Emanuel Harrold shares new single

Today, multi-GRAMMY Award nominated and winning drummer, producer, and educator, Emanuel Harrold, has announced details of a new album titled “We da People”. The album follows his recent EP “Funk La Soul” and will be released via London tastemaker label and analogue specialists Gearbox Records (Binker Golding, Roland Kirk, The Cookers, Abdullah Ibrahim). Alongside the announcement, Harrold has shared a new single titled “I Think”, which features two-time GRAMMY-winner, Gregory Porter.

Having made a name for himself both live and record collaborating with the likes of Damon Albarn, Keyon Harrold, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, De La Soul, and Gregory Porter, “We da People” marks a new chapter in Harrold’s solo career. The LP is a positive combination of uplifting messages and improvisational sounds that transcend R&B, jazz, soul, gospel, and funk. The release also sees Harrold bring in a number of estimable guest musicians including Gregory Porter, Charles Ransom II & Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom, Jahmal Nichols, Carlos “Scooter” Brown, Tivon Pennicott, Joel Holmes, Brian Owens, and more.

Featuring lead vocals from his long-time friend and collaborator Gregory Porter, the new single and album opener “I Think” perfectly encapsulates the sound of the album by combining gospel-tinged soul vocals, with jazz-funk inflected guitars, uplifting orchestral strings, groove heavy bass that is interweaved with Harrold’s precise, high energy drumming.

HEAR / SHARE “I THINK” HERE

Emanuel Harrold was born into the artistry of music by way of St. Louis, USA. Harrold’s appetite for singing & playing instruments grew from an early age with his father being a pastor in an African American Church. He is a graduate of The New School University in New York and has performed / recorded - in no specific order - with Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Robert Glasper, Keyon Harrold, Damon Albarn, James Spaulding, Stevie Wonder, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Ben l’Oncle Soul, Jonathan Baptiste, Ambrose Akinmusire, and many other influential artists - you can hear Harrold’s most recent drumming contribution on Gregory Porter’s GRAMMY-nominated album “All Rise”.

The new album “We da People” marks an exciting and important new chapter for Harrold, perfectly exemplifying his soulful and future-thinking sound. Despite their proximity, his recent EP “Funk La Soul” and the new album showcase both an evolution and at times an entirely different insight into his musical direction. The title track “We Da People” combines elements of R&B, jazz and funk, with effected synth, minimal guitars and bass, alongside a powerful spoken word verse by GRAMMY-winning actor and musician Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Elsewhere, tracks such as “Fight Harder” highlight Harrold and his cast of guest musician’s jazz chops with his brother Keyon Harrold on trumpet and epiphanic soul-led backing vocals from Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom & Charles Ransom II. The album is untapped catalogue of all the creativity that Harrold possess and has been working on in his many years of collaborating with high profile artists. It thoroughly explores an eclectic range of styles and genres, but importantly it does so without ever feeling disconnected.

For those who have heard Emanuel Harrold’s playing in the past, this release will arrive as an exciting exploration of Harrold’s musical mind, and for those who have yet to hear him, there is no better time to discover his work.

“We da People” is out via Gearbox Records on 20th January 2023 – Stream / Order HERE

Tracklisting:

1. I Think
2. We da People
3. See
4. Brighter Day
5. Fight Harder
6. Good Word
7. Shine Light
8. Mr. Brew [Instrumental]

Credits:

I Think
Gregory Porter; lead vocal
Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom; background vocal
Annaliese Kowert; violin
Kristin Weber; violin
Nicole Neely; viola
Cremaine Booker; cello
Roland Gajate-Garcia; percussion
Andrew Bailie; electric guitar
Ben ‘CarrToons’ Carr; electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums

We Da People feat. Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Malcolm-Jamal Warner; vocal & spoken word
Jermaine Holmes; vocal
Dominique Thomas; percussion
Brett Williams; synth & Rhodes piano
Andrew Bailie; electric guitar & electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums

See feat. Shareef Keyes
Shareef Keyes; vocal
Carlos Brown Jr.; alto saxophone
Andrew Bailie; electric guitar & electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums, percussion, keys & pads

Brighter Day
Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom; lead vocal & background vocal
Charles Ransom II; background vocal
Tivon Pennicott; flute
Joel Holmes; keys
Brian Cockerham; electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums, percussion, string pads & synths

Fight Harder feat. Keyon Harrold
Keyon Harrold; trumpet & flugelhorn
Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom & Charles Ransom II; background vocal
Dominique Thomas; percussion
Andrew Bailie; electric guitar
Jahmal Nichols; upright bass & electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums, pads & FX

Good Word feat. Saunders Sermons II
Saunders Sermon II; lead vocal & trombone
Chip Crawford; keys
Dominique Thomas; percussion
Andrew Bailie; electric guitar
Jahmal Nichols; upright bass
Emanuel Harrold; drums & percussion

Shine Light
Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom & Charles Ransom II; lead & background vocal
Jermon Harrold; keys
Dominique Thomas; percussion
Jahmal Nichols; electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums

Mr. Brew (Instrumental)
Carlos Brown Jr.; alto saxophone
Andrew Bailie; electric guitar & electric bass guitar
Emanuel Harrold; drums, percussion, keys & pads

All tracks composed and arranged and produced by Emanuel Harrold

‘I Think’ lyrics by Emanuel Harrold
‘I Think’ vocal arrangements by Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom & Charles Ransom II,
‘I Think’ string arrangements by Stephanie Matthews
‘We Da People’ lyrics by Emanuel Harrold, spoken word lyrics by Malcolm-Jamal Warner
‘See’ lyrics by Shareef Keyes
‘Brighter Day’ lyrics and vocal arrangements by Crystal ‘Crissy’ Ransom and Charles Ransom II
‘Fight Harder’ lyrics by Emanuel Harrold
‘Good Word’ lyrics by Saunders Sermons II
‘Shine Light’ lyrics by Emanuel Harrold

Recorded at Saw Horse Studios - St. Louis, MO, USA
Recorded and mixed by Jason McEntire
’Brighter Day’ mixed by Rich Harris
Mastered by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Records

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