The recording process for me second time around is way different. A lot more pre- production. I made tracks in logic at my house and wrote to the songs. Then we went to the studio and recorded to the tracks. The next phase is arranging and figuring what parts I want acoustic and which parts I want samples. This is kinda the most crucial part in crafting the sound... I don’t subscribe to the idea that your album should sound exactly like your live show by any means however I still want the two to be related if that makes sense. So in this project im really trying to marry production and jazz in a natural way. With the help of my producer friends Drew Moore and Rocket Jackson we are really shaping a new sound... #millennialmusic
I just got home from a month long tour with Tom Misch. For those that don’t know, he’s a multi-instrumentalist and singer from the U.K. He’s released a few beat tapes and EPs and just dropped his debut album Geography. It’s fire! So I was asked to join only a couple weeks before and I was ecstatic about it when I got the call! I quickly checked out the music and before I knew it I’m on the west coast ready to start the national run. As soon as I arrive to the Warfield in San Francisco I realized just how large of a production was! There was a tour bus with 12 bunks, a trailer with a full lighting rig, multiple sound engineers and 5 killin musicians from London. Definitely a culture shock to say the least. We got through soundcheck and I got acquainted with the music and the chemistry with the band was immediately there!! I knew this tour would be ridiculously fun. The next show was Coachella and that was amazing!! I saw some of my favorite of all time perform. Daniel Caesar, Jorja Smith, Jamiroquai, and Beyoncé were definitely highlights for me! Such a dope hang! After Coachella it was smooth sailing. We drove the tour bus from Cali to Vegas, Colorado, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, New York, Philly and DC!! Saw parts of North America I’ve never been to. We ended the tour with a Tiny Desk performance and a show in Dc! My parents even came through. Couldn’t have asked for a better ending to a fun ass tour! Such a blessing!
Special shoutout to Rudi Creswick on Bass, Joe Price on keys, Jamie Houghton on drums, Tobie Tripp on violin/guitar and of course Tom Misch on vocals/guitar!! Looking forward to the next one...
Cannonball Adderley solo on Hippodelphia
This is one of my favorite songs of Cannonball and one of my favorite solos! This whole album is fuego truthfully. There are very alto players I like to hear more than Cannonball live!! Cannonball doesn’t get enough credit for influencing a lot of saxophonists’ sound. He’s a g.o.a.t!
I've been working in Logic producing and writing songs all year long. I don't necessarily aspire to be a producer per se but it's just become my songwriting process. I want to create good songs and demos in my room from start to finish that I can send to other artists and producers. I have A LOT of music in me and producing in Logic has become my way of getting it out.
When I was working on my album Somewhere in Between, I produced the entire project in Logic months before (January 2016- March 2016). This gave me time to work on the songs by myself without having to worry about organizing rehearsals with my band and also I could organize the project all before entering the studio. I worked on the song order, tempos, keys, solo order and honed in on the sound I wanted in the months prior. So when April 2nd of 2016 came and we entered the studio I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do. For anyone doing an album or project I highly suggest doing this...It's almost like making a MOCK-UP album. Then you can get advice and feedback from artists you respect on your MOCK-UP before you hit the studio....
Anderson .Paak
To those of you that don’t have Anderson .Paak’s album “Malibu” do yourself a favor now and get it!
While Anderson .Paak has been out for a while and grinding on the music scene for the past I don’t know how long, this album “Malibu” was his real introduction to the world. And what an introduction! He sings, raps, and plays drums all at once. Literally one of the most amazing acts I’ve ever seen live because he does all 3 on such a high level and with so much energy. Seeing this type of artistry that incorporates so many styles into one is so amazing to see. And even more amazing is to how it’s received by the masses. It’s inspiring to see these true ARTISTS make great art and it still be accessible by the masses. It just shows me that people are thirsty for good music and this excites me about the future. There is a wave happening in the music scene and across the world where more artists with talent and ability are getting more shine and the appetite for the masses is growing. The future is bright!
Somewhere in Between
The concept behind this album is Love. I know that sounds cliche, but before jumping to conclusions, just know that this album is not the typical happy-go-lucky love story. This album is about my two, sometimes conflicting, loves: the life-long love I have for music and the love for my girlfriend of 3 years. It’s also about the struggles I have had trying to find the balance between the two. This battle to find balance between both relationships has played a pivotal role in making me who I am and my musical evolution. This album will feature both my saxophone as well as my vocal debut. I've decided to name this project “Somewhere in Between” because I so often times find myself caught in between my two loves and similarly between my two favorite styles of music, Jazz and RnB. We have to follow our own hearts and clear our own paths in life. We can't live someone else's expectation of how we should live. This album is about trusting your gut and seeing it through.
Serious face... Captured by Sarah Escarraz
Frank Ocean // Blonde
This Frank Ocean album couldn’t have come at a more perfect time! He released a visual project exclusively on Apple Music and then within 24hours he released a 17 track full length LP entitled Blonde. Did it live up to all the hype you wonder? Well in many ways it did and in some ways it didn’t. This depends on what you expected from Frank. If you expected an album full of club bangers or catchy radio hits like his last project Channel Orange, (which had hits such “Thinking Bout You” ”Super Rich Kids” and “Sweet Life”) then you were probably quite disappointed with Blond. However, if you are like me and expected another piece of art that told a story, filled with simile and metaphor from beginning to end then this was the PERFECT album. In a lot of ways I think this album was exactly what the world needed. Firstly, I love that Frank puts his emotionality first in his music. Second, I think its amazing how well refined his songwriting is. His songs are often metaphorical and tackle multiple topics at once, yet he still is straight to the point in some instances. Lastly, I love how Frank seemed to refuse to go for the low hanging fruit rhythmically. What I mean by that, is that he seemed to avoid falling into the clich’s of 2016 such as trap beats, Drake-like phrasing and melodies confined to 3 or 4 notes. He showcases his range so well yet still makes the focus about the stories and not the notes or grooves. I think this world needs more storytellers like Frank Ocean. I aspire to be like that in music’s #GOALS
For the average listener, the Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto Bossa Nova album is the greatest Bossa album ever! However, if anyone has ever heard this Cannonball Adderley and the Bossa Rio Sextet (Featuring Sergio Mendes) album, they would know that this album should be THE quintessential Bossa album!! I stand by that!! LOL No, music isn’t a competition but I just love Cannonball. Anyways, hope you enjoy his solo on “Minha Saudade.”