Friday Inspiration Boost

It’s an immediate inspiration-Dynamax (yes, I’m down with the Pokémon) when my two favorite drummers drop new tracks on the same day. I had to think about that statement for a moment, but in the last year I’d be hard-pressed to name two drummers whose playing I’ve enjoyed more than these two gentlemen.

Dafnis Prieto released his latest album Transparency today on his independent label with his Sextet. His most recent album Back to the Sunset has been on loop in my car for almost a year now after hearing him live with Michel Camilo in November 2019 at PASIC. That concert was transcendent for me; I don’t remember being that moved by live music since hearing Stevie Wonder here in Knoxville back in 2015. Both of these concerts along with a small handful of others are moments I will never forget in my life. I’m listening to Transparency now as I wrap up my week at my desk, with the cool October breeze coming in through the window, and it’s setting all the right vibes. Dafnis is one-of-a-kind.

As if that’s not enough of a gift, this afternoon Larnell Lewis released his latest track Change Your Mind on YouTube, from his forthcoming album Relive the Moment. I found Larnell through his work with Snarky Puppy and of course through his viral video on YouTube, where he walks through the process of learning a song in one listen. I’ve got November 20th marked on my calendar for the release of the full album over on Bandcamp. Bob Reynolds’ latest video teased some upcoming behind-the-scenes footage of Larnell in a Snarky Puppy session last week, which I’m also looking forward to checking out.

Top all of this off with the EA Release of Star Wars: Squadrons (affiliate link) hitting shelves today for PS4, and I’m pretty sure I am all set heading into the weekend. If you need me tomorrow, you’ll find me in Studio AB, gunning down TIE fighters with some sick background tracks.