Category Archives: Album News

“Laughing At Your Plans” (from Dear Friends: An Evening With The Foreign Exchange)

Posted on by

Clip taken from the upcoming live acoustic CD/DVD “Dear Friends: An Evening With The Foreign Exchange”, available June 28 2011 on +FE Music. Directed and edited by John Elliot Gray.

Source: Parallellogram · Directed by John Elliott Gray

Recorded and filmed live at SoundPure Studios in Durham NC on February 20 2011

Phonte: Vocals – Nicolay: Acoustic guitar – Jeanne Jolly: Vocals – Sy Smith: vocals – Zo!: grand piano – Chris Boerner: Acoustic guitar – Kush El-Amin: Acoustic bass guitar – Tim Scott Jr.: Drums

Four appearances on the New Foreign Exchange album… ‘Authenticity’

Posted on by

Well, as most of you all know, The Foreign Exchange just released their third album this past Tuesday on October 12th, Authenticity. I am proud to announce the fact that I appear on 4 of the 11 tracks on the album… 

“Fight For Love” was a song that Phonte and I wrote and demoed from scratch down in my spot back in June. I won’t post the original demo as it is extremely rough… it was basically Phonte with a melody and some lyrics and me on the keys creating and locking in a chord progression while charting at the same time so I wouldn’t forget what the hell I just played. The final result left me what the only outside production credit on the album (second FE album in a row), keys credit and also credit for the Moog synth solo. I also played piano on the lead single, “Maybe She’ll Dream Of Me” as well as “Everything Must Go”. I was requested to channel the late, great Roger Troutman by breaking out the talkbox at the end of “Don’t Wait”, which marked the first time that I had even recorded with the talkbox – It was a lot of fun, I will certainly admit that.

The Foreign Exchange’s Authenticity album is available right here. You can also listen to the entire album via that link as well. Enjoy it!

 

Phonte and I in East Wing Studios after working on the first draft of “Fight For Love” 6.9.10

Announcing: The ‘SunStorm’ DELUXE PRE-ORDER PACKAGE

Posted on by

Although SunStorm won’t be released until July 27th…


For those of you who choose to order early, you will be rewarded with the SunStorm Deluxe Package, which includes:

1 – Autographed SunStorm (CD, Digipak)

 

1 – SunStorm .mp3 album download

 

1 – SunStorm sticker

 

1 – FREE Autographed copy of …just visiting (2006) (vinyl EP …only 1,000 copies in existence)

Pre-Order HERE….

FREE Download and Official First Single from ‘SunStorm’ – “This Could Be the Night” feat. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington & Rapper Big Pooh

Posted on by

Here it is y’all… With just under four weeks remaining until the release of SunStorm, I am releasing the first official single from the album, “This Could Be the Night” featuring my brothas Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington, and Rapper Big Pooh of Little Brother. The joint has been made a free download, so do me a favor and add it to your playlist…!

‘SunStorm’ OFFICIAL Cover Art, Tracklisting, and Details!! – 07.27.10

Posted on by

Well people…. Here are the OFFICIAL cover art, tracklisting and details about the album. I. AM. EXCITED…..!!!!!!!!

“SunStorm” is the latest album from Detroit-area born, DC-area based producer/multi-instrumentalist Zo!

Best known for his 2008 collaboration with Phonte on the cult classic “Zo and Tigallo Love the 80’s” as well as his work on The Foreign Exchange’s Grammy-nominated LP, “Leave It All Behind,” ‘SunStorm” is an extensive 12-track set that shows the ever-expanding range and depth of Zo! and the entire Foreign Exchange Music family.

Indie soul siren and American Idol vocalist Sy Smith serves up a slice of 70’s soul on the breezy “Greatest Weapon Of All Time,” and Lady Alma, a Philly veteran and stalwart of the UK house scene, takes it to the dance floor on the frenetic “Free Your Mind.” The album’s lead single, “This Could Be The Night,” features Darien Brockington, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Eric Roberson, and Rapper Big Pooh of Little Brother over a thumping two-step groove specifically intended for the ‘steppers’ of Zo’s native Detroit. Another highlight is the Phonte-assisted “Flight Of The Blackbyrd,” Zo’s heartfelt homage to the 70’s jazz/funk fusion of The Mizell Bros. and George Duke.

Tracklisting
01. Greater Than The Sun feat. Phonte
02. Greatest Weapon Of All Time feat. Sy Smith
03. Say How You Feel feat. Carlitta Durand & Phonte
04. For Leslie
05. Be Your Man feat. Darien Brockington
06. Free Your Mind feat. Lady Alma
07. SunStorm feat. YahZarah
08. If I Could Tell You No feat. Jesse Boykins III
09. This Could Be The Night feat. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington & Rapper Big Pooh
10. Flight Of The Blackbyrd feat. Phonte
11. All Is Well With Love feat. Chantae Cann
12. Make Luv 2 Me feat. Monica Blaire

New Album "SunStorm" …Arriving on July 27, 2010

Posted on by

I’m working hard y’all… A couple more mixes, tweaks, additions, and listens to go to make my new baby SunStorm complete. I have a completion deadline of next week and a release date of… July 27, 2010.

Even more exciting for me is the number of talented artists who took time out of their busy schedules and bring forth some top shelf performances to the album. I mean, these kats came through as if they were recording for their OWN albums… I can’t even begin to speak on how blessed I am – I just hope that I was able to inspire them with my creations as they do with their vocal abilities.

Now, exactly who are these artists you ask? ….Well, some of my favorite vocalists, including: Sy Smith, Eric Roberson, YahZarah, Darien Brockington, Lady Alma, Monica Blaire, Jesse Boykins III, Carlitta Durand, my brotha Phonte and a special appearance by Rapper Big Pooh. Hell, it’s a treat for me as a music fan to see all of this talent on one album, much less the fact that it is my own…. Be prepared… (I’m having to tell myself the same thing) July the 27th will be a huge day and I’m looking forward to sharing the music and celebrating with you all…

Zo! – SunStorm
07.27.10

“…just visiting too” To be Released on November 3rd / Cover Art

Posted on by

And finally y’all… My next release, …just visiting too will be available for $free.99 this coming Tuesday, November 3rd. First, I must give you a look at the cover art for the album…….

 

…just visiting too

features vocals from…

YahZarah, Phonte, Carlitta Durand, Darien Brockington and Sy Smith

Get ready.

"…just visiting too" To Be Finished Within the Week

Posted on by

I feel like I’ve been talking about my next two albums forever…

…just visiting too (the follow-up to 2006’s vinyl-only EP …just visiting) is finally set to be completed within the next week. I have a very short list of “to do’s” in order to tweak and finish the EP. It’ll consist of seven joints and a track listing will be released by the end of this month. DAMN, I’m excited… Y’all just don’t understand yet…!!