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  • Tom Tom

    RADDIG-48

    Artist: JD73

    Label: Ropeadope

    1.TomTom

    Tom Tom is a very special track to me, not just because it's the closing track of my debut album Zeros and Ones; it contains what i consider to be one of the finest sax solos i've ever heard, played by my great and incredibly talented friend Jason Rae, who sadly is no longer with us. Jason's spirit clearly lives on through all the awesome music he recorded and the many great bands he was part of, including The Haggis Horns and Mark Ronsons' band, just to name a few.

    I remember the session very clearly for TomTom. Jason came down to my studio with no idea what i was going to ask him to play! I played him the instrumental of the track and remember asking him to play 'like he'd never played before!' The resulting solo was done in one take and on listening back to the track, neither of us could take in what had been played as it was so perfectly formed, building from a whisper to a frenzied crescendo! I feel this track is a very fitting musical tribute to Jason and i know everyone that hears it will agree how amazing the solo is and what an incredible talent Jason was.

    2.Waves

    This is one of the more jazzy cuts from the album, held together by the liquid drumming of Luke Flowers (Cinematic Orchesta/Haggis Horns).Im really proud of the drum sound on this track which was captured using just one mic and a vintage Urei compressor! My vision for this track was based on waves of water ebbing and flowing and trying to get that across to the listener! Its a peaceful yet funky track that takes the listener on a journey through different moods and feels. The Rhodes features as the main melodic instrument in this track and there are also a couple of solos in there as well for good measure and to take the track into a more ethereal dimension. The bass breakdown in the middle of the track has worked amazingly at recent JD73 gigs!

  • Zeros and Ones

    RADDIG-31

    Artist: JD73

    Label: Ropeadope Digital

    JD73 might be new to you (and me) but overseas he's been playing remixing, producing and recording with everyone from Roots Manuva, Bonobo, Nightmares On Wax, TY, Corinne Bailey Rae, Morcheeba, and with members of Jamoroquai's band. It's another one of those cases where words gets in the way ...just take a listen and you'll hear why we went all the way to Leeds (UK) to find him.