JSWISS ft: Marcus Strickland - One (Official Video)
“One” feat. Marcus Strickland is the new single from accomplished New York MC JSWISS, with production and instrumentation from renowned jazz saxophonist Marcus Strickland. The track follows recent single “Be” and performances from the prolific artist at New York’s Blue Note joining CARRTOONS, Kiefer and Nate Smith on stage, supporting Ana Tijoux at LPR New York and appearing as part of BAM Brooklyn’s World. Sound. Power. series.
“Make an impression, my ink always been art / Found my outlet in music my battery been charged / Know the journey the best part so I never stop moving up / You can’t label or box it so what you really gonna do with us” – JSWISS, “One”.
Having firmly established himself at the intersection between Jazz and Hip Hop, JSWISS reaches new heights on “One”. “It’s in an odd meter, which means it’s a tricky and unusual pocket to rap over”, he explains, “but once I found the flow, it pulled out something real dope and different from me”. The resulting track sees JSWISS explore his journey to becoming the artist we see and hear today, and how the wider picture of recent years has contributed to this mindset. “One feat. Marcus Strickland” is released alongside an official music video, directed by French director Brice Blanloeil of Moonflake Creative.
As well as being one of the premiere and most sought after saxophone players of his generation, Marcus Strickland is amember of Christian McBride’s New Jawn (appearing on NPR’s Tiny Desk last year) and the WhoAllGonBeThere collective with JSWISS, Ben Williams, Marcus Gilmore and Chad Selph. “One” follows JSWISS and Marcus’s first collaboration “Interrupted”. The pair have performed live together several times over the last 5-6 years, but these are their first times appearing together on recordings. “One” is a compelling and brave performance from the artists, showcasing their sound as a different time of performance than that their fans typically hear from them.
Through collaborations and his own solo releases JSWISS continues to develop a reputation as a consistent and adaptable artist. Recently collaborating with Sly5thAve on ‘Somebody’s Gotta Do It’, the pair embodied the improvisational energy of the world of New York jam sessions and open mics. The release received support from Lauren Laverne, Huey Morgan (BBC 6Music), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM) and KCRW and the pair went on to perform tracks from the release supporting Alfa Mist on his US tour. His work with Michael Leonhart has led to collaborations with Elvis Costello, Keyon Harrold, and DJ Logic, with performances broadcast on NPR, WBGO and FIP. He has also provided vocals for Bruk Rogers on his Tru Thoughts release, gaining support from BBC 6Music and beyond.
Beyond this JSWISS has received acclaim and praise from the likes of The Source, Complex, Hip Hop DX, Ambrosia For Heads, Soultracks, WeeklyRap Gods and RESPECT Magazine. Further collaborations include Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, Ben Williams, Marcus Strickland, Nate Smith and many more, with JSWISS taking to the notable and legendary stages of the Apollo Theatre, Blue Note Jazz Club, Nublu, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Racket NYC and even New York Botanical Garden.