I performed, arranged, and co-produced this album with Bosco Mann for Daptone Records.
We’ll be making stops up and down the west coast of the US and Canada, East Coast, Southeast and Midwest followed by Europe (May) and beyond. Stay tuned.
I have the pleasure of working with an ensemble of talented young musicians from across Oakland. This fall we are looking at jazz through the lenses of Caribbean and funk music.
I served as artistic director for two beautiful tribute concerts to Aretha featuring Nona Hendryx, José James, Zara MacFarlane, Bettye Lavette and Alice Russell. Antibalas was the house band.
Watch the livestream of the Paris show (night 1) here: https://live.philharmoniedeparis.fr/concert/1102335.html?_ga=2.101011074.2064473680.1572054432-1054785467.1572054432
Below: “Rocksteady” and “Think” with Alice Russell.
Clubs and festivals dates in France, Belgium, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland.
What a joy it was to work with multi-instrumentalists and ngoni masters Arouna Diarra and Biko Casini, engineer Daryl Chonka and a lovely bunch of musicians and community in the winter of 2018 way up in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. This album is one of the most ethereal and magical I’ve ever participated in… (flutes, saxophone, percussion). Enjoy. You can also see Biko and Arouna around the world with the heavy, funky, folky medicinal vibes of Rising Appalachia.
Mostly sold-out shows from San Diego to Vancouver, also guesting on keys, flute and percussion with Cochemea.
My second gig writing liner notes Daptone. Another gorgeous and deep record taking the label in some exciting new directions.
I wrote the liner notes for this lovely new Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban masterpiece.
Music direction and arrangements of six Amayo compositions for recording at Daptone House of Soul, Brooklyn NY for Antibalas album #7 (2019 release on Daptone).
I served as music director, with Antibalas as the house band, for the Music of Aretha Franklin at Carnegie Hall, March 6, 2017. We'll be doing a warm up show the night before with some of the performers at City Winery, NYC. Info: http://musicof.org
Recording and arrangement of the Tito Ramos classic “Heaven” for Fania Records.
In collaboration with filmmakers Jon Fine and Sarah Dupont, members of Antibalas, Angélique Kidjo, Gangbé Brass Band, Logozo, filmmakers from ISMA and students and faculty from CIAMO (International Center for Arts and Music-Ouidah) I served as music producer, engineer, arranger and performer on a song and video about malaria prevention. The video and song are in post-production and will be part of a campaign in conjunction with UNICEF, Center for Disease Control, US Embassy-Benin, Peace Corps, and other agencies to eradicate malaria in Benin and sub-Saharan Africa.
Work in progress: film music, composition and performance for "Being ENYE" Documentary by Denise Soler-Cox and Henry Ansbacher.
Working with a curriculum developed by my colleague Jordan McLean and Students Live, I facilitated four days lyric writing and performance workshops in four Global Studies classes with 100 high school sophomores, followed by a performance of these works.
Antibalas horns and Amayo collaborate with artist-in-residence Eric Harland “Revolution of Rhythm” and his Voyager ensemble at the SF Jazz Center.
Performances at the Mezzanine (SF) and the Regent Theater (LA). Arrangement and performance of "Satellite" with Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio.
Completed a four-week Wednesday residency at Brooklyn Bowl, performing a retrospective program of Antibalas repertoire 1998-present stretching over four weeks, and collaborations with Lorenzo "Jovanotti" Cherubini, Santigold, Saul Williams, Lee Fields, Quantic, Sahr Ngaujah, and Kalmia Traver (Rubblebucket).
Performed the "Ghoul Train" set of funk classics on Halloween evening at the Suwannee Hulaween festival in Live Oak, Florida with Antibalas horns.
Transcribed and arranged charts for the Antibalas horns as part of the Bill Withers tribute directed by Greg Phillingaines, with vocalists Aloe Blacc, Ledisi, Valerie Simpson, Gregory Porter, Kori Withers, Kathy Mattea, Anthony Hamilton, Ed Sheeran, Amos Lee, Jonathan Butler, and Dr. John.
Here’s us with Ed Sheeran.
Recorded flutes, baritone saxophone and tenor saxophone with trumpeter Jordan McLean on two songs with Santigold for her upcoming album.
Hear the single "Can't Get Enough of Myself" HERE. I play flutes, baritone and tenor saxophones.
Composed, arranged, performed and recorded music based on numerical cipher-based translations of Ana-Maurine Lara's original text.
Performed six shows at the Blue Note, Tokyo Japan.
Arranged and performed 11 songs for Antibalas with featured artists including Cee-Lo Green, Sharon Jones, Santigold, Esperanza Spalding, Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Alexis Krauss (Sleigh Bells), Amanda Palmer and Jherek Bischoff, and Steve Earle.
PRESS: WSJ / Entertainment Weekly / SPIN / Rolling Stone / Consequence of Sound / Stereogum / AP / Village Voice / NY Magazine
Arranged and performed collaborative set with Antibalas and Zap Mama at performing arts venues and theaters across the US and Canada
Arranged and performed music of John Lurie, Lounge Lizards, and Marvin Pontiac for Antibalas. Interview with John Lurie HERE.
Recording film music with producer Mark Ronson for feature film starring Johnny Depp and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Composition of original soundtrack music + music from Ocote Soul Sounds for the short film "The Last Days of Hustling" written / directed by Karim Lopez, produced by Mike Tyner. Official selection (Short Films Corner) at 2015 Cannes Film Festival.
Two nights of performances with Antibalas as part of the Daptone Super Soul Revue featuring Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Charles Bradley and the Extraordinaires, the Sugarman Three, and Saun and Starr, Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, the Menahan Street Band, and the Como Mamas.
PRESS: Village Voice / WSJ (preview) / NY Times (preview) / NY Times / The Hollywood Reporter / Brooklyn Vegan / Jambands.com
Performance of The Band's iconic farewell concert with the Antibalas horns and guests including Nels Cline (Wilco), Binky Griptite (Dap Kings) and others.
Composing and recording two songs "Melagioco" and "Libera" with Italian star Lorenzo Cherubini aka Jovanotti. As of May 2016, 5x platinum in Italy.
PRESS: Rolling Stone (Italia) / MelodicaMente / Radio Italia
Recording baritone sax (uncredited-thanks, Mark) on "I Can't Wait" featuring Keyone Starr. That’s me in the video looking ridiculous on tenor sax next to Trombone Shorty.
Performance with Antibalas horns joining the Roots for "Water No Get Enemy" and "Move On Up". Other performers: Jay Z, Sting, Alicia Keys, Tiesto, No Doubt.
Performing the entire album of Fela Anikulapo Kuti's 69 LA Sessions with members of Chop and Quench (aka the FELA! Broadway band) and Antibalas.
Performances with Antibalas as part of the Daptone Super Soul Revue featuring Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Charles Bradley and the Extraordinaires, the Sugarman Three, and Saun and Starr. Appearances at Montreux Jazz Festival, Glastonbury, Nice Jazz Festival, Vienna Opera House, Rock Werchter, North Sea Jazz Festival and Eurockeenes.
Arranged and performed 17 songs for Antibalas with featured artists including Allen Toussaint, Sam Moore, Angélique Kidjo, Betty LaVette, Richard Marx, John Doe (X), Bob Mould, Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio), Mike Gordon (Phish), Josh Ritter, Andy Cabic and Isobel Campbell (Belle and Sebastian), and Brett Dennen.
PRESS: NY Times / WSJ (Speakeasy) / WSJ (Scene & Heard) / Rolling Stone / Hollywood Reporter / Brooklyn Vegan / Relix / ABC News Radio / American Songwriter / Jambase / Acoustic Guitar: