Ladies & gents?

Please allow this man to re-introduce himself.

For many of you who may be seeking a composition of works similar to the very seamless likes of treats you may have already familiarized yourself with since 2010 – piercing underground bangers from his “Here, My Dear” & potent, illicit “The Sex EP 2.0: Cease & Desist” releases, including numerous collaborative works with both production & recording artists such as Snoop, Kurupt, Devi Dev, 9th Wonder, Wiz Khalifa, Pete Rock, Charlie Wilson… & this other kid whose name escapes me at the moment…

(I’m trying to recall the kid who’s taken over the entire landscape or both rap and pop music but has performed a complete suplex on the entire Eastern popular culture…. & their latest joint prompted him to finally earn his very first Grammy award. Oh yeah… Kendrick! THAT’S his name.)

Either way, this project will NOT be in exact correlation to what you’ve heard in these other albums & for some of his already faithful listeners? That fact may just sound disappointing to you.

Now am I saying that he’s completely abandoned his devoted fan base with his latest project, “Velvet Portraits”? Absolutely not! For one, many of you reading this have already the vibe from his 2015 single “Forever With You” – a wonderfully relaxing two-step elixir to soothe those aches & pains of our every day away.

You MAY even have caught the “leak” of one of my personal favorites from this album – featuring newcomer Rose Gold & highly-sought jazz talent, Kamasi Washington’s “Think Of You”. This single alone is destined to be one that will lock many-‘a listener into a beautiful “California breezin’ state of mind” – regardless of the weather, location or time of day.

However, as a long-time & devoted spirit of the arts, this soul/contemporary jazz/funk artist has now playfully, yet quite effectively composed this album with a challenge of sorts to the ears of many of the general populace that have more of a set expectation of this man’s gifts.

Please bear in mind, he’s been at this music thing since a teen. He was RAISED with a jazz drummer & singer for parents. Music & the nuances therein surrounded him throughout his childhood. Now that he has established himself as no longer just the name many people in the music industry alone know, I feel that he’s almost daring us to indulge into the “inner-layers” of what he loves & he addresses his love in many directions with this playlist – not many may be able to get it.

For starters, He truly lays you into instrumental zones throughout this entire journey. One minute, he’s playfully going over re-takes of a song that is actually being recorded live & the next? He’s completely into his saxophone solo riffs.

He continues to broaden his musical landscape – all while musical big brother, Robert Glasper lends his musical wizardry to the album. Our artist also delightfully entices our fancy on tracks like “Never Enough” – reminding us that Tiffany Gouche is still a name that more of us need to get to know while continuing to satiate that natural, sensual side of himself in the process. He even flexes his musical knowledge in homage with the timeless group, The Emotions on two songs as well.

He goes old school, he goes instrumental, he goes sensual & still bounces it back to the Zapp/Roger Troutman roots of both West Coast rap & 80’s R&B. He takes is into all dimensions above – all in one ride.

His past has embedded musical layers within him that freely enable him to express himself as an independent artist should. He simply casts reflections of the mood & the moment of that time & place- then translates it with his own spin but does so in a way that doesn’t sound obligated to a formula that’s too often dictated by pushing unit sales over the art form itself.

This is simply him. This IS Mr. Terrace Martin. Embrace his music with your MIND… & you’ll be pleasantly surprised overall with this musical ride.

Straight. No chaser.

*** Now available for online streaming & purchase today – Friday, April 1st, 2016. No April Foolin’.***

Terrace Martin – Think Of You Feat. Rose Gold & Kamasi Washington