The Journey FAQ

1. What is the InVisible Force?

Known by different names, chi, prana, the unseen creative force that gives life to all things. Being fortunate enough to travel the world, you see, hear & feel things that your spirit knows and recognizes as universal, it resonates within all people, it connects all people. This force has brought some of the greatest musicians and friends together to help me create this music. It’s humbling and awesome to experience this great unseen force and power.

2. Why the choice of that name?

I like the name because it kept coming up as the connection between myself & how the music was created and will be represented in live situations. It’s really something much greater then me, or any plans that I could have made. Herbie Hancock said to me recently, “I’ve finally learned to get out of my own way”, which I found very profound. Allowing things to flow opens you up to a much greater experience, beyond anything you could calculate or plan.

3. Why the wide range of styles?

I have always been sort of a musical chameleon. Growing up I would play with jazz cats and they would refer to me as “that funk piano player”, then I would play with rock or R&B cats, and they would refer to me as “that jazz piano player”. It was quite amusing sometimes, but I enjoyed playing different styles and really submerging myself totally into whatever idiom & style I was playing. That continued as I became a studio musician, composer and producer. Having worked with Madonna, Anita Baker, Outkasts & Earth, Wind & Fire, I just found the common thread is making “quality music”.

4. What went into the song selection?

Well as a songwriter it’s always a challenge putting the right group of songs together for a project, especially when you are the composer of all the music. In keeping with the title being “The Journey”, I wanted to take the listener on a “musical journey”, a tour, sort of speak, of my feelings & emotions during this period of time. The first single, “I’m Gonna Miss You” features the outstanding vocalist Marc Nelson, founding member of Boyz to Men, and formly of AZ Yet. It might remind some of the work I did with Anita Baker, with it’s jazz flavored chord progressions. It’s a song about a man, probably musician, who has to leave his woman to go take care of business. He is expressing how much he will miss her, and can’t wait to return to her “Sweet Love & Attitude”.

I am also very excited about my tribute to Quincy Jones, entitled, “Hangin With Q. I had the privilage to play Montreaux Jazz festival in 2009, and spent some time talking & hanging out with “Q” as Quincy is affectionately known. We had previously met when he invited me to Westlake studios many years ago and at that time he expressed the admiration he had for the “Rapture” album by Anita. We recounted that meeting and he again expressed how he thought that was one of the great recordings of the last 30 years. I was humbled and honored because Quincy has been someone I’ve looked up to, on my path, as an up and coming producer. He is, also like me, from Chicago. So I decided to write something musically as a tribute to him and I love the way the song turned out. Hopefully he will feel the same way. It features Omar Hakim on drums, Gerald Albright on sax, Paulinho Da Costa on percussion in addition to myself on keyboards & synths.

“Let Me See You Work It” is another aspect of this continuing musical journey that has a more R&B even Hip Hop influence. Featuring vocalist Tim (Tio) Owens & musician/bass player extraordonaire, Marcus Miller, it’s a groove track that celebrates the admiration for the female species. It’s about watching a girl dance and “workin’ that body, as only women can.

On the instrumental side “So Much In Love” with it’s piano/string intro & flowing melody provides a nice contrast to the more smooth jazzy “Les Bleu” whose melody is based entirely on “the blues scale”, and features a groovin piano solo.

All in all, I love every song on the record and hope the listening audience will too! I think there is something for every taste and it’s a glimpse into my creativity as a Producer, Composer, Arranger & Keyboardist.

Also this record is certified auto-tuned free! I still love your stuff Antares!

5. Why was the significance of choosing the title for the project, “The Journey”?

I chose the title “The Journey” because it has special significance for me. I believe that “life is a journey, not a destination. It’s a continuous, evolving, learning process, that takes many unexpected turns. You have to be flexible & adaptable in order to navigate without losing your way. I’ve had many incredible experiences and challenges, (there will be a book later this year). From being adopted as an infant by 2 incredible parents, to being a single parent with my daughter, my son suffering a serious spinal chord injury while playing college basketball, to finding my birth mom after decades of not knowing who or where she was. All of these things have brought me here today and have shaped me as a person and musical artist. So what you are hearing is my “Musical Journey” which is not one dimensional or really definable by traditional categorizations.

6. Where can we get the music and who are some of the artist that appear on the record?

The album is available now in both hard copy CD’s and digital downloads from all the usual sources, iTunes, Amazon, etc. It is also be available from my website sirgantmusic.com

Some of the great musicians who are appearing with me on “The Journey” are:

• Marcus Miller
• Gerald Albright
• Omar Hakim
• Marc Nelson
• Paulinho Da Costa
• Nathan East
• Steve Ferrone
• Ricky Lawson
• Tim (Tio) Owens
• David T. Walker
• Al McKay
• Rahmlee Michael Davis
• Charles Owens
• Dr. George Shaw
• Alex Al
• Michael Aarons
• David Leach

My co-producer, Neal Harrington Pogue, grammy award winner for Outkasts Speakerbox/Love Below.

The album has been released on my own label Elegant Mediaworks. Look for future releases from new artists on the label, as well as film scores, soundtracks, ringtones and all types of media. It’s an exciting time in the arts for artists to be able to create, produce and distribute their art directly to the public. There are many challenges but it has opened up avenues and direct links globally to connect with billions of people to share your ideas.