Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was in town performing at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley Oct. 8th-9th. The St. Louis native brought his swagger to the KNKX studios for this session, performing tunes from his 3rd album as a solo artist, Foreverland.
Coming into the spotlight for his work as the trumpet voice of Miles Davis in the Grammy-winning film, Miles Ahead, Harrold’s career spans back to the early 2000s. He has performed as a sideman for Common, Robert Glasper and a variety of artists who’ve shaped his current sound.
Foreverland is a sonic experience effortlessly weaving through multiple genres and presents interesting themes of love, longing, and “finding your peace of mind.”
The journey to peace began with Harrold opening with the first track of the album, “Find Your Peace.” A statement or mantra more than a song title, with repeated instructions to find your peace, Harrold provided an immediate boost for the live audience.
We made a stop at “Foreverland,” featuring vocalist Malaya, a burgeoning star in the making, and powerhouse drummer Brian Richberg, who turned heads with his drumming. Through “Foreverland,” Harrold creates an equal-parts utopia, boundless from any labels.
The final song, “Don't Lie,” was written after a rough breakup and featured dueling vocals from Harrold and Malaya. In it, Harrold subtly reveals the highs and lows of a relationship and his experience dealing with them. The true beauty of the performance was the spontaneity of Harrold and Malaya, who took turns pleading to the audience to “not lie.”
Like a true basketball point guard, Harrold recognized the hot hand as Malaya completely took the song over, weaving in vocal references to Anita Baker and Slum Village.
Check out this studio session from Keyon Harrold.
Musicians:
- Keyon Harrold - Trumpet
- Asar The Ambassador - piano
- Matt Sewell - Guitar
- Dan Winshall - Bass
- Malaya - Vocals
- Brian Richberg - Drums
Songs:
- Find Your Peace
- Foreverland
- Don’t Lie
