The power of music is that it will continue to expand with different sounds and variations of established genres. It will go on forever with new music for our ears to enjoy as well as classic songs that we know imagined in new variations. Our recent discovery Larry Douglas does a little of both on his newest EP Music Speaks For Me.
The talented musician has been a part of the San Francisco music scene for decades. Larry Douglas has experience working with a wide variety of artists from Sun Ra to Chuck Berry. This versatility allows him to meld genres and eras into his own unique style of ‘sound painting.’
The 6 song Music Speaks For Me EP is aimed in his electric Jazz style adding in touches of R&B and old school Hip Hop to flesh out his sonic vision. The title track opens up with a synth groove that will ease you into your chair. Larry Douglas shows off his skills with a flute that leads the song and adds flourishes to spice it up. Greg Cone was brought in to lay down his vocals on this one to piece it all together.
An interesting version of Mark Morrison’s R&B classic “Return of the Mack” is next. The beat of the original is there but twists and turns of a fresh arrangement paired with the percussion of Jorge Pineda takes the song in a new direction meshing the New Jack Swing with a Jazz overtone.
Have A Smoke With Larry Douglas
The EP is taken to the next level with “Me and My Cohiba.” A programmed retro drum beat sets the pace giving it energy yet a silky smooth vibe. The rap verses of Remi make this track a standout for me. The vibe is relaxed but powerful at the same time. It has that classic feel while being as fresh as a just rolled cigar.
The Deluxe Edition of the record features “They Call Her Zadie Mae,” a collaboration with Clifford Lamb. We are taken back to a smoky Jazz Club to enjoy the instrumental sound from a dark corner table. The horns and piano dance elegantly with each other to ease any worries of the outside world. The versatility throughout this record is a statement to the power of what music can do.
Larry Douglas delivers a masterclass in letting the instruments lead while showing he can go in any direction he chooses.. Music Speaks For Me is a statement, a velvet-gloved reminder that sometimes, the best stories are the ones we close our eyes and hum to ourselves long after the needle lifts from the record.
