Future Overture from Future Overture by Telemakus

When first diagnosed with the genetic connective-tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) in 2022, after a sprained wrist injury that was taking worryingly long to heal, rising jazz pianist and production prodigy, Telemakus had one of his worst nightmares come true when doctors said he might not be able to play piano again.

Just 22 years old at the time, with a limitlessly bright future still ahead of him, thanks to the buzz and critical praise generated by his debut LP ‘The New Heritage’ the year before – the idea of not being able to pursue his life’s dream of being a full-time musician was simply not an option that Telemakus was willing to accept.

Determined not to be held back by his condition while still in physical therapy, Tele connected with indie record label Fresh Selects and devised a plan forward. With the label being known for their on-hands project development and A&R work, Tele explained the situation and presented them with a treasure trove of unfinished demos and a list of his close-knit network of music peers that he knew he could trust to help see his ideas through.

Originally intending to only have already-recorded demos to pull from for his own parts on the album – the young composer found himself unable to sit idly by and not actively create at the prolific pace that he’d grown accustomed to, despite his doctor’s orders to rest. Taking matters into his own hands, or rather – his own feet – Telemakus started to develop alternate methods of playing keyboards and operating his laptop, using only his toes.

Through this process, both the music itself and the meaning of the record began to transform and find its ultimate direction – now serving as not only a testament to the communal spirit of collaboration in times of need, but also a personal tribute to the perseverance of the human spirit, a message at large for anyone up against their own obstacles in the way of their dreams.

“Future Overture'' is a prime example of both sides of that notion. Starting off as a demo idea that was recorded around the time of ‘The New Heritage’ sessions, Telemakus first reached out to two of his most trusted collaborators, L.A. saxophonist Ted Taforo and Paraguayan bassist Chino Corválan, to help bring to life what he had written. Then, he brought it to a fellow Gen-Z Indian-American jazz prodigy, drummer Raghav Mehrotra – known for performing on Broadway in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award-nominated School Of Rock play and a guest residency on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers – to replay a loop originally provided by esteemed sample-maker, Tamuz.

Once all of those parts were received, Tele used his feet to navigate the DAW session in Logic – programming, sequencing and mixing all of the performances to complete his full vision for the song.

Musically, "Future Overture" was inspired by the Jazz Fusion pioneers, such as Herbie Hancock and Weather Report – yet it also stays true to its titular credo, with Telemakus & co. taking those 1970’s inspirations and projecting them into the future of where they’d personally like to see the sound going. ”I wanted to explore my own sound, and with my creative limitations, I was challenged to innovate the way I think about song structure and sound exploration. I wanted the song to bring us through a journey that didn’t want to end.”

Following on the success of the album’s first single, “Fluttering,” in March, “Future Overture” continues to unveil one more layer of the intricate and prolific statement that is ‘Eight Ring Revival’. With the final project resulting in a full double LP that overflows with a plethora of exciting new ideas and collaborations for the young talent, the story of Tele’s road to recovery has only just begun to be told.

An independent record label based in Portland, Oregon. Purveyors of Tight Songs and great albums from all over the world.

linktr.ee
Twitter
Instagram
SoundCloud