Five-time Grammy-winning soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer based in New Orleans has released an album inspired by his 30-day trip to several countries in Africa.
The Maroon 5 keyboardist immersed himself in soundscapes and cultures with plans to create a collaborative project that shows the world that Africa is more than Afrobeats.
Intending to create an album in a month, he travelled from Cape Town and Johannesburg (South Africa) to Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana) to Cairo (Egypt) to immerse himself in as many different cultures, stories and communities as he could.
Reflecting on his travels he said, “I wanted to capture the emotions I felt while I was on the continent, so I made a promise that I wouldn’t write anything before I arrived in Africa, and I wouldn’t write anything after I left – I ended up recording all my vocals before I left too.
“It really was an experiment in trusting my instincts. I have the ability to overthink as many of us do, so I wanted to spark something that had real stakes.”
While collaborating with featured artists including Fireboy DML, Mádé Kuti, Asa, Ndabo Zulu, and Soweto Spiritual Singers, producers like P.Priime and The Cavemen, his own live band and local musicians, ‘Cape Town to Cairo’ finds PJ Morton using music as his greatest common language.
On “Count On Me,” PJ and Fireboy DML speak to the world as a whole, through an uplifting message about the power of friendship and unity.
Explaining the making of the album, Mr Morton said it was raw thoughts.
“We didn’t have the luxury of time to police which genres would fit where, and the origins of all this music started in Africa anyway.
“What ended up happening was that all of my raw thoughts and influences came out all at once.
“There’s of course R&B and soul, but there’s also gospel in songs like “Simunye”, pop in “Count On Me” and jazz on “All The Dreamers”. Cape Town to Cairo is the diaspora in music form, done my way.”
In addition to ‘Cape Town to Cairo’, Mr Morton became the first Black composer to write music for a Disney attraction – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
The historic collaboration opens June 28th at Disney World and later this year at Disneyland.
The new ride features his original, New Orleans-inspired soundtrack and theme song, “Special Spice.”
Mr Morton has also announced the publication of his career-spanning memoir – “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning” set to be released on November 12 via Worthy Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, the book sees him recounting and reflecting upon a trailblazing path that continues to defy expectations while straddling the tensions of music and faith, race and culture, expression and identity.
Before then, PJ Morton and his band will embark on an extensive, worldwide Cape Town to Cairo Tour, with even more dates to be added soon
