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Limited Edition 12' vinyl on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Includes unlimited streaming of Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures: Air
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'Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures: Air' is a spirited celebration of jazz virtuosity and Motor City house music, showcasing Alston’s roots in jazz, gospel, soul and dance music. Alston’s story is one that is intrinsically aligned with the story of Detroit itself. Having hosted one of the first Slum Village concerts, and teaching vocal lessons to many members of the Detroit music community, plus production and writing collaborations with Alton Miller, Amp Fiddler, Roy Davis Jr. and Javonntte who released his Virtual Dreams EP with The Jazz Diaries earlier this year.
Many of Malik's records have been released via his own Truth Manifest Records so it is a joy to share his music with the world via The Jazz Diaries.
Presenting a collection of long lost tracks created by Malik and his band Painted Pictures, Alston expresses strong emotions for the LP’s title track ‘Air’. As he explains, “When I think of ‘Air’... for me, it exists to express a combination of freedom, self awareness, and doing something different and new. In ‘Air’ you get to really hear the band as a whole, no one stands out individually. It was all a matter of showing that we brought the music to life together as a unit. ‘Air’ is definitely a true reflection of what Painted Pictures was: free musicians who play good music.”
The immaculate and vivacious qualities of the LP convey a message steeped in the spirit. The production elements perfectly marry the instruments, vocals and scatting to offer a cheerful, soulful and expressive work of music and emotion.
In the words of Badriyahh, vocalist in Painted Pictures and Alston's wife, this record is a "great reflection of the healing power and the force of music to unite people".
credits
released November 19, 2021
01. Painted Pictures - Air
Written & Produced by Michael E. Alston. Additional Production by Painted Pictures. Lyrics by Michael E. Alston. Additional Lyrics by Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din. Keys: Malik Alston. Vocals: Malik Alston, Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din, Yolanda Day, Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Trumpet, Key Bass: Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Drums: Josh Crilley. Percussion: Craig Huckaby.
02. Painted Pictures - Almost On The One
Written & Produced by Michael E. Alston. Lyrics by Michael E. Alston. Keys: Malik Alston. Vocals & scatting: Malik Alston, Yaminah Brock, Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din. Trumpet: Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Drums: Josh Crilley. Percussion: Craig Huckaby. Bass: Matthew Mueller.
03. Malik Alston, Painted Pictures - Butterfly
Written & Produced by Michael E. Alston. Keys & Programming: Malik Alston. Trumpet: Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Drums: Josh Crilley. Percussion: Craig Huckaby. Bass: Matthew Mueller.
04. Painted Pictures - Where Do We Go
Written by Michael E. Alston & Roy Davis, Jr. Produced by Michael E. Alston. Additional Production by Painted Pictures. Lyrics by Michael E. Alston. Additional Lyrics by Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din. Drum Programming, Fills: Roy Davis, Jr. Keys by Malik Alston. Lead Vocals: Malik Alston. Background Vocals: Malik Alston, LaRonn Dolley, Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din, Yolanda Day. Trumpet: Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Percussion: Josh Crilley, Craig Huckaby. Guest Musician: William Kurk (rhodes).
05. Malik Alston - Linwood (It’s The Groove)
Written by Michael E. Alston & Charleston Parks, Jr. Produced by Michael E. Alston. Lyrics by Michael E. Alston. Drum Programming: Malik Alston & Doc Link. Keys, Vocals, Keyboard Flute: Malik Alston. Trumpet: Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Percussion: JoVia Armstrong.
06. Painted Pictures - Rise Up (Savannah)
Written & Produced by Michael E. Alston. Lyrics by Yolanda Day & Michael E. Alston. Keys, Key Bass, Drum Programming: Malik Alston. Lead Vocals: Yolanda Day. Background Vocals: Malik Alston, Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din, Yolanda Day, Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Trumpet, Horn Arrangements: Howard Wazeerud-Din II. Guitar: Maurice (Pirahnahead) Herd.
All titles appear courtesy of Truth Manifest Records. Publisher: Spank That Publishing (BMI). Copyright 2020 Truth Manifest Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
Thank you to Painted Pictures for all the hard work and love that went into this project, many years ago. It has been such a joy revisiting and getting the great opportunity with The Jazz Diaries to release these songs. Very special thanks to Jitwam, Casey and Nigel for wanting the world to hear this music.
I would like to thank God and my wife, Badriyyah, for being my partner in love and life. Special thanks to my mom, Yvonne Alston for allowing us to rehearse and record in her home, and for always believing in my musical endeavors, and thanks to my greatest fans and supporters, my sister, Mareitta and her husband, Bryan. Thank you to the Wazeerud-Din, Day, Crilley, Huckaby, Brock, Garrett, Mueller families and Donna Gardner for all the support and encouraging words. Thank you Roy and Doc for your gifts on this project. Many thanks to our Detroit and worldwide music community, DJ’s, music promoters and fans for their continued support and love.
In loving memory of Allan Barnes, Cencera Dervin, Skip Norris, Mary May and Al McKenzie and Al Day.
Graphic Design: Sean Bate
Front cover photo: Tafari K. Stevenson-Howard
supported by 23 fans who also own “Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures: Air”
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