New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Trumpeter/composer Keyon Harrold has released "Foreverland," a new single and the title track of his forthcoming third studio album, out January 19 on Concord Jazz. The song features British singer Laura Mvula and drummer Chris Dave. Harrold, long celebrated for his ability to transcend genres, crafts lush R&B over a mid-tempo groove, fitting for a song that's a musical discussion between star-crossed lovers. Over five minutes in length, the track creates plenty of space for Harrold to improvise on muted trumpet. He also sings, and longtime friend Robert Glasper plays keyboard and synthesizer.
Today Harrold has also announced a run of Foreverland album release shows, including at the Blue Note in New York City from January 22-24. The Blue Note is a home away from home for Harrold, but has never hosted an extended run of sets to celebrate a new album release there. The shows will celebrate Foreverland with special guests and unfiltered, uncut performances of all of the songs on the new record, many of which Harrold will play live for the first time.
He'll celebrate the new album in Los Angeles as well, with two nights of concerts and special guests at The Sun Rose on January 19 and 20.
Tickets for Blue Note NYC are on sale now: https://www.bluenotejazz.com/nyc/shows/?eid=13723588
"A certified legend in the game," says Okay Player, Harrold has performed on a host of GRAMMY-winning projects and is a go-to performer for a who's-who of stars: Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Eminem, Maxwell, Mac Miller, and Snoop Dogg to name a few.
Foreverland features 10 timely and timeless original compositions that explore themes of empowerment, positivity, love, loss, and vulnerability. Proudly emotional and dramatic, the album represents a triumphant journey that takes the listener through the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful experiences that lead to wisdom. Says Harrold: "What I can offer as a musician who plays an instrument with no words is an honest conveyance of emotion. Some of these notes, I play them because there's not a better word."
In addition to the aforementioned Laura Mvula, Chris Dave and Robert Glasper, the album also features Common, PJ Morton, Jean Baylor, Mayala and legendary musician Greg Phillinganes, known for his keyboard work onThriller and many other classic recordings. The album was recorded with a dream team of Harrold's longtime friends and collaborators, including Marcus Gilmore on drums, Nil Felder, Randy Runyon and Justus West on guitar, Burniss Travis and Brandon Owens on bass, BIGYUKI, Shedrick Mitchell and Jahari Stampley on piano/keyboards, and Jahi Sundance on turntables.
Harrold has shared two additional songs from the album, "Don't Lie" featuring Malaya, and "Find Your Peace," featuring Robert Glasper and Common. "Find Your Peace," which was released along with the announcement of his new album, is Harrold's musical response to the racially motivated attack on his son in a hotel lobby in 2020, which made national headlines. The song is about striving to be the greatest version of himself and of his pride in being a Black father.
Harrold was born and raised in Ferguson, MO to a musical family - the son of pastors and one of 16 children, and moved to New York to study at The New School. While there he landed his first major gig with Common, an experience which he says broadened his musical horizons beyond jazz to include funk, Afrobeat, R&B, and hip hop. He released his solo album, Introducing Keyon Harrold, in 2009, and then won wide acclaim for his trumpet performances in Don Cheadle's Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead. 2017's The Mugician featured Pharoahe Monch, Gary Clark, Jr., Big K.R.I.T., Guy Torry, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Robert Glasper. It was praised by NY Times as "a stirring piece that consolidates elegy and exhortation" and AllMusic celebrated the album's "alchemical swagger." Hailed as "the future of the trumpet" by Wynton Marsalis, Harrold has toured the globe, playing the world's top venues and festival stages, and will be touring extensively over the next year.
Pre-save/ pre-order Foreverland here:https://found.ee/KeyonHarrold_Foreverland
Track Listing:
Find Your Peace (featuring Common, Robert Glasper and Jean Baylor)
Beautiful Day (featuring PJ Morton)
The Intellectual
Foreverland featuring Laura Mvula and Chris Dave
Well Walk Now (Perseverance)
Don't Lie (featuring Malaya)
Paranoid
Gotta Go (Outer Space)
Pictures
Peace Beyond
Upcoming performance schedule:
12/7-12/10: Jazz Showcase - Chicago, IL
1/12-1/14: Getting Funky in Havana Festival - Havana, Cuba
1/19: The Sun Rose - Los Angeles, CA
1/20: The Sun Rose - Los Angeles, CA
1/22: Blue Note New York - New York, NY
1/23: Blue Note New York - New York, NY
1/24: Blue Note New York - New York, NY
1/26: Jazz St. Louis - St. Louis, MO
1/27: Jazz St. Louis - St. Louis, MO
2/16-2/24: Capital Jazz Cruise - Ft Lauderdale, FL
2/25: Portland Jazz Festival - Portland, OR
3/2: Ronnie Scott's- London, UK
3/5: Blue Note Milano - Milan, Italy
3/6: New Morning - Paris, France
3/9: Transition Festival - Utrecht, Netherlands
3/10: Bird - Rotterdam, Holland
3/11: Jazzclub Q4 - Rheinfelden, Switzerland
3/12: Jassmine - Warsaw, Poland
3/13: Cabaret des Péchés - Brno, Czechia
3/14: Jazz Dock - Prague, Czechia
3/16: Fasching - Stockholm, Sweden
3/29: Blue Llama - Ann Arbor, MI
3/30: Blue Llama - Ann Arbor, MI
7/1 - 7/3: Montreal Jazz Festival - Montreal, Canada
https://www.keyonharrold.com/
