Malik Alston - Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures: Air (2021)

'Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures: Air' is a spirited celebration of jazz virtuosity and Motor City house music, showcasing Alston’s roots in jazz, gospel, soul and dance music. Alston’s story is one that is intrinsically aligned with the story of Detroit itself. Having hosted one of the first Slum Village concerts, and teaching vocal lessons to many members of the Detroit music community, plus production and writing collaborations with Alton Miller, Amp Fiddler, Roy Davis Jr. and Javonntte who released his Virtual Dreams EP with The Jazz Diaries earlier this year.

Many of Malik's records have been released via his own Truth Manifest Records so it is a joy to share his music with the world via The Jazz Diaries.

Presenting a collection of long lost tracks created by Malik and his band Painted Pictures, Alston expresses strong emotions for the LP’s title track ‘Air’. As he explains, “When I think of ‘Air’... for me, it exists to express a combination of freedom, self awareness, and doing something different and new. In ‘Air’ you get to really hear the band as a whole, no one stands out individually. It was all a matter of showing that we brought the music to life together as a unit. ‘Air’ is definitely a true reflection of what Painted Pictures was: free musicians who play good music.”

The immaculate and vivacious qualities of the LP convey a message steeped in the spirit. The production elements perfectly marry the instruments, vocals and scatting to offer a cheerful, soulful and expressive work of music and emotion.

In the words of Badriyahh, vocalist in Painted Pictures and Alston's wife, this record is a "great reflection of the healing power and the force of music to unite people".