Plants take on many forms and functions. I've always been fascinated by the colors that meet by the ocean in different climates and seasons, the ways plants survive, how they're used in nature, and how we and other creatures make them useful for our purposes. In Coccoloba, we find find interactive layers of shared melodic elements passed back and forth so quickly, it's hard to assume one player's role as the melody instrument. Steel pan? No... Guitar? No wait... Marimba? No... And even the organ bubble that appears is traded melodically to the pan again for a second. But then the glass bottle and cowbells have their own conversation. The entire ecosystem of collaborative musical instruments makes this piece. I'm excited to welcome Chris Mitchell on organ for another jam or two (pun intended)! He's also featured in the dub. "Berry Pod" strips out the bass, organ, and most of the guitar to let you hear the layers of conversational percussion. This just seems like the seeds that you can remove from the plant to work into your jams, jellies, juices, and things. As we've recently released these packs of music, I've made the backing riddims available not only so listeners can enjoy the tapestry and texture, but also to see what happens when other musicians have access to the backing band.

The "Quick Vibes" collection is written during the recording process, so what you hear is a raw and natural creative process coming together right at the console. This brings a live energy - straight from my brain into sound as fast as possible.

It’s an honor and a privilege to create music. Music transcends borders and boundaries of location, time, and culture. Digging deep into music is learning about these histories and cultures. I want to pay respect to the chain of sonic creators before me. My steel pans were crafted in the 1990s by Trinidadian master builder/tuner Dr. Ellie Mannette and are still maintained by his long-term apprentice Chanler Bailey. The musical melting pot that inspires me includes genres and sounds blended from multiple regions - Trinidad, of course, followed closely by Jamaican reggae and ska, often interwoven with global influence from far and wide. I rely heavily on improvisation in my process: composition, recording, and performance. Technology has advanced the exchange of information in such a rapid way that we can learn and build together rapidly from around the globe. Music travels, develops, transforms, and returns. Recording is a spotlight on a single moment of this process - a single moment that we’ve often taken the time to revisit and redevelop. I am not trying to be another musician, but like any creator, my output is limited to ideas that stem from whatever input and experience I’ve gained along the way through life. Creating through this lens of experience is one of the ways I enjoy life. I urge you not just to listen to music, but to hear and experience music. Let the sounds influence your vibe. Travel. Develop. Transform. Be inspired. Inspire others. Create and enjoy art.