WONDERWORLD: 10 Years of Painting Outside the Lines
Track Descriptions
As Told By: Nickodemus
"Endangered Species" The 1st song off of my 1st album. Inspired by Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the
United States" & dedicated to the people, places things that are hanging on in this changing World.
"Peace Pipe" is a Latin American based tune made on the mpc 2000 & 8 track with the lead singer from
Navigante, Jean Shepherd. This song was a gift for a very good friend channeling some indigenous roots on
their many travels.
"Mi Swing es Tropical" was made with love in Puerto Rico by myself, Quantic & the Candela Allstars featuring
the very charismatic Hector "Tempo" Alomar on vocals. The song quickly became an international DJ & crowd
favorite. It was later featured in an iPod iTunes commercial & recently in the movie "Chef."
"Cleopatra in New York" also made for a good friend in Brooklyn & originally released on our RhythmLove
record label. It features Carol C (Si Se) on vocals. We made the song in 1999 & I remixed it for my "Endangered
Species" album. The song has appeared on many compilations & recently in the movie "Her." Yes, licensing
helps make the Wonderwheel turn ;)
"Los Tarantos" made in Barcelona & Brooklyn, this one was inspired by the films of Tony Gatlif, particularly
"Latcho Drom" & "Mondo" which follows the Roma people's journey from India on down to Andalucia Spain.
The song features another cross cultural collaboration with Barcelona's Troba Kung Fu on guitar & palmas as
well as Brooklyn's Mobius Collective on horns.
"Mirage" Yukicito remix features a very sweet friend Kissey Asplund on vocals. LA producer Yukicito took the
deep piano driven original & added some Afro beat for the dance floor.
"La Lluvia" was recorded in Cali, Colombia with Quantic featuring the legendary Peruvian pianist Alfredo
Linares. Nuyorican singer Richard Shepherd came over in Brooklyn one rainy day & tried to make light of the
rainy day blues. I also recorded a horn solo in Puerto Rico in an empty building insulated by old mattresses.
"Funky in the Middle" The middle of the Frying Pan, the middle of your waste, the mid-tempo funk... This song
features the great sax player Jay Rodriguez (Groove Collective) who's been on all 3 albums. The video was a DIY
example of being in the studio, to the record pressing plant, to the party
experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z77Mc2xL7o
"Brookarest" was recorded in Bucharest Romania with the Taraf de Haidouks as well as in Brooklyn... hence the
title. The remix is by The Pimps of Joytime. The idea was to take the remix to the NOLA side of the funky
swing.
"Give the Drummer Some" is a dedication to all the rhythmically gifted around the world throughout history.
Not enough drummers get the respect they deserve, so I asked MC's Malik Work & Stimulus aka The Real Live
Show to give the drummer some & Nappy G plays timbales over the entire track like a TOTH party!
Press Junkie PR // 9901 Brodie Ln, Ste. 160 PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748 // ryan@pressjunkiepr.com // 512-382-7953
"Sun Children" again with a familiar cast, The Real Live Show grabbed the theme & concept of my 2nd album &
really spelled it out for everyone. Check the video on YouTube - it's exactly what I wanted the vibe to be like...
which was uplifting & real with the friends & family from NYC to
Philly! http://youtu.be/Rz3FRFYjWbk?list=PLE9213E486CC6388A
"N'dini" uses the same horn hook & guitar line as "Sun Children." In this version SF's Tal M Klein gives is a
deep disco ball remix groove under Guinean Ismael Kouyate's vocals (who also performed the song in the Fela
Musical.)
"Wanted Man" was written by The Pimps of Joyride band leader & singer Brian J & I. We been on 200+ day
tours a year & needed to write a song that shadowed the vibe of constantly being on the road. There's a ska &
tech-house version just released in 2015.
"The Love Feeling" was a song written right after my 1st trip to Burning Man. Again all in the Sun People theme
of lifting up out of darkness & opening up to one another. The Christian Prommer remix takes it a notch deeper
into the club for the Moon People.
"Under the Volcano" I lifted this title off of a drink menu that knocked me on my ass at the Sound Table in
Atlanta. For someone who flies a lot, I'm a bit claustrophobic, but this one is about being trapped by someone
or something. Jose Marquez remix again takes it deeper for the Moon People in the clubs.
"Back from Africa" was originally made after I returned from my 1st trip to Senegal while touring with the
multi-talented Mino Cinelu's band. I mixed Africa Bambaataa's vocals (from our song Alkebulan) over the top
of good friend & DJ Derek Sessions remix to make it all the more fitting. The original has the sweet West
African Bass & Guitar work for the smiles.
"Peaceful Island Life" was written as a dedication to former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed,
activism efforts to alert the world about global warming. Kathrin DeBoer from the band Bellerouche nailed it
with the vocals summing it all up at high tide.
"Conmigo" is a personal favorite song in my career because it features one of the humblest, sweetest jovial
singers... An unsung hero, the late great Sammy Ayala (cortijo/ The Puerto Rican Allstars). I use to scoop him
up in Staten Island, drink a couple beers, spark one up & write together. He was always sharply dressed & ready
to throw down a party well into his late 70's! Also hear that Quantic touch on guitar? Puerto Rico's Candela
Allstars once again coming through!
"Crazy Stranger," also inspired by a Tony Gatlif movie of the same name, swings into eastern & Balkan jazz for
the dance floor. All the musicians were recorded in different times & places... All on my crappy mic & ozone 8
sound card with logic.
"Sun People" Earthrise Sound System remix took my intro to the album & expanded it beyond my wildest
dreams. When I heard how far they took the theme, I immediately thought of the lost art of the remix that
people like Jazzanova, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Masters at Work use to do & that's take time, apply their sound &
new productions- even writing new material to make the remix really stand out.
"Mystery of Life" Last but not least, this sleeper of a song, sung by Andrea Monteiro on my SM 58 into the 8
track, showed me the power YouTube had in spreading a song far beyond my capabilities with over a million
views. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MZ1rsSrq5Q I have no idea who posted it, but I thank them... it's
all a Mystery to me anyways... WONDERWORLD!
WONDERWORLD: 10 Years of Painting Outside the Lines is out February 24th, 2015 on
Wonderwheel Recordings
wonderwheelrecordings.com
nickodemus.com
Press Junkie PR // 9901 Brodie Ln, Ste. 160 PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748 // ryan@pressjunkiepr.com // 512-382-7953