speak-EZ Music. Until 2006, those interested can bring up Jones’ web site at www.soundclick.com/jaredjones. The site features a brief biography about Jones as well as samples of his music, a mailing list, contact info, and banners for your own site. "I’m going to keep creating songs and recording because it is my passion, it’s what I live for," said Jones.