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Keyon Harrold, a renowned trumpet player, released his previous album The Mugician in 2017. It was a fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. Throughout his career, he has performed with notable artists such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Rihanna. His latest album, the third in his discography, continues to break traditional genre boundaries, but with a greater focus on ballads and the complexities of love. The tracks feature slow, seductive beats that allow Harrold to showcase his skillful solos, heavily influenced by the legendary Miles Davis. This is not surprising as Harrold played the trumpet on the soundtrack of the 2015 biopic Miles Ahead.
However, he is his own stylist, showcasing his skills in post-bop through instrumentals like The Intellectual and Gotta Go (Outer Space). His versatility in switching between reflective and confident tones adds an element of surprise. While the majority of the standout tracks feature vocals, such as the powerful opener Find Your Peace featuring Jean Baylor and rapper Common (a long-time friend), and the impassioned Don’t Lie sung by Malaya, the seven-minute title track features Harrold’s own singing alongside Laura Mvula from Britain. Harrold explains, “Some of these notes, I play them because they express what words cannot.”
Source: theguardian.com
