What is a CSM?
It's a creative way to work at the relationship of an artist and
people who support that artist and/or enjoy her/his work. This CSM is a structured way for people to support an artist whose work and life they believe in, and a way for Jonathan to share music and thoughts more regularly with the people who are interested in that.

Who is it for?
- Individuals who want to support Jonathan Reuel and his creative work.
- Patrons of the arts who would like a concrete way to support a
specific artist in their development.
- Music lovers who'd like to hear Jonathan's new songs more regularly and at an earlier phase (soon after they are written, before they are officially released).
- Spiritually aware people who want to use Jonathan's music in their own times of reflection, meditation or prayer
- Musicians and writers interested in songwriting, the creative
process and where the songs come from, and/or covering Jonathan's songs in their own work.
- Groups who want to use Jonathan's songs in a corporate setting. This could include playing the recording publically or singing together. Includes school groups, churches, businesses, bands, etc.
- Churches wanting to push the boundaries by using music corporately that don't fit neatly into the categories of contemporary or traditional Christian worship music.

What do you get?
- A chance to invest in the arts.
- A concrete way to support Jonathan in his creative work..
- 3 to 5 new songs every quarter. Mostly these will be simple guitar and vocal recordings.
- Lyrics and chords to the songs
- Thoughts about the writing of the songs and the creative process
- Suggestions for using the songs in personal or corporate prayer,
meditation or worship.
- Permission to use the songs with some limitations (see permissions
policy).

How much does it cost?
It is variable -- each person or group decides how much to give. The minimum is $30/year for individuals, $100/year for groups.

You say each person or group decides how much to give, so why set a minimum amount?
Setting a minimum amount is a clear and simple way for an individual or group to show their support. The point of the CSM is to develop a community of people who really care about and are behind what Jonathan is doing (and get an inside view of the process because of that). This isn't a fan club or a special bonus service -- it really is a community. Most people committed to Jonathan and the music can afford the minimum amount. Those who really can't give the minimum amount but want to show support and be part of the CSM may be considered for a scholarship or complimentary membership.

What if I really want to support the artist and hear new music but but can't afford even the basic CSM fee currently?
One of the best ways to support Jonathan's music is to really listen
to it and give him feedback. What are you hearing in the songs? How do they make you feel? What do they remind you of? What, in your life, do they connect with? Why do you think this music matters? Answer those questions and describe why you feel you should be considered for a complimentary or scholarship membership. We'll seriously consider serious requests.

What if I want to give more regularly to Jonathan's music?
It can't be done. Just kidding. There's a donate now button on http://www.sonchild.com.

What about copyright issues?
That is described clearly on the permissions page. In short, please share the music, and if you're listening regularly buy something or join the CSM. If want to use the in a corporate setting read the permissions page and find out what kind of permission you need.

I am part of an organization that pays for a CCLI license to use songs. Are your songs included in our CCLI license? How do we get permission to use your songs?
Jonathan Reuel's songs are currently self-published and are not part of the CCLI system. Check out the permissions page for information and a simple form to obtain permission to use the songs. You do not have to become a CSM member to use the songs or obtain those permissions.

If your group chooses to become a member of Jonathan's CSM, you automatically receive, as part of your membership, permission for "ongoing use" of all the songs in each delivery that you receive as long as you remain a CSM member. The permissions policy page has more details.

What kind of "permissions" are included with the individual/household membership?
You are encouraged not only to use and enjoy the songs as a household, but also to share them with others, including friends, band members, church community... that's what they're for! That said - if you introduce a song or two to a group you're part of (band, church, etc) and there is the desire to keep on using them in that setting, or keep finding/using other songs by Jonathan, please encourage them to abide by Jonathan's Music permissions policy (e.g.: for "ongoing use" of a particular song - see Permissions), and acquire an organizational membership. You may wish to give a year's organizational CSM Music membership as part of your .

Permission is NOT given to share the password for Jonathan's CSM deliveries with the wider community or organization so that everyone can receive the delivery while only one household pays its membership fee. That sort of ruins the whole point of the CSM which is to have a group of people who are working together to support, enjoy and make use of Jonathan's music. Part of what makes it a community is that people want to be part of it and have chosen and made sacrifices for that privilege. If people see it as a great way to get more free music then it's a marketing scheme or a waste of time, not a CSM. Thanks for understanding and helping make it worth while!

What "permissions" are included with the organizational membership?
As an organizational member of Jonathan's CSM, your organization receives permission to use the songs in each delivery that you receive, for the lifetime of your congregation/institution, as described in the "ongoing use" section of the permissions policy.

Permission is NOT given to share the password for Jonathan's CSM deliveries with the individual households of the people in the organization, or make paper/CD copies of the deliveries for the
individual households, so that everyone can receive the delivery while only the organization pays its membership fee. When an organization pays for a membership, it's so that the songs can be used in an organizational context. The point of the CSM is to have a group of people and organizations who are working together to support, enjoy and make us of Jonathan's music. Part of the value of the community is that the people in it have chosen and made sacrifices to be part of it. If instead, people use the CSM as a quick way to get free music, it misses the point of forming a community. Thanks for supporting Jonathan's creative work and helping make community supported music viable.

How do the songs "delivered" to Jonathan's CSM compare to the songs recorded on JRL or Sonchild studio albums?
Most of Jonathan's CDs (JRL: Caught in the Paydirt, Sonchild:
Responsible, JRL: Now, etc) are professional studio albums. This means that at the minimum a studio and an engineer were part of the recording process. In many cases there were also other musicians and a producer involved. The songs released Jonathan's CSM Members are raw, recorded at home and are mostly simple arrangements (often just voice and guitar). The songs released to the CSM members are intended as resources and collector's material - members will listen, learn, play, use, and try out the tunes different settings. Think basement tapes, bootlegs and live recordings rather than Josh Groban, Maranantha or Sgt. Pepper.

Some of these songs will find their way onto studio albums, and others won't. Some songs may be useful as resources for individual reflection but not for a corporate setting (concert or worship service) and visa versa. Some songs you will really like and others you may not. That's part of the value of the membership system - it provides an opportunity to share some things that may not make their way onto a studio album, and a chance to share and "test" creative work with a community of people who can help discern if a song is worth taking public and if so in what manner (JRL or Sonchild, simple guitar and vocal recording or full band, etc).

I'm not experienced with computers. Can I get paper/CD copies of your deliveries of new songs?
Yes, although we are set up primarily for downloads. For an additional $75 we will send you four shipments including cds and printouts of Jonathan's lyrics and reflections.

The download method saves paper, ink, and shipping costs. Some non computer-savy people we know ask friends or family to download the songs and burn cds for them rather than give more money.

When and how often can I expect these deliveries of new music?
Members of Jonathan's CSM receive their regular deliveries of new songs 4 times per year, usually scheduled for October, February, and May, and August. The first delivery to launch this new initiative is scheduled for May 2008.

Where did the CSM idea come from and how can I learn more about it?
As far as we know, Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Moyer Suderman came up with the idea of "community supported music", basing it on the model of '"community supported agriculture". Bryan helped Jonathan set up this site and his ideas were central to forming the model we're using, although there are some significant differences to how we're working at the idea. To learn more, check out his blog and read any posts related to Community Supported Music. (The rest of the posts are also worth reading). www.smalltallmusic.com is the website, www.smalltallmusings.blogspot.com the blog.

Why is Jonathan so excited about the CSM idea?
"The whole idea of a CSM really strikes me because I prefer developing relationships to collecting fans. An ongoing connection with a group of people who are really listening is, to me, much more satisfying than a lot of sales to people who are doing the in thing. I also see great value in having a group of people supporting me in my work who are committed long term (not just based on how marketable my last project was). Of course this doesn't mean I'm good friends with all the CSM members, but it does mean they will have a sense of what I'm about and where I'm going that the average music consumer or fan wouldn't. We will work at ways for me to hear this group's feedback and perspective as well.

A number of people have supported me over the years and I could not have made it this far without them. The CSM is a way to give them a window into my world and journey. There is also a small group of music listeners/collectors who would appreciate hearing early versions of songs, unreleased tunes, etc. This CSM is a gift to both these groups.

As my life and work mature, I hope to spend more time writing,
recording and working with the artists' network I helped start in the early 00s. If the CSM grows it will allow me to spend less energy, time and money booking, marketing and touring, and more on what I'm best at -- writing, recording, networking and instigating (projects, events and groups that bring together the arts, leadership and faith in new ways).

The other thing I like about the CSM idea is this -- I love to give
away music, and I do it more often than my friends think I should.
There's part of me that believes that "music should be free." The
problem is that someone always pays somehow. I like the idea of the people who really care about the music (and in many cases about me) becoming patrons (in big or small ways) rather than just consumers of a product."
-- Jonathan

How about community supported paintings, stories, poetry, movie shorts?
"We're working on it. We hope to launch Christa Reuel's CSA (community supported art) at the same time as my CSM later this year. I think there is great potential in this model. I would love it if a couple of my painter friends had CSA -- I'd welcome the chance give them something annually and get a print 3 or 4 times a year. Wouldn't it be great to know you had a delivery of two or three poems, or installments of a short story to look forward to each quarter from a writer you appreciate and would like to invest in? The model helps the emerging artist as well as the people who appreciate their work, and it has the potential to stay organic, grassroots and somewhat relational, which I think adds value to the work. If these ideas excite you either as an artist that would like to develop a CSM, or as someone who appreciates creativity, or if you know an artist, musician, writer who needs this kind of support and you'd like to see if you could help -- send me an email at jrlive@gmail.com."

I'm a musician or artist who is excited about the CSM. I might want to start my own. Can you help me?
It's quite possible. Bryan and I are working at developing a network of artists in different mediums each with their own CSM (or CSPaintings, CSVideo shorts, CSPoetry, etc). Drop us an email and let's talk about it.