Zacchae'us Paul Releases BETTER MUST COME Single From JAZZ MONEY VOL. 2
The track features flute from Keenyn Omari and bass from Dezron Douglas, co-produced with DJ OOOCHILD.
Atlanta-born multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist Zacchae'us Paul released the new single 'BETTER MUST COME' (ft. Happy Qavah, donSMITH, and Dezron Douglas), from his forthcoming sophomore album JAZZ MONEY VOL. 2: SWINGIN' R&B out October 16 on Candid Records.
A reimagination of a traditional hymn through the lens of swingin' R&B, 'BETTER MUST COME' brings together elements of jazz, gospel, soul, and modern production into a single statement. Co-produced by Paul and DJ OOOCHILD, the new single features bars by Happy Qavah and donSMITH, atop Keenyn Omari's flute, and Dezron Douglas' bass.
'I knew I wanted a song on this album that centered on God's love, and I wanted to reinterpret a hymn in a way that felt authentic to my musical language,' shares Paul. 'Rather than simply covering the hymn, I wanted to reimagine it through the lens of Swingin' R&B. I'm especially proud of how this track came together. It captures exactly what I hoped this album would represent: honoring tradition while pushing it forward in my own voice.'
Plenty of artists have attempted the alchemy that Zacchae'us Paul offers with JAZZ MONEY VOL. 2: SWINGIN' R&B; but few, if any, have pulled it off with the seamlessness, ingenuity, and sheer quality that the emerging star manages.
Diamond-sharp beats complement nimble acoustic jazz drumming. Emcees with effortless flow alternate with jazz soloists spinning long-form improvisations. Excellent jazz rhythm sections thrive on an album that also features producer tags, interludes, and bookends of spoken word. And the lessons in spontaneous creation that guide a classic jazz LP meet the cinematic storytelling that defines so many LPs from hip-hop's golden age.
The new single, along with the recently released pair of singles 'LOOK TO THE SKY' and 'SHE F*CK WITH THE RACKS,' showcase Paul's extraordinary skills as a classically trained jazz musician, dedicated rap and R&B producer, plus neo-soul crooner.
A love album at heart, 'LOOK TO THE SKY' is a captivating examination of the cycle of life and death. It is furiously swinging postbop shot through with spiritual jazz, featuring the great saxophonist/composer Eric Wyatt, who intended this piece as an homage to his late mother, and lyrics by Paul, who reflected on the baby girl he and his spouse have on the way. With a silky smooth voice destined for R&B stardom, Paul also provided the vocals on 'LOOK TO THE SKY,' and tapped the talents of GRAMMY Award-nominated jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold for some staggering interplay. The result is not a mere fusion, but an entirely new sound, created by Paul: Swingin' R&B.
Meanwhile, 'SHE F*CK WITH THE RACKS,' tells the story of two ride-or-die homegirls. On the other side of the coin, it's also about the women whose loyalty is pledged to the dollar instead of genuine love. With its expletive-laden hook, soulful harmonies, and spiraling soprano sax by Kebbi Williams, this track is a pure distillation of Paul's notion of 'jazz money' as a spinoff of the 'hood rich' concept: the confluence of elegance and ambition with a street-level sensibility.
Paul says, 'To me, that's Hood Jazz—music rooted in the neighborhood, informed by tradition, and designed to make people dance while reconnecting them to something greater than themselves.'
Tracklist
1. THE INTRODUCTION BY Marshall Allen
2. SWINGIN' R&B
3. SHE F*CK WITH THE RACKS
4. SISTA SISTA
5. STAY
6. JAZZ MONEY VOL 2
7. LOOK TO THE SKY
8. FUEL
9. NEW ZACH SWING
10. BETTER MUST COME
11. GREATER MUST COME
12. CHERRY LAFFY TAFFY
13. SHE BAD
14. PULL UP ON ME
15. KEYBASS SYMPHONY IN C
16. TEN outta TEN
17. THE ERIC WYATT INTERVIEW
Photo Credit: Royce Isaac
Photo Credit: Royce Isaac
