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It was just last week upon receipt of my Dear Friends: An Evening w/The Foreign Exchange CD/DVD where I watched Phonte speak about this project, and today in my inbox there it was. Zo! dropped his third installment of the ...Just Visiting series, and if you've followed from the beginning, you already know what to expect - pure musical bliss. Everyone's commenting about "Marzipan," which is no doubt a gem, but I really appreciate the jazzy vibe interpretation of "Let it Go" in comparison to the funked out original by Pages. Give it a listen, then get yours here.
Zo! - Let it Go ft Nicholas Ryan Gant
Tracklisting:
01. Black Cow feat. Phonte and Sy Smith
02. Let It Go feat. Nicholas Ryan Gant
03. Driving feat. Sy Smith
04. Marzipan feat. Eric Roberson and Phonte
05. Everything She Wants feat. Phonte
06. Same Ole Love feat. Jeanne Jolly
07. Playing Your Game, Baby feat. Anthony David
Now a full week since the release of Michigan native, Lorenzo Zo! Ferguson's Sunstorm, I've finally decided to drop my two cents amongst the others on the net. For me, the album starts off where Little Brother's - Getback ends. "Greater Than The Sun" ft. Phonte, the opening track on Sunstorm kinda has that feel of "When Everything" also produced by Zo! minus a few bpms. With it's infectious groove and a crooning Phonte on the vocals it's just a real feel good track that sets the mood for the journey into the rest of the album.
Laced with a heavy assortment of elegant keys, synthesizers, guitar riffs, rhythmic drums and a jazzy soundscape, Zo! fills his music with great lyrics, soul & harmony via artists from the Foreign Exchange Camp (Yahzarah, Darien Brockington, Carlita Durand...) along with a few worthy and known outsiders from the indie scene (Lady Alma, Sy Smith, JBIII...).
On "Greatest Weapon of All Time" ft Sy Smith, Zo! brings out the latin flavor near the tail end which subtly changes the uplifting vibe, but makes you want to break out into the samba. Good move.
From the onset of the track "Be Your Man" ft Darien Brockington will instantly take you back to Mtume's - Juicy, but Zo! brings in the keys so quick to flip the funk and create a slow smash for D-Brock's passionate vocals. The electric guitar at the end just elevates the track to another level. Classic!
The title track, "Sunstorm"ft Yahzarah, delivers another heater that's sure to have the ladies hype and the fellas heads nodding up in the club. Yahzarah's honey like refrain cruises perfectly over the ill synths and melodic bass line Zo! composes.
Changing the pace and sound is the lounge type vibe of "If I Could Tell You No" ft Jesse Boykins III. Zo! proves his keys game to be well rounded delivering an easy flowing jazz composition - something I'd expect to hear from the likes of jazz pianist and vocalist, Jose James.
"All is Well With Love" ft Chantae Cann of Jaspects fame is a winner all around. Figuratively speaking, the track seems to illuminate. There's a magical feeling that surrounds the energy on this track. I believe it to be the wind chimes that weave in and out in addition to the entrancing sounds of Chantae Cann floating throughout like a butterfly.
The magic doesn't end there, but this review does. I love the album overall. However, I would've like at least 2 more songs, 1 with vocals and the other a rousing instrumental with 3 shifts displaying Zo!'s versatility & musicianship. Also, the sequencing of the tracks could've played better had it been structured like a cassette with the uptempo tracks on side A and the mellow to slow on side B, and the Lady Alma track, "Free Your Mind" as a bonus. Still, Sunstorm is a must have for lovers of great music.
My respect goes out to Zo! for accomplishing this project in the manner he did. According to the interview w/Fave of the FFC, the bulk of this project was done via file sharing. How difficult a task that is, I don't know, but he makes it sounds seamless as if the artists where right there in the studio with him. Success & Respect Zo!
UPDATE! Zo! and RCRD LBL has teamed up to give away another banger off the Sunstorm album. "Greater Than The Sun" ft Phonte. Click here for your free dl, and if that doesn't encourage you to purchase the album, then you just FAIL!
Zo! drops the visuals to his latest single from the upcoming SunStorm album. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington and Rapper Big Pooh all body the track and the video to make it such a modern day classic. Make sure to support SunStorm when it drops on 7-27-10. You can download the single for free here.
FE Official strikes again with the first single from Zo's upcoming Sunstorm album. "Greatest Weapon of All Time" is one of those raise your spirit type joints that gets the head bobbing from the onset of the bass line. "Don't ever underestimate the power of your mind..." Sy Smith belts out making this easy flowing, soul inspired track a perfect welcome for the full length dropping July, 27th. Expect another banger from Zo & FE Official as they continue to bring us music for the ages. Download your free copy of the track here.
Zo! - The Greatest Weapon of All Time ft. Sy Smith
Unbeknownst to me, the incredibly talented one man band known as Zo! has been in my ears since 2003, but it wasn't until last summer when I truly got to know his name through the tribute album Zo! and Tigallo Love the 80's. His rendering of 80's classic such as "Africa," "Take On Me" and "I'm Only Human" had me reliving great moments of my high school years. Now he returns and gives to the fans a teaser to his upcoming full-length album, SunStorm dropping next summer on FE Music. Featured on the set are some of the best artists you may or may not have heard of (Sy Smith, Carlitta Durand, Yahzarah...) covering classic 70's and 80's cuts that you're sure to groove to. Enjoy
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