collaborative projects
Collaboration has helped me grow and improve both as an artist and a person, and I have been blessed to work with people of incredible talent and character to create several projects and performances that I believe are truly special. Check them out!
Magic Trick Rap Show
Kid Wolf and the Abracultabra
I’m THRILLED to announce the arrival of Magic Trick Rap Show by Kid Wolf and the Abracultabra, available to stream EVERYWHERE!
In spring 2022, my friend Kid Wolf approached me with the idea of creating an album combining rap with orchestral music. Intrigued, and excited for the chance, I hopped on board, along with our collaborators, J Baby Smooth and J. I. Gassen, forming what’s now known as the 'Abracultabra’. Starting with the title, we spent ten days together that summer building the foundation of an album, all inspired by Andy’s childhood love of stage magic.
From there, we worked from different parts of the country to carry that foundation into a complete realization. My main job - with J Baby’s help - was writing original compositions and orchestrations for our songs, building musical layers to deepen the album’s storytelling and sound. (Along with the occasional beatbox).
The collaborative process for this was truly special, and this album is a unique combination of the music-making of the four of us, along with the amazing work of some fantastic instrumentalists, vocalists, engineers, and producers. An incredibly fun yet heartfelt musical journey, the album melds genres and features musical magic tricks such as rhyming the five longest words in the English dictionary, reading minds, levitation, and hypnosis. I’m extremely thankful to have been a part of this and for all those who have helped bring it to life.
Check out my feature track!
For Karys and Michael
With Anna Mussin Phillips
Near the end of 2023, Anna approached me with the proposition of collaborating on a new piece. Following the tragic loss of two of her best friends, she was left searching for an effective way to express all that she had been feeling. Over the course of a few months, we talked through those feelings as well as themes and memories of the relationships, working together to musicalize them for flute and piano. Our efforts turned into this new piece, For Karys and Michael, bringing us along the beauty of the friendships, the tragedy, shock, and grief of the loss, and the choice and effort to walk on in remembrance.
A Cappella Academy
I stepped foot onto A Cappella Academy’s campus for the first time as a 17-year-old excited to make music with new people and be in the a cappella world again after a year of not being in a group. What I was greeted with was one of the most loving and supportive communities I’ve ever been a part of, where I was pushed as a musician and person as my musical world opened up to an even brighter and broader scope. It was there where I first decided that I would pursue music with my life. I carry these experiences with me into my life and work with extreme gratitude for the people they brought into my life and the way they have helped inspire the person and musician I strive to be.
Ølamundo
The word ‘olam’ means ‘world’ in Hebrew, the world ‘ola’ means ‘hello’ in Portuguese, and the word ‘mundo’ means ‘world’ in Spanish. This group of young musicians from all around the world came together to say ‘Hello World!’ and sing a collection of music which represented all the cultures of our members. As the vocal percussionist of this group, I was challenged to perform in many styles of world music I had hardly ever listened to, let alone attempted to participate in, and it became one of the most formative musical experiences I’ve ever had. As a person, my heart was opened so wide and filled to the brim with the light of the individuals I shared this experience with and the bond of unity and love we formed as we came together around this remarkable music and the power of our shared humanity.
It was an honor to be the vocal percussionist for these groups of incredible singers!
Vocal drumming for an entire choir of your friends is pretty cool.