Taylor McFerrin

Taylor McFerrin's first recorded appearance was as a background singer on "Jubilee," a song included on his father Bobby's 1982 debut album for Elektra. A couple decades later, the younger McFerrin was known as a beatboxer and established a career as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and singer. In 2006, he released Broken Vibes, a broken beat-inspired vinyl EP pressed in a one-time edition of 900, and both co-produced and beatboxed on Ty's "What You Want (Taylormade)." His track "Go with Love" was selected for Brownswood Bubblers Two, compiled by BBC DJ and label head Gilles Peterson. Another single didn't arrive until 2011, when he initiated an alliance with Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label. Its A-side, the RYAT-fronted "A Place in My Heart," was included on another Brownswood Bubblers set. Meanwhile, McFerrin was stashing a large volume of unfinished recordings. He eventually dusted off a small portion and shaped the material into a full-length, Early Riser, released on Brainfeeder in 2014. A combination of left-field electronics, alternative R&B, and futuristic jazz, the album involved a number of collaborators, including labelmate Thundercat, Hiatus Kaiyote's Nai Palm, Blue Note artist Robert Glasper, Brazilian pianist Cesar Mariano, and, returning a favor from 32 years prior, Bobby McFerrin.