So for those who don't know, my Shades of Grey band project will officially be on hiatus this next year while i pursue a new gig out at Hyper Island in Stockholm, Sweden. Only time will tell on whether we decide to write more future stuff together, but before leaving I wanted to finish up on a jam we had started a few months back. It's a reinterpretation of a gem we found crate diggin' one day called Bumble Bee, originally recorded by Lavern Baker in the 1950s.. Laura's sister Aria takes the lead vocal on the verses for this one. My former MystiQuintet violinist Sarina Suno performs an electric violin cameo. And I take a stab at laying down some virtuoso xylophone for the first time. The sound of bees you'll hear in the tune were recorded on a ranch in San Antonio this past 4th of July. I had just woken up and was sneakin' a morning smoke on my friend's outdoor patio when suddenly i heard a swarm lurkin' near in the distance. Rather than running like a bitch, i manned up and confronted the gauntlet, sticking my iphone right in the grills of what i thought were bees. In actuality they were hornets, but close enough! But yah, listen and cop this epic jam, it may quite possibly be our musical curtain call together!
So we're midway through this year's summer season, just we're about at the point when everyone starts complaining about the heat... It's humidity's prime time, where we all want nothing more than to just jump into a pool and cool our asses off! So to enhance your next swimming experience is a brand new track, dedicated to one of my favorite pool games of summers' past, Marco Polo!
Now if you've followed some of the tunes I've produced over the years, you are probably familiar with hearing some sorta female vocal element within the soundscape. However the featured soprano on Marco Polo is actually a dude... Nashville's Ukelele virtuoso/ Billy Zane dopelganger One-A Aron aka Aron Wright ( his myspace )... Some of you may have heard his acoustic make out music recently on a CW vampire show or on other various network drama love scenes.. but for this jam we decided up soul it up in sorta a Robin Thicke meets OMC kinda fashion! Lyrically we take a reminiscent dive into the days of our youth, a tale about kickin' game at the community pool...with a focus on the sights, the smells, and the human interaction that Marco Polo embodies and brings to the table.. Towards the end there's even a musical swimming motiff, with a vocal emulator solo that characterizes the sound of 80s freestyle!
So yah remember kid's this one is strictly for the pool and not the beach! We highly recommend not playing Marco Polo in the ocean, cause it may lead to some sorta fatal baywatch type situ...
R: Marco Polo, Marco Polo Marco Polo, Marco Marco Polo Marco Polo, Marco Marco Polo
A:Lately I've been dreamin' bout holdin' your hand at the community pool I can't remember if your hide and seek was for real or were you playin' it cool Let me see the sun bleach in your hair watch the water roll off your tight skin I be jumpin' in the deep end baby wishin' summer games will never end
Chorus A: Marco Polo, simple echoes of the past R: of the past A: Marco Polo, swimming blindly tag em fast Marco Polo, summer love will never last R: Love will never last A: Marco Polo, Marco Polo
A: Don't be cheatin' you peakin' i see ya i know you know i know the rules Watch where you reachin', I'm freakin' you almost tagged me in the family jewels Why you teasin' my senses splashin' chemistry up in my eyea If you feel like surrenderin' baby we can take it to the slip and slide
R: Tag your it tag your it Tag your it tag your it Tag your it tag your it Tag your it tag your it
Chorus A: Marco Polo, simple echoes of the past R: of the past A: Marco Polo, swimming blindly tag em fast Marco Polo, summer love will never last R: Love will never last A: Marco Polo, Marco Polo
So in August, Fo Sho & Tell's 2nd full-length release, Lion Tamer's- The Chase will officially drop. One of the featured tracks, the dharma inspired "Subsurface" recieves a remix treatment from our good friend currently living out in LA, William Flynn! Over the last couple years you may have seen him rockin' festivals and concert stages as member of The Prigs and St. Vincent, as well as Djin' ableton live sets from coast to coast. He takes an experimental sound design approach to re-creating tune! Vastly different from the original, he made the most of elements we gave him. An architect for collagin' a subtle yet effective mood shiftin' landscape!
Pretty random, but the Jonas Brother's musical director contacted me on facebook and hired me to come up with three 2 1/2 minute ol school rap mixes for them to incorporate with dancers for their upcoming tour! There are No Jonas samples in their just the straight up jam they requested and I play around with in a day...check em' out!
