Cisco Swank

Swank’s skills on multiple instruments paired with his velvety vocals makes every track a tonal adventure. With heavy jazz influences like Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, and Robert Glasper, the melodies, harmonies, solos, and song-structures frequently defy convention in an almost acrobatic way. There’s a “high-flying-trapeze-act” happening with every track, as Swank constantly stitches together distinctly jazz-influenced elements to contemporary R&B music and lyrics. But at no time does the tapestry ever feel like it’s in danger of falling apart. Swanks stunning musicianship blends everything seamlessly.

This week, we’re featuring “Could It Be You” featuring Luke Titus from his 2022 album “Some Things Take Time”. A heavily jazz influenced track with an incredibly energetic beat, “Could It Be You” is like a free jazz exploration topped off with a smooth, contemporary R&B melody. In lesser hands, this could just feel like two disparate parts playing together, Swank and Titus meld the two in a stunning way. Dreamy, Low-fi melodies and harmonies drape elegantly on every single stroke of the drum beat, creating this extremely interesting combination of two very different energies. From free jazz solos to classic back-beats, Cisco Swank knows exactly how to bring everyone to the table.