THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE

 

My son came home for winter break during his second year in college. He was in his room, laptop hooked to some external speakers for a lush sound. I heard this music drifting and stopped in my tracks. I peeked my head into his room and asked, "Who is this Band?" Randy looked at me and said, "The Foreign Exchange." I said, I haven't heard music like this is such a long time and became an instant fan after listening to Daykeeper. The lyrics, melodies, vocal arraignment, instrumental diversity set this group off.
It is very refreshing to find a group who is bucking the corporation formulated music trend that is prevalent on the airways. It is difficult to categorize their sound because it is a melange of Jazz, old R&B, Hip-Hop, and Soul.

The internet has changed the landscape of how music is born and shared. Nicolay and Phonte of Little Brother connected on Okayplayer.com exchanging beats and lyrics and thus The Foreign Exchange was born. It is truly amazing how a musician from the Netherlands and a musician from North Carolina could formulate a form of music that transcends music classification. What really astonish me is their true love for music is heard and felt through the melodies, rhythms, and lyrics. It is so refreshing to find a band that does not rely on hooks, but sheer talent and love of the art.

I seen them in concert of November, 2011 in St. Louis, MO at 2720 Cherokee. The set, the sound, the energy kept me captivated the whole time. I was grooving and my mind was blown. The band was on point, the singers outstanding, Phonte was comical and engaging. In my mind, this is one of the most memorable performances I've witnessed in over a decade.

On July 13, 2012, I was at Lola's Downtown St. Louis to hear Nicolay and the Hot at Nights. All I can say is hot damn! Experimental jazz was served up with a side of funk and hip-hop. Each musician came to throw down and they did. It was a whirl wind exquisite sound scape. It was apparent they love what they do, because each note emphasized adulation for each piece. I suggest you check these guys out and find out why they are on top of my list of Musicians who deserves recognition.

 
                                                            
DISCOGRAPHY

Albums

• 2004: Connected
• 2008: Leave It All Behind (#68 US R&B)
• 2010: Authenticity (#145 US; #23 US R&B)
• 2011: Dear Friends: An Evening With The Foreign Exchange

Singles

• 2004: "Sincere" (feat. Yahzarah)
• 2008: "Daykeeper" (feat. Muhsinah)
• 2009: "Take Off the Blues"
• 2009: "House of Cards"
• 2009: "I Wanna Know"
• 2010: "Maybe She'll Dream of Me"
• 2011: "Laughing at Your Plans" (feat. Sy Smith & Jeanne Jolly)                                                            http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com