Change of Pace...

I remember early summers in Brooklyn spent listening to CD 101.9...the tri-state area's premier jazz and easy listening station. Bands and artists like Hiroshima East, Steely Dan, Najee, Bruce Hornsby, etc would tickle my juvenile ears and take me somewhere else. The subways, hot streets and sirens would all disappear whenever I tuned into this station. One of the songs that took me to "that place" was by a British brother name Ephraim Lewis; the song, "Drowning In Your Eyes". I don't care how hard someone claims to be, you can't deny the smoothness and peaceful vibe this song exudes. The melody and his voice was perfection. The muted trumpet solo was masterfully placed...the lead guitar steadily driving the rhythm, and his vocal range impeccable.



The interesting thing is this song was Ephraim's first and last hit single. His story is tragic and not long after the release of this record, he fell to his death from a high rise apartment building in LA after a bizarre series of events prior to that moment. Read here for more details about his life and death..

Ephraim was a star and I sometimes imagine him being what Seal is today..

this song still takes me to that place.