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| Stix Bones Releases “Leap,” Featuring The Recording Debut of Percussionist and Olympic Gold Medalist Bob Beamon! For the past two decades, drummer/producer Stix Bones has been one of the most ubiquitous and innovative musicians on the scene, combining the best of jazz and hip-hop. He's toured with Rahzel The Godfather of Noise (The Roots), author/poet Jessica Care Moore, was the music director of The Lyricist Lounge, collaborated with hip-hop artists Yasin Bey (Mos Def), Talib Kweli Q-Tip and De La Soul, was the drummer for the group Soulfege led by Take Back The Mic founder Derrick N. Ashong. Bones will release "Leap" on September 15, the first single from his forthcoming EP Olimpik Soul. An energetic track that features driving rhythms, jazzy horn lines and scintillating keyboards, Bones describes "Leap, " as "a record that connects instrumental music to 2 of the 4 elements of hip-hop culture known as breakdancing and DeeJaying." Bones further explains that the inspiration for the composition comes from "…the break element found in instrumental records of the 70's and 80's by hip-hop DJ's and record producers who sampled a few bars and looped those bars to repeat while adding new elements." On "Leap" Bones is backed by his group, The BONE Squad (the title of the group is an acronym for Brothers of Noble Excellence). The combo consists of: pianist Densen Curwin, bassist Al Brisbane, tenor/alto saxophonist Melvin Smith and trumpeter Sean Taylor. The percussionist on "Leap" and Olimpik Soul is none other than Bob Beamon: the 77 year-old Olympic long jump champion, who in 1968 in Mexico City, leaped to the still-standing Olympic record of 29 ft. 2 ¼ inches, which stood as the longest long jump in history until 1991. Growing up in South Jamaica, Queens, Beamon also had an interest in music as a child, gave it up to concentrate on track, and rekindled it after his track days were over. Beamon met Bones through his cousin, bassist Al Brisbane, who performs with the drummer. ["I've been hypnotized by the drums] since I was 9 years old, " Beamon says on The Doc Hardy Show. Beamon told his cousin that "it would be wonderful to get back into the music world, [and I was so excited when Stix told me] it's time to take off!" "Leap" is the first of two singles from Bones' forthcoming EP, Olimpik Soul, the third in a series of EP's that deal with jazz, soul and hip-hop beats including Breaks From the Soul, Vol.1 and 2 and Brooklyn Nights. Olimpik Soul features Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets, who worked with Bones early in his career and Khadejia who's known for singing on recordings with Jay-Z Salt N Pepa, Mary J. Blidge, Shaggy and Wyclef of The Fugees Bones also released 3 albums, Bones Beats, Vol.1, Groove Like This and the Waiting For Mr. Wright Soundtrack. Bones, born Franklin Brown in Brooklyn, was inspired to play the drums watching live musicians in church, his older brother's Anthony and Patrick and DJ's spinning records. He went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance at SUNY-Purchase College, performed with the aforementioned artists previously listed, and The BONE Squad was the house band at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, where they opened for The O'Jays, Babyface, Charlie Wilson, Cedric The Entertainer, Chaka Khan and many other artists. Stix Bones' first single is a preview of the exciting music to come from this amazing artist! write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |