Today on NPR, I heard an author discuss the dichotomy of simultaneously being the victim and the villain. They made a case for the fragility of egos and the damage that body language or a single word can do to a person despite their tough exterior. This made me ponder about myself and others... what our lens is, and how we adapt from role to role.

The "Quick Vibes" collection is generally 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. I'm happy to report that while I was recording today, I mistakenly discovered a sound I hadn't previously utilized in live or recorded music.

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.