Browsing Tag

Dominican Republic

Jazz pianist legend Marcio Garcia is at his graceful best on Nocturnal

Posted on 25 April 2023

Featuring 2x Grammy award-winning conga player Giovanni Hidalgo, Marcio Garcia is at his majestic best with an ear-calming melody to play all night as the rain flows cheekily from gutters on Nocturnal.

Marcio Garcia is a multi-talented Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-born jazz pianist, composer and educator who was classically trained at various prestigious institutions.

”Marcio has performed at the Festival de Jazz Restauración Santo Domingo, White Plains Jazz Festival, Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Five Points Jazz Festival, Dazzle Jazz Club, Carnegie Hall, Blue Note NYC, Nublu, The Bitter End, Birdland Jazz Club and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in Lincoln Center.” ~ Marcio Garcia

Known as a prolific creative who has performed on some of the best stages, Brooklyn-based Marcio Garcia is radiant here and shall cause some blushes to project out from the deepest part of our souls. This is spellbinding stuff from a true master of his craft, who has blessed all tired hearts with something rather special. Just what the world needs more of right?

Calm all worries away on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

In the Caribbean With the Prince | Siôr Boyesen

Posted on 10 November 2022

Scrolling through social media, we’ve all seen the meme about travel – an old Mark Twain quote which reads “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…” I think we could add that travel is also fatal to a lack of colour in an artist’s creative palette, where new sounds and sights inspire you to create fresh works upon your return. This was certainly the case with Siôr Boyesen, a UK citizen travelling to the Caribbean who composed the amazingly energetic “Prince of the Favela” (both a song and the title of an EP).

Let’s talk about the title song which opens with sparse drums before going full force into a horn-driven Latin swing beat. The vocals are deeply rhythmic, and border somewhere between rap and recitative poetry. Boyesen’s lyrical style is very classically cool – like if we updated Cab Caloway to 2022 it might sound something like this. There’s sung backup vocals (most likely Boysen himself) which adds a texture I just can’t imagine the song lacking – this is some top-rate production. The horn solo appearing around the 2:30 mark sounds like it could have been lifted right from “Sketches of Spain.”

Fans of neo-swing or electronic jazz will feel right at home with “Prince of the Favela.” It’s sexy, dance-driven, and very hip. It’s nice to know that the artistic culture of the Caribbean continues to inspire musicians and creators from around the world and I have a feeling that Boyesen’s EP will be just as popular there as it is in his native UK.

Check out the track on Spotify.

Booty On You: Elite Los Angeles artist Shevy O’Shea knows what he likes on ‘#RihannaMove’

Posted on 9 July 2021

With a stacked rack full of oozing charm and smoothly tipped vocals to get the attention of everyone in the room, Shevy O’Shea reminds us why he needs to be talked about more with one of the most stimulating tracks you will hear all year with ‘#RihannaMove‘.

Shevy O’Shea is a Santiago, Dominican Republic-born, Chicago, USA-raised, Los Angeles, California-based indie soul, RnB, pop and Afro-beats fused future superstar, and multi-instrumentalist. He makes an array of dance-happy music that has many speaking his name in high esteem – as someone who will be features in massive music festivals all over the world – when they are allowed again.

”He earned a scholarship to study biology, hoping to become a surgeon, but a series of unlucky events forced him to drop out of school. It became clear to Shevy that if he were to attain the success he longed for, music was the only way to go.” – Shevy O’Shea

With a sexy beat and heart-stopping lyrics that lets you know that he means business, you feel an air of calm when you listen to a talent like this. Everything is effortless and he is to the point – not wasting time with foreplay – and gets straight down to business with a heat-filled track, that lets you know that he likes what he sees and wants it for himself now.

‘#RihannaMove‘ from Los Angeles-based fast-riser Shevy O’Shea, is a body slider of the highest order. He sings with such passionate gusto and you feel his self-belief all over this wonderful new single, that has almost claimed one million Spotify streams already. This is a song that has you taking off those self-doubts and throwing them to the floor – right where you get into the groove –  and party the night away with this supreme effort right at the top of your playlist.

Stream this steamy new single on Spotify and see more from his exciting life on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen