Musician, arranger, and producer Eli Menezes will release his new album, LoFi Black Tie, on October 29, alongside a hometown release show at the 04 Center in Austin. The record threads together the rhythmic pulse of Rio de Janeiro, the harmonic language of jazz, the grit of years spent working New York City’s music scene, and the rootsy, guitar-driven feel of his adopted home in Austin — arriving in a sound Menezes calls warm, unpolished, and dressed up all at once.
Menezes played all the guitars and bass parts on the record himself, with the exception of a track that features his former band EMP3, with Manny Laine on drums and Patrick Andy on bass. Building the album’s core sound on his own, he then brought in a lineup of guest musicians to fill it out. Contributors include guitarist David Grissom (The Chicks, John Mellencamp/Allman Brothers), whose Austin roots run deep in the city’s guitar scene; drummers JJ Johnson (Gary Clark Jr., John Mayer) and Manny Laine (Wyclef Jean, Kanye West); percussionist Keita Ogawa (Snarky Puppy); keyboardists Henry Hey (FORQ, Rod Stewart, George Michael) and Sean Giddings (Christopher Cross), among others. The result is a record that’s equal parts solo vision and collaborative session — Brazilian rhythmic tradition and jazz harmony filtered through a rootsy, guitar-forward Austin sensibility and a raw, tape-warm intimacy, technically rich but never sterile.
“This record is the first time I’ve put everything in one place — the rhythm I grew up with in Rio, the discipline New York beat into me, and the rootsy, guitar-driven pull of Austin, where I live now,” Menezes said. “I played most of it myself, but I wanted the people I admire most to leave their fingerprints on it too. That’s the whole idea behind LoFi Black Tie — dressed up and unpolished at the same time.”
Menezes’ musical roots trace back to Rio de Janeiro, and he spent years building his career in New York City before relocating to Austin, Texas. He is a multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, and bassist whose work spans several ongoing projects. LoFi Black Tie marks his step into a solo body of work shaped by that same range of international touring and collaboration.
Release Show
Menezes will celebrate the album’s release with a live performance at the 04 Center in Austin on October 29, backed by his live band and a few surprise guests. Details on tickets and doors will be announced via his mailing list and social channels.
About Eli Menezes
Eli Menezes is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer based in Austin, Texas, via New York City. Since relocating from Rio de Janeiro to NYC in the spring of 2000, he has traveled to over 50 countries and collaborated with artists including Lauryn Hill, Richard Bona, Rita Ora, Faith Evans, Common, Ashanti, Estelle, Thalia, Fred Hammond, and David Bisbal, among many others. Beyond his solo work, Eli is a member of the soul-pop duo Gritty Sunset and the band FORQ, signed to Snarky Puppy’s GroundUP Music label. He is currently active in the Austin recording and live music scene, performing and collaborating with artists such as David Grissom, Andrea Magee, JoJames, The Kill Tony Band, Aubrey Logan, and Gina Chavez, among others.
By: Bass Magazine