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Ahmed Sirour is one of the most exciting young producers in independent music today. His productions of newcomer Cleveland Jones (a dynamic vocalist of devastating precision) on their single “Sensitive,” the downloadable freebies of Little Dragon’s elegiac “Twice” and a tour-de-force cover of “Nature Boy,” one that may be the new definitive cover of Nat King Cole’s classic, are a revelation. All of which means that hopes are high for Sirour and his virgin debut as a center stage artist. Specializing in jazzy minimalism as his composition and production approach, Sirour has been known to kick up the rhythm on remixes of Eric Roberson’s “Still” and Yahzarah’s “Love Come Save The Day.” One wishes he’d been equally bold here.
Ahmed Sirour is one of the most exciting young producers in independent music today. His productions of newcomer Cleveland Jones (a dynamic vocalist of devastating precision) on their single “Sensitive,” the downloadable freebies of Little Dragon’s elegiac “Twice” and a tour-de-force cover of “Nature Boy,” one that may be the new definitive cover of Nat King Cole’s classic, are a revelation. All of which means that hopes are high for Sirour and his virgin debut as a center stage artist. Specializing in jazzy minimalism as his composition and production approach, Sirour has been known to kick up the rhythm on remixes of Eric Roberson’s “Still” and Yahzarah’s “Love Come Save The Day.” One wishes he’d been equally bold here. Leaning toward the evening sounds created by jazz producer Nelson Riddle for classic greats like Frank Sinatra’s In The Wee Small Hours or producer Norman Granz for Billie Holiday’s Solitude, Sirour’s after hour sessions too often leave too much room for a vocalist of equal weight to balance his sparseness. Sometimes Sirour leaves space in these tenderly crafted compositions to the point of incompletion. This isn’t a diss; many a music producer used to creating room for their artists finds it difficult to fill that space with their own vision. Exceptions like “In The Moonlight” and “Meditation” are lovely and demonstrate a traceable musical arc. “Hidden Places,” the most rhythmic of the soundscapes, unfolds through a series of definitive but connected movements that range in success. The haunting “Love One Another” comes close to completion and has much in common with the instrumentals of Quincy Jones at his most contemplative. Opening with a glorious guitar solo, rarely do the soothing sounds of rain and delicate key strokes of “Warm Rain” rise again to the level of a full-fledged song.
As a fine and sensitive keyboardist, Sirour has many fathers to look to—from Billy Strayhorn and Bill Evans to the more contemporary George Duke and Cyrus Chestnut—to help him round out his instrumental musings. His promise as a soloist is there, but its full realization beyond a stellar supporting role to showcase another’s vocal talent sadly still feels in development.
Notable songs: “In The Moonlight,” “Meditation” and “Love One Another.”
Vocals: N/A
Lyrics: N/A
Music: 2.5 stars
Production: 2.5 stars
SoulTracks Call: Moderately Recommended
By L. Michael Gipson
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