Goals

All the artists I look up to, I’m finally starting to work with and it’s crazy.... Hanging backstage at Coachella with H.E.R and Daniel Caesar, Tyler the Creator, the Internet, Alina Baraz, Jorja Smith was amazing. I even got to hang with Gabriel Garzon Montano for a few east coast shows. Literally my Spotify playlist in real life. The best part is my world and brother Bryndon’s world (aka Starchild) are starting to cross and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. 

I'm gonna call it now. One day me and my brother will work together on music, film and/or T.V and its gonna be legendary. #goals

My Recording Process

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

New Album on the way!

Since releasing Somewhere in Between last year I’ve been touring with my own band supporting the album. I’ve also been producing and writing way more music. I like to use January through March to write music when work is more slow. Since January I’ve been to Europe twice, hit the recording studio twice working on my next project and had multiple mixing sessions. I’m very excited to say that we’ve finally got some new amazing music coming out soon! I can sum up this next project in 3 phase. Each one has its own aesthetic. I may roll it out in 3 EPs or just jumble it up. The subject matter of the songs chronicles my development as an artist. I can’t wait to share it with the world!

Personnel //

Andrew Renfroe

Mathis Picard

Taber Gable

Henoc Montes

Jonathan Pinson

Lauren Desberg

Tom Misch North American Tour

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...

Engagement Story -- Paris 2018

Our Paris trip!! Got engaged to my best friend and my partner in life!! Here’s how our engagement story. So Chaya is getting her PhD in Race Politics at Princeton Univ. So I knew I wanted to take her to a place in Paris where James Baldwin use to study and write. I did some research online and found this neighborhood called St. Germaine. I come to find out that Duke Ellington also frequented this neighborhood!! I knew this would be the perfect place to propose; the intersection of our passions, Jazz and Race Relations. So while I was on tour with Marquis Hill’s Blacktet, we had a couple days off in Paris. Chaya and I were sight-seeing and visited the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and all the best sites. At the end of our day, we took an Uber to this cafe called Cafe Tournon (where James Baldwin and Duke both hung out), and I made sure to sit outside. (It was cold but not raining thank god). I asked Marquis and the band if he could show up at the cafe and surprise her with a Duke Ellington composition. They arrived exactly on time and surprised the hell out of her. That’s when I got on one knee and proposed!! She said yes.

Will Vinson solo - Hindsight

My good friend Joel Ross (incredible vibraphonist in the NYC area) put me on to this Joe Sanders record called Introducing Joe Sanders. The album is fire!! We were on tour with Marquis Hill at the time and just chillin back stage. He put on some music and I was like "yooooo who is playing alto?!" He told me that 's Will Vinson. I was familiar with his playing but hadn't checked out other records he's guested on.  Long story short I started learning this solo and a few others. Vinson is a beast. Melodic, technically ridiculous, and phrases in a very clear logical and almost rap like structure. Hope y'all enjoy this one. 

Cannonball Adderley solo- Hippodelphia

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!

Songwriting and Producing

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....