Chance Jones (2003)

01 - Who Asked You?
02 - Call It What You Will
03 - Forms of Freedom
04 - I Haven't Seen Her Since the Election
05 - It's This Town
06 - You're So Good
07 - I Hope It Ain't Over
08 - Lady 8th
09 - Looking After Me
10 - She's Alright For Me
11 - Drive Her Home
12 - The Elias Proposition
13 - Rock n Roll World
14 - Departed

Recorded in Grand Rapids, this debut album is more of a collection of songs that Chance was playing live at acoustic open mic nights. While following albums were constructed with an album concept in mind, this collection of songs almost read like a demo session. Recorded over two 2-hour sessions, the songs are just Chance and his guitar, with some harmonica and sparse piano overdubs. When Chance went to live in New York shortly after this was recorded, 50 copies of this was pressed and sold by the gentleman who produced the recording around Grand Rapids. Chance had one copy for himself, and gave that copy away, leaving only a digital copy in his own possession. Once the computer hosting that copy crashed, the album was "lost" for a while. Fortunately, Casey Rich, now living and teaching in Shanghai, was able to upload an mp3 version of the album back to Chance. Some efforts are underway to contact the gentleman that recorded the album to see if he has the original master tapes and what his feelings are on distributing this to those that want to hear it. "Looking After Me" and a tease of "I Haven't Seen Her Since The Election" both figure into current set lists. Unfortunately no surviving cover art exists (at least to this blogger's knowledge).

Many thanks to Casey Rich for his help in recovering this first album!