Laraaji Releases Video for 'This Too Shall Pass'

This video for "This Too Shall Pass," the second single lifted from Laraaji's forthcoming Sun Piano album effortlessly evokes the tree-lined New York City sidewalks outside the church it was recorded in. A shamelessly feel-good, evocative three and a half minutes of earworm jazz piano, it takes the listener on a mini-movie-reel through a late Autumn day in the city.

watch!

I hope you'll consider covering this release, which comes out July 17 on the All Saints label, with an interview or album review. Please let me know if you need the music. And feel free to share this video!

Although entirely improvised, the melodic nous and harmonic skill displayed by Laraaji at the keys utilises a lifetime of experience with the instrument, from playing upright piano in the Baptist church as a child, to taking a piano major at the acclaimed Howard University in the 1960s (where his classmates included Donny Hathaway), and going onto play Fender Rhodes electric piano in fusion band Winds Of Change in the early 1970s.

Combined with his spiritual sensibilities and ever-present aura of cosmic calm, this is a truly classic piece of Laraaji music. Recorded by Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs, Mary Lattimore). The new album, Sun Piano, will be released on 17 June.

About the video

Filmed at the First Unitarian Congregational Society Church in Brooklyn, NY during the Sun Piano recording session. Adeline Bailleul and Tarek Bouraque capture Laraaji in solitary communion with the grand piano positioned by the church altar. Although filmed in black and white, the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows is subtly suggestive of the album title. Edited by Elliot Holbrow.