New Music: Chris Gabo "Price of Anarchy"

I spent a month of early morning sessions with singer / MC Chris Gabo engineering vocals and adding a sparing amount woodwinds and keyboards. The sessions were a lot of fun and we got to become good friends. He’s a great lyricist and gets into a vast amount of emotional territory and never fails to crack me up. In his other life, he’s an accomplished playwright and screenwriter: you can his work on HBO’s “In Treatment,” “Parasite” and more to come.

New Music: Martez - Lamentos

A new album very unlike any of my others- minimalist instrumental sonification of various moods, feelings and moments of the first eighteen months of the pandemic reality. Recorded in Oakland, CA.

New Music: Martez

Once upon a time a young man would walk along on the bayou. He followed a princess to the cold north, where he was trapped in a barn. The princess cast a spell and released him. He followed the sun to where it swims in the water.

I had a lot of time to myself during the pandemic, away from the musical mobs I have worked with for the past 25 years. I’ll be back with them for more, but in the meantime, enjoy these sounds.

New Music: Daptone Soul Revue: Live at the Apollo

This was the culmination of twenty years of work dating back my days in the mid 1990s on the lower east side, with Gabe Roth and pounding the pavement in search of other musicians who wanted to rock like this. The album was recorded over three nights at the Apollo Theater. I’m glad it’s finally out for the world to hear.

New Music: Ocote Soul Sounds "Sal Si Puedes"

“Get out if you can”, is the best translation. A lot of things to get out of, a lot of things to get into. I wrote this and played the instruments, drums, bass, clarinets, flute, saxophones. My inspirations on this were Yusuf Lateef, Cymande, and RZA. Enjoy the vibe, and stay safe.

New Music: "Lamentos"

Hey world. I hope you are safe and sound and protecting yourself and your loved ones.

I’ve been working in a new lane of data sonification (turning datasets and numbers into sound).

This is related to that, but turning feelings into sound. It’s a series called Lamentos - quick improvisations, and snapshots of how I’m feeling and what vibes I’m absorbing on any particular day as we get deeper into this global crisis.

It is called Lamentos. A lamento (lament in English) is an expression of grief.

Upcoming Antibalas tour dates postponed

Hey world.

I’m flattered that in this moment of global chaos you dropped in on my website. Here’s what’s new.

I just got off the road from three weeks of touring with Antibalas beginning in Southern California and wrapping up in Denver.

The shows were great energetically, musically, and emotionally. Just a day or two after we finished the leg of touring, we began to get reports of widespread venue closures and health alerts from both inside and outside the United States to halt any large-group events. That put a wrap on all of our remaining touring (about 35 or so shows) between now and the end of May and possibly beyond.

So I (and the rest of the other musicians and my whole musical community) are posted up at home (or worse, stranded on the road) with little to no income for the foreseeable future except for any royalty checks that might be on their way. (My last one from ASCAP was for $66.14).

If you are in a position to help, visit Antibalas.com - you can buy our music there, arrange an online music lesson or consultation with one of the musicians or just kick us a love offering.