We’re very excited about this.  We already have one Portland bookstore that will be caring it and very soon it will be available on CD Baby and iTunes!

E.D. Mondainé & Belief are also working on putting together a concert schedule to start in the next few months.

As always, we appreciate your prays and kind wishes tremendously.  We couldn’t do this without your support.

Big things are ahead!

A PLACE FOR ME, the third album from Portland’s own Contemporary-Gospel group E.D. Mondainé & Belief, is set to debut on Saturday February 6, 2010 at the First Unitarian Church in downtown PDX.

If Luther Vandross, Donnie McClurkin, and the Isley Brothers blended together to make an album, A PLACE FOR ME is what it would sound like.  E.D. Mondainé & Belief sought to create an album for the downtrodden to lift spirits and provide a sense of empowerment through God.  Fans of the classic Marvin Gaye album, “What’s Going On,” will appreciate the social awareness of many of the album’s lyrics.

The group is well known for their compassion for the afflicted.  They were the only group from Portland to fly out to Lancaster, PA after the tragic Amish school shootings back in 2006 to help aid the community in the healing process.  Just a year later, E.D. Mondainé & Belief again helped sooth the broken hearted after the coal mine collapse in Price, UT - for which they received the gratitude of Governor John Huntsman.

The February 6th concert to launch A PLACE FOR ME is scheduled to have E.D. Mondainé & Belief joined by many of the musicians who made guest appearances on the album, most of whom are the top instrumentalists in the Portland area.  The First Unitarian Choir is going to open the show at 6:30pm with additional performers to be announced.

The First Unitarian Church is located in downtown Portland on SW 12th and Salmon.  Doors for the event will open on Saturday February 6th around 5:45pm.  This event is FREE to the public.  Addition information can be found at aplaceformealbum.com.

The song was inspired by conversations that took place between E.D. Mondainé and his good friend Tyrone Sampson after the death of Michael Jackson. The writing of the song took on much greater significance after Tyrone’s untimely stroke and passing just weeks after their conversations about the “King of Pop.”

The song itself is ultimately a tribute to Mondainé’s good friend and colleague Pastor Tyrone Sampson, and this video was created to recognize the ideas and conversations that took place between the two men that sparked the original thoughts they shared.

The video was directed by E.D. Mondainé. We hope you enjoy it.

The new website is aplaceformealbum.com

aPlaceForMeAlbum.com is loaded with exclusive information about the third CD from E.D. Mondainé & Belief.

Go to the new site now and:

• Listen to sound samples from EVERY song
• Read through all of the lyrics
• Learn the story behind the album
• Look through reviews of the album
• See testimonials from people given a sneak peak at the CD
• And MUCH MORE

Below is a snapshot of what the new aplaceformealbum.com looks like:

As always, we love getting your feedback!

- Andy Bell, Vice President Achaia Records, Inc.

The third album from E.D. Mondainé & Belief, “A Place for Me,” is almost here!

We’re very excited to say that the mixing for the entire album is FINISHED and that it is currently being mastered.

A huge thank you goes out to Urei Tropets at Sherrett Studios for all of the hard work and long hours he has put into making everything sound great.

Above is a snap shot of the new album cover (image courtesy of Aevum Images).

We look forward to sharing it with you VERY soon.

His tenor voice had a smooth satin quality that was as warm as his personality.  He impacted every community of people he encountered and help guide and councel all those fortunate enough to know him.  He was always willing to talk to a strange face and make you feel like a close friend.

We miss Pastor Sampson and his unwaivering faith, deep insights, loving embraces, endless humor, and of course his smile.

Below is a picture montage that was created for his going home celebration.  We hope you enjoy it.

This is a 4 minute movie that I helped some friends out with. Their video company, Off the Menu Productions, participated in the Portland Film Race 2009.

They had to write, film, & edit a 4 minute movie all within 24 hours. They were given a theme (anniversary) and a surprise element (lipstick) that HAD to be incorporated & used in the flick.

They asked me to do some on camera work, and I had a BLAST! I was ready for bed by the time we were all finished though.

All 18 entries were viewed on the big screen at Hollywood Theater in NE Portland, OR. It was pretty cool seeing my face plastered up on a giant screen. We won the audience vote for “Best Film.”

I hope you enjoy seeing another aspect of my “performance” abilities.

- Andy Bell, Vice President

Why?

God apparently said, “NO,” to the event as it ended up getting cancelled due to a thunder & lightening storm, which isn’t exactly a COMMON occurence in Portland, OR.

We were to perform on the main event stage at 5pm. We arrived about 45 to 30 minutes before that to a hot, muggy, & just slightly overcast day. I ended up having to park downtown at a 90 minute spot about 15 blocks away from the stage near the large Navy & Army displays.

Our original time slot was to be from 4 - 4:45pm, but we were pushed back to a “theoretically” better slot starting at 5. I arrived in time to catch the last bit of the guy before us who was from Portland Music doing a demonstration on the Roland V-Drums. The weather wasn’t showing any signs of violence, but we were warned that if thunder came rolling that the stage would be instantly shut down.

The very moment I pulled out my guitar from its case to set up on stage, the wind started KICKING like an angry mule with a steroid addiction. Making things even more interesting was that the drums, bass, guitar, & keyboard were all being set up directly underneath hanging stage lights connected to the tent that covered us.

As soon as the keys, guitars, & basses were set up and vulnerably out of their hardshell enclosures, we were told to get out of the tent because the wind made it an unsafe location.

Once out from underneath the tent, I put my sunglasses on… not to be cool or anything like that, but because the large quantity of hay that the festival puts on the ground to walk on was now shooting through the air attacking everyone like a swarm of honey bees set on revenge.

It was NOT a good situation for anyone with allergies (such as myself) or anyone with knappy hair (such as Elbert… at least he finally got the blond highlights he’s been talking about - have fun getting them all out).

The weather was also unkind to structures throughout the fair. The tent over the ATM collapsed (well deservered though as they charge a $3 fee for withdrawls), a large wooden structure fell over, the Rose Festival merchandise booth was decimated, a lady selling plastic flowers got covered by her product, and the giant inflatable bag of Lays potato chips whimpered to nuture’s fury.

All of that, howere, did not lead to a quick notice of cancellation. The organizers wanted to wait it out a little. I just wanted to pack up & go home. It wasn’t until it started to rain that the sound engineeres started packing up their gear and finally told us to grab our gear and go.

Thankfully, we had a tarp in the bed of the truck… water and speekers go together like milk and my stomach; they don’t play nice.

Once we got loaded up, I just had the long walk under the bridge & through a parking lot back to the car. Robin Gordon & Roy Shryne were riding with me, which was kind of fun because Robin wanted to run to the car & Roy was complaining that he couldn’t see. I laughed and said, “What, did you guys not grow up in the northwest?” To which they replied, “I grew up in Southern California… and I grew up in Florida.”

When we got back to the car, I still had 10 minutes on the meter. This was the first show I’ve ever had cancelled after arriving to the gig, but it all worked out.

- Andy Bell; Vice President

Elephant ears? CHECK
Hamburgers & Hot dogs? CHECK
Barbecue? CHECK
Tasty beverages? CHECK
Carnival rides? CHECK

… and of course, GREAT MUSIC.

25thHOUR and E.D. Mondainé & Belief will be providing the live soundtrack to your summer party this Thursday evening starting at 5pm.

Best of all, IT’S FREE to get in!

So, bring your helicopter hat and best James Brown moves down to the Rose Festival Fairgrounds at Waterfront Park in Downtown Portland this Thursday at 5pm to get your summer started off on the good-foot.

There was a full house present to jam out with the band.

The band’s 30 minute set was full of new up-tempo numbers.

Video from this Saturday’s BLUE REIGN gig will be posted on their video page very soon.