Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic, and Damu The Fudgemunk have released a new single, “Tulips,” from their forthcoming collaborative album, Ocean Bridges, out May 22nd on Redefinition Records. Following its urgent lead single, “Learning to Breathe,” “Tulips” opens with a quiet array of keys, growing with bursts of saxophone and Raw Poetic’s emotive lyrics. “During the studio session, the spontaneous music that would later become ‘Tulips’ was the second idea we laid down,” says Damu The Fudgemunk. “It would set the vibe for much of the recording that followed. Raw Poetic’s lyrics really illustrate the deeper meaning behind the ‘Ocean Bridges’ album title on this tune.” Raw Poetic adds: “I let the spring vibe name the song, and the flower that bloomed was a tulip. Sometimes you gotta let the music spell it out.”
Listen To “Tulips” by Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic, and Damu The Fudgemunk –
https://youtu.be/Hf2MdTRX_7U
Initially conceived after Jason Moore (aka independent, underground rapper Raw Poetic) attended an event with his mother at the Kennedy Center honoring his uncle – legendary saxophonist, Archie Shepp – Ocean Bridges intends to signify a bridging-of-the-gap in their family’s story and a re-establishing of the connection between young and old in their general community.
Entirely improvised, Ocean Bridges was intentionally created without any direction, resulting in a finished product with natural energy, a conversation of ideas that transcend genre. The album blends live improvised music, jazz, hip-hop, and many other musical directions into a one-of-a-kind sound. It was recorded with a live ensemble – Archie Shepp (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, wurltizer), Raw Poetic (vocals, raps, lyrics), Earl “Damu the Fudgemunk” Davis (drums, vibraphone, vocals, turntable scratching), Pat Fritz (guitar), Aaron Gause (wurlitzer, synthesizer), Luke Stewart (acoustic bass, electric bass), Jamal Moore (tenor sax, clarinet, bongos, percussion), and Bashi Rose (drums, percussion) – in August 2019 between Washington, DC and Northern Virginia, Ocean Bridges fuses different musical concepts to adapt in a hip-hop format – all of the instrumentation is accompanied by vocals.
Listen To “Learning to Breathe” (Extended Mix) –
https://youtu.be/LUirEpnXves
Watch Video For “Learning to Breathe” (Album Mix) –
https://youtu.be/iVIqsYJ9okw
Pre-order Ocean Bridges –
https://soulspazm.ffm.to/oceanbridges
Keep your mind open.
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[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]