This week’s Pick Of The Week is the astounding new album from Detroit’s Jeremy Ellis entitled ‘Lotus Blooms’ which was released last month on California’s ever brilliant Ubiquity Records.
Now, Jeremy Ellis has been described as ‘Detroit’s broken beat Stevie Wonder’. Comparisons to Stevie Wonder are not to be bandied about willy nilly but I’d say it’s fair in this case. Jeremy Ellis can sing. I mean, he can really sing and he plays keys like a demon, even dropping a little Mozart (I think!) piano interlude on this album just to make the point.
‘Lotus Blooms’ is a class album from start to finish and labeling it ‘broken beat’ simply doesn’t do it justice. It encompasses deep latin rhythms (Jeremy moved to Puerto Rico to study up for this album), jazz, funk and Detroit soul and techno with consumate ease, creating a really natural sounding fusion that nods to the past and sounds fresh at the same time.
Do yourself a favour and go and buy this album if you are into forward looking ‘black’ music of any description, you won’t be disappointed. Check out some samples from the album HERE.