A Rhodes Trip To ...

HOW DID THE RHODES TRIP ALBUM HAPPEN?

Shortly after arriving in Montreal, a friend and I bought a dusty Rhodes piano to share. I ordered some parts, cleaned and fixed it up. I wanted to personalize and dedicate this instrument to my new home, so I had a graffiti artist paint a Montreal skyline on it. My Rhodes was ready to rock, and so was I.

I called up my friend Alex Bellegarde, who quickly showed up at the studio with his trusty double bass, a pocketful of inspiration and a drummer named Namori Cisse. And so our journey began. Over the next few days, other remarkable musicians dropped by, adding colour and flavour to our jam. Rhodes Trip was completely improvised—much like our lives are. A one-shot deal. Maybe it was an accident, or maybe I just got lucky. Perhaps a God was driving, but honestly, I think this was the road we were meant to take. Even if it wasn’t on the map.

RESPONSIBLE DRIVERS

Tamás Bárány: Rhodes piano, synth, arrangement, recording, mixing, mastering

Alex Bellegarde: Electric double bass

Namori Cisse: Drums (songs 2,4,6,8,10,11,12)

Alain Mercure: Drums (songs 1,3,5,7,9)

CRAZY WELCOMED HITCHHIKERS

Daniel Paul Bourdages: Flute

Philippe Dalpé: Saxophone

Eduardo Sanchez: Trumpet

Richard Lemoine: Guitar

Roberto Osorio: Percussions

Dj SevDee: Turntable

Dj Pocket: Turntable (song 11)

"I was thrilled to play with those amazing musicians in an amazing recording studio. A dream come true. The entire process was fluid and lots of fun. After the recording, I edited and mixed for a few months and finally released my mix to friends and family to get their impressions. I also sent a copy to the famous jazz-loving CBC Montreal radio host, Claude Rajotte, who immediately played it on his show. Then it was officially released with the help of a government subvention. All the reviews were positive, which led to an invitation to the prestigious Montreal International Jazz Festival. One night, two concerts, thousands of people. The rest is history..."

Tamás Bárány, aka Tomisheep

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO EDGAR NEMERE©️ FOR THE FABULOUS PHOTOS!

Rhodes Trip to Montreal Reviews

“…for a good dose of groovy jazz and funk, it’s perfect. The musicians are having fun, that’s obvious and shines throughout the album.” Voir

"I can feel the love Tomisheep has for his Rhodes. This is jazz that you can get down to." Lauren Burrows, CBC Radio

“Backed up by wah-wah sounds, amplified trumpet and rhythmic details inherited from the unsurpassable Weather Report, everything on this album is set to conjugate the past into the present.” Journal de Montréal

“…a jazz-fusion love letter to the Fender Rhodes.” Montreal Gazette

Yours truly...

Alex Bellegarde

Namori Cisse

Alain Mercure

Richard Lemoine

DJ SevDee

Daniel Paul Bourdages

Philippe Dalphe

Kiko Osorio

Eduardo Sanchez

1st concert at the Montreal Jazz Fest

2nd concert at the Montreal Jazz Fest

Origin of the Rhodes Piano

The original Rhodes Piano was the brainchild of Harold Rhodes, a musician, and flying instructor. Mr. Rhodes designed his first portable acoustic piano for the US Army Air Corps in 1942, from a pile of aluminum tubing salvaged from a B-17 bomber. The result was a sort of xylophone with a 29-note keyboard, something injured soldiers could easily build and play while lying in bed.

Following WWII, Mr. Rhodes deconstructed a chiming clock that used spun-metal rods called tines to create a self-amplified, 38-note electric model, the Pre-Piano. The classic Rhodes sound—part bell, part xylophone, part piano—has since then been created by hammers hitting metal tines instead of strings. The vibrations of each tine are picked up by an electromagnetic pickup. Their output is fed through a cable and into an amplifier, just like an electric guitar.

In 1970, Mr. Rhodes introduced what is perhaps the best-known and most desirable Rhodes instrument today: the 73-key Fender Rhodes Stage Piano Mark I. Adored and adopted by the likes of The Doors, Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder, its historical sound is classic. Rhodes remains an inspiration to many musicians today, including myself.

PreDestiNation

Though the word ‘predestination’ has a religious origin, it means much more to me. We are the same and we come from the same humble beginnings. For this second album, some of my favourite Montreal vocalists and musicians came together to tell a story influenced by thousands of years of evolution, knowledge and culture. My collaborators, be they French, English, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, share my sonic mission: to create a destination where talented individuals meet, learn from one another and love life. For me, these tracks are pure Montreal—a pit stop before an unknown greater destination.

Destiny, or the way it was meant to be: a nation undivided by race, religion or politics. Let's get our priorities straight. Stay noble. This EP is an organic mix of genres, from adult contemporary to pop rock, soul and funk. It was recorded with all the best intentions in a soulful, wooden chapel. It is a continuation of the instrumental Rhodes Trip. Listen. Revel in the sound.

Un grand merci and big love to all the beautiful spirits who played on this album: Tony Albino, P.A. Lamarche, Maxime Lalanne on drums; László Koós on bass and cello; Roberto Osorio on percussions; Eduardo Sanchez on trumpets; Philippe Dalpé on saxophones; Daniel Joseph, Richard Lemoine, Tamás Rigó on guitars. This album was recorded in Montreal, Canada, at Mechanicland Studios and Boogie Studio. Big thanks also to the mixing and recording engineers: Don Murnaghan at Frisson and John Lovaghy at Studio Cosmic Forces. Hats off to Bernard Slobodian at Small Mastering Studios for his work and help. Also to the life saver Italian coffe shops and the Asian and Latino food places.