New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The songs always take you on a journey and, the next thing you know, you're not thinking about music anymore, you're thinking about the trip that you're taking, riding on the waves that these guys create. -Dave Darlington (Grammy Winning Engineer)
If there is a parallel universe out there where all of us have had the perfect teachers, have enjoyed the perfect opportunities, and have heard the perfect music, that's Vapeism.
Fortunately for fans of amazing music, that parallel universe is going to align with ours at 10 p.m. Tuesday, February 20th, when the instrumental power trio called Vapeism celebrates with an album release party for their debut record, the fittingly titled Vaped Out Vol. 1.
Location for this cosmically cool event will be the Rockwood
Music Hall, 196 Allen St., East Village, NY 10002.
Often asked about the intriguing name of their band, Vapeism found inspiration in an aphorism famously attributed to the immortal Bruce Lee: "Be formless, like water making its way through cracks."
"We're the vapor version of Bruce Lee's water philosophy," says Brian Vinson, upright bass player and front man for a close-knit musical unit also comprised of Andy Berman on guitar and Dan Nadeau on drums. "We can go anywhere and penetrate molecules," he adds - and they are certainly well on their way to doing just that with their music.
The group formed following a jam session in Brooklyn, where Berman introduced Nadeau to Vinson, who happened to be neighbors. After having so much fun - and feeling so much inspiration - hanging out and and playing music, the trio began combining musical ideas and life philosophies into what is Vapeism.
While Vapeism might be new to the world, its members are all well-seasoned musicians. Berman and Nadeau attended the Berklee College of
Music on scholarships, before leaving
Boston to pursue musical opportunities. Since relocating to New York, they've both made names for themselves on the young jazz circuit.
Meanwhile, raised in rural Kentucky, Brian Vinson came to Vapeism with credits that include having played with Days of the New, the platinum-selling grunge band from Louisville, which had three No. 1 rock singles for Interscope Records in the late 1990s. Brian joined that group for its 1999 LP, The Green Album, which sold 450,000 copies, and which featured vocals from a young
Nicole Scherzinger (of
Pussycat Dolls fame).
Days of the New broke up right after, but Brian found his future direction on a song from that album called "Provider." It was his first taste of playing acoustic bass in a rock setting. Now Vinson's upright bass playing sets the tone for the sound on Vapeism's debut album, Vaped Out Vol. 1, a cool-as-dry-ice fusion of jazz, rock, and funk.
On tracks like "Portrait of Dorothy" and "Get Me Home Blues," drummer Dan Nadeau lays down a deep, funky groove, as is his wont, providing a perfect backdrop for Andy Berman's Allman-esque guitar vamps, while Vinson balances the two with deep jazz tones. Dave Darlington, a Grammy-winning engineer known for his work with artists from
Sting to Avicii, recorded the all-instrumental album. He promises that listening to Vaped Out will literally improve your life.
"Suddenly, your mood is going to be better," Darlington says, and he can't help but smile about it. "The songs always take you on a journey and, the next thing you know, you're not thinking about music anymore, you're thinking about the trip that you're taking, riding on the waves that these guys create. It always starts at a certain point and ends up heroic at the end."
Vapeism is in the air. Breathe deeply their beautiful music. It'll take you away to a place you've always dreamed of, but never knew you could reach.
