All the artists I look up to, I’m finally starting to work with and it’s crazy.... Hanging backstage at Coachella with H.E.R and Daniel Caesar, Tyler the Creator, the Internet, Alina Baraz, Jorja Smith was amazing. I even got to hang with Gabriel Garzon Montano for a few east coast shows. Literally my Spotify playlist in real life. The best part is my world and brother Bryndon’s world (aka Starchild) are starting to cross and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. 

I'm gonna call it now. One day me and my brother will work together on music, film and/or T.V and its gonna be legendary. #goals

Since releasing Somewhere in Between last year I’ve been touring with my own band supporting the album. I’ve also been producing and writing way more music. I like to use January through March to write music when work is more slow. Since January I’ve been to Europe twice, hit the recording studio twice working on my next project and had multiple mixing sessions. I’m very excited to say that we’ve finally got some new amazing music coming out soon! I can sum up this next project in 3 phase. Each one has its own aesthetic. I may roll it out in 3 EPs or just jumble it up. The subject matter of the songs chronicles my development as an artist. I can’t wait to share it with the world!

Personnel //

Andrew Renfroe

Mathis Picard

Taber Gable

Henoc Montes

Jonathan Pinson

Lauren Desberg

I just got home from a month long tour with Tom Misch. For those that don’t know, he’s a multi-instrumentalist and singer from the U.K. He’s released a few beat tapes and EPs and just dropped his debut album Geography. It’s fire! So I was asked to join only a couple weeks before and I was ecstatic about it when I got the call! I quickly checked out the music and before I knew it I’m on the west coast ready to start the national run. As soon as I arrive to the Warfield in San Francisco I realized just how large of a production was! There was a tour bus with 12 bunks, a trailer with a full lighting rig, multiple sound engineers and 5 killin musicians from London. Definitely a culture shock to say the least. We got through soundcheck and I got acquainted with the music and the chemistry with the band was immediately there!! I knew this tour would be ridiculously fun. The next show was Coachella and that was amazing!! I saw some of my favorite of all time perform. Daniel Caesar, Jorja Smith, Jamiroquai, and Beyoncé were definitely highlights for me! Such a dope hang! After Coachella it was smooth sailing. We drove the tour bus from Cali to Vegas, Colorado, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, New York, Philly and DC!! Saw parts of North America I’ve never been to. We ended the tour with a Tiny Desk performance and a show in Dc! My parents even came through. Couldn’t have asked for a better ending to a fun ass tour! Such a blessing!

Special shoutout to Rudi Creswick on Bass, Joe Price on keys, Jamie Houghton on drums, Tobie Tripp on violin/guitar and of course Tom Misch on vocals/guitar!! Looking forward to the next one...

I've been working in Logic producing and writing songs all year long. I don't necessarily aspire to be a producer per se but it's just become my songwriting process. I want to create good songs and demos in my room from start to finish that I can send to other artists and producers. I have A LOT of music in me and producing in Logic has become my way of getting it out.

When I was working on my album Somewhere in Between, I produced the entire project in Logic months before (January 2016- March 2016). This gave me time to work on the songs by myself without having to worry about organizing rehearsals with my band and also I could organize the project all before entering the studio. I worked on the song order, tempos, keys, solo order and honed in on the sound I wanted in the months prior. So when April 2nd of 2016 came and we entered the studio I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do. For anyone doing an album or project I highly suggest doing this...It's almost like making a MOCK-UP album. Then you can get advice and feedback from artists you respect on your MOCK-UP before you hit the studio....

Anderson .Paak

To those of you that don’t have Anderson .Paak’s album “Malibu” do yourself a favor now and get it!

While Anderson .Paak has been out for a while and grinding on the music scene for the past I don’t know how long, this album “Malibu” was his real introduction to the world. And what an introduction! He sings, raps, and plays drums all at once. Literally one of the most amazing acts I’ve ever seen live because he does all 3 on such a high level and with so much energy. Seeing this type of artistry that incorporates so many styles into one is so amazing to see. And even more amazing is to how it’s received by the masses. It’s inspiring to see these true ARTISTS make great art and it still be accessible by the masses. It just shows me that people are thirsty for good music and this excites me about the future. There is a wave happening in the music scene and across the world where more artists with talent and ability are getting more shine and the appetite for the masses is growing. The future is bright!

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite time of year; the weather is perfect, the food is amazing, it’s my baby brother’s birthday and most importantly I get to go home and spend time with my family. (It’s pretty much the dopest time of year!) Like from music, family has been a constant in my life and a very important aspect of my life. For various reasons, our family has had to move numerous times and relocating throughout my childhood was very difficult. It had a profound affect on me. So music and my family became the only things I could really count on. For this reason, every year, no matter how busy my brothers and I get, we always make an effort to all be together a few times a year. Also getting out of NYC, even for just a little bit, is the most refreshing thing ever lol

I’m not sure who first coined this term but I do remember Nicholas Payton using it a lot a few years back to describe Jazz. I don’t intend to go back down that rabbit hole with this post, but rather to better define how I would describe my music. I grew up on soul music and particularly a lot of Motown artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Temptations and Smokey Robinson. This had a profound affect on the music that I gravitate to. Even after studying jazz for a number of years I find myself always gravitating back to my roots (but informed by jazz). The music that I like to create is influenced by the soul music I grew up on as well as the Jazz that I’ve studied and been immersed in while in NYC. Both Jazz and R&B/Soul (as well as Hip Hop, Rock N’ Roll, Country, Blues and many other styles) are art forms that have come out of the African American traditions. When it comes to trying to classify the music that I make, the best term I can come up with is Black American Music.

Somewhere in Between

The concept behind this album is Love. I know that sounds cliche, but before jumping to conclusions, just know that this album is not the typical happy-go-lucky love story. This album is about my two, sometimes conflicting, loves: the life-long love I have for music and the love for my girlfriend of 3 years. It’s also about the struggles I have had trying to find the balance between the two. This battle to find balance between both relationships has played a pivotal role in making me who I am and my musical evolution. This album will feature both my saxophone as well as my vocal debut. I've decided to name this project “Somewhere in Between” because I so often times find myself caught in between my two loves and similarly between my two favorite styles of music, Jazz and RnB. We have to follow our own hearts and clear our own paths in life. We can't live someone else's expectation of how we should live. This album is about trusting your gut and seeing it through.

Serious face... Captured by Sarah Escarraz