Brooke and Emil :
For the Love of Music & the Music of Love by Mike Sanchez
Far from one-dimensional , these two have a lot going on within the music world and beyond . Brooke is the director of sales and events for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and a Morgan Hill Downtown Association Board Director . Emil is a self-described “ tech geek .” He is a project manager , web developer , and manages IT for San Fransisco Superior Court . In addition to performing live throughout the year , Emil also edits and produces all the music the couple records and is developing other projects in his spare time . When not playing music , both are constantly writing or recording new music in their home studio .
When I say “ rock stars ” I ’ m not using the term exclusively as it ’ s often loosely used — to describe someone who is at the top of their game , killing it in some way or another , or someone who always delivers over and above expectations . While these two fit that bill and I would be correct to use the term in that way to describe them , I am instead using the term quite literally . These two are rock stars — actual rock stars !
Performing is in their DNA . And when they perform together , as a duet ( Brooke and Emil ), as lead guitar ( Emil ) and lead vocals ( Brooke ) in their Neo-Vintage Southern Rock band DustFlower ( Americana Blues , Country , R & B / Soul , and Southern Rock ), or as the front man and woman for their high voltage rock & roll band Neverland , you can ’ t help but fall in love with their music , their musicianship , and their vibe . Trekking across the South County and all points Northern California , these two , along with their bandmates : Joe Birtola ( bass ), Robbie Lucero ( Neverland - drums ), and Doug Dean ( DustFlower - drums ), share their music and passion at wineries , private parties , public events like festivals , concert venues , and more .
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Brooke and Emil Jakovcevic are Rock Stars . Although the term is overused and has been watered down and used to describe far too many things , it also describes them perfectly .
Together they recently launched a new video podcast series called “ Chasing the Song ” ( Coming soon at : chasingthesong . com ) where they interview local singer-songwriters on their porch , play a few songs , and share a home-cooked meal . The series gives their viewers a “ behind the scenes ” look at the artist , songwriting and song development , and everything else that goes into making music . They have also recently launched a relationship blog at www . thejjs . net where they provide practical tips and techniques to help couples dive deep into building stronger relationships .
Finding each other later in life , they understand the significance of finding that special someone and are committed to putting the work in to create a thriving relationship . The two met when Brooke answered an ad for backup singers for Emil ’ s band . Soon after , Brooke needed a fill-in guitar player for her band , and asked Emil to sit in . The two did an acoustic cover of Extreme ’ s “ More than Words ” and realized they had magic in a bottle . That prompted them to start performing as a duo . Their music was well received , so they decided to form their first band , Neverland . Then the C-19 economic shutdown happened .
Not deterred , in May of 2020 they started performing live every Friday night in their backyard and streamed the concerts live on social media . Their “ May Music Series ” grew a following of fans who would sit in their backyards watching the live streams and interacting by dancing and commenting on the live feed . The two-hour block of music with drawings and drink recipes for viewers to make , ran for five episodes and grew a wide following of adoring fans .
Both acknowledge that transparency is what makes a relationship thrive . Brooke says “ We started off willing to be real and vulnerable . Our communication is always intentionally transparent and honest .”
Both have learned from past relationships and feel that being able to ask questions , have lots of discussions , and trust each other to “ be in it 100 %" are key elements to success . “ Instead of vegging out in front of the TV , we choose to spend that time talking about dreams , goals , and projects we ’ re working on .” Emil shared .
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All images courtesy of Brooke and Emil Jakovcevic , DustFlower , and the Neverland Band