I am always intrigued when an artist can truly challenge the listener, and that’s the brilliance of Miles Mosley. Musically, Mosley is almost reinventing his instrument of choice (upright bass). In a conversation with Mosley, I was surprised to learn about the lack of guitar in his work. He says, “I did not know a bass sounded like that; they don’t.” But his aggressive use of his instrument is impressive and progressive. Recently Mosley has worked with Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp A Butterfly), Kamasi Washington (The Epic) and Andra Day; the man keeps very good company.
Born in Los Angeles, Mosley has incorporated a wide range of musical styles — from jazz to funk and even rock — into his own work and new album, Uprising. Known for his adventurous style of playing, Mosley takes a journey through diversity with the video for his song “Abraham.” The video incorporates both symbols and characters. Pay attention as the song progresses: the symbols unfold with each lyric, thus creating a visual songbook. By the time the video has ended, we have moved forward in time with the use of color. Simple as it may seem, it still tells a story.
Watch the premiere of “Abraham” below and you can catch Miles Mosley at The Grammy Museum, July 20.
(photos c/o: Aaron Woolf Haxton)