CHROMA Tyreek McDole

• 1 CHROMA 02:32
• 2 WILD IS THE WIND 04:58
• 3 she's alive 04:41
• 4 CONFESSION 04:23
• 5 BLUE IN GREEN 04:15
• 6 WONDERCHILD 03:38
• 7 UNTITLED 05 04:31
• 8 SUNDAY 03:52
• 9 THINK OF YOU 07:04
• 10 GO HOME 03:13
• Total Runtime 43:07

Info for CHROMA

Building off the momentum of his debut Open Up Your Senses (Artwork Records, 2025), critically acclaimed vocalist and arranger Tyreek McDole has become a mainstay on the jazz scene, contributing at venues, festivals, and notably, with Kenny Barron's Songbook (Artwork Records, 2025). Now, in close collaboration with producer, trumpeter, and composer Theo Croker, McDole presents his sophomore album CHROMA, a venture that is omnidirectional, collecting works of McDole's muses from the past and present, while looking forward to what he quotes drummer Terri Lynn Carrington as describing as “future favorites.” Featuring original compositions paired with arrangements of the likes of Nina Simone, Kendrick Lamar, and Andre 3000 (amongst others), CHROMA is McDole's assemblage of voices that have inspired him, conceived in a manner as to inspire the future.

CHROMA was not created in a vacuum, but was rather a natural outpouring of the experiences preceding it. Following McDole's experience with the great Kenny Barron, he found himself deeply enraptured with how apt the NEA Jazz Master is at “finding moments of homecoming” and comfort in his identity as a musician within each note he plays. Roused by witnessing such brilliance, McDole was led to a place of earnest reflection as he sought out the nature of his own “homecoming.” What he found was that much of his musical identity is located in the meeting of inner solace with the force of history, politics, and culture in the music of the present. It was at this intersection that CHROMA was born. McDole states that this album glances back to the traditions that shaped him, engages with his favorite contemporary artists, and points to the “future favorites” of the tradition that he is helping to form.

Musically, McDole's album is shaped in equal parts by its song curation, collaborative arrangements, personnel, and intentional use of timbres in the studio. McDole and Croker's commitment to sonic texturing is evident throughout the album, seen by specific and unique combinations of instruments, sampling, and lineups that differ from track to track. This is exemplified by the album's personnel themselves. McDole's role as bandleader and vocalist is complemented by his contributions of various percussion elements, while pianist Micheal King alternates between traditional piano, Fender Rhodes, and Prophet keyboard sounds as suits the needs of the track. Amidst the sampling and studio elements provided by Croker, one hears the ferocious yet steadfast sounds of Brandon Rose on upright bass, Akili Bradley on trumpet, and Joe Dyson on drum set and percussion. Present in and out of this is Emmanuel Michael's guitar, weaving the various threads together.

The album's opening track is a McDole original and the title track, “CHROMA.” This piece sets the stage thematically, as its lyrics, structured theatrically, call listeners to cut through the frantic bustle of daily life and make space for contemplation. Acting as a large-scale prelude for the rest of the album, “CHROMA” introduces various timbres, sonorities, and vocal elements which characterize McDole's performance on the subsequent tracks. This opening is followed by an immediate step towards tradition with McDole's rendition of the Nina Simone classic, “WILD IS THE WIND.” Through sparse orchestration and careful attention to detail in piano parts, this track is a meditated ode to Simone's work while setting it afresh and placing it in a contemporary setting.

“CONFESSION” is a McDole original that combines the propulsion of dance elements - drawing on masters such as Michael Jackson, Prince, George Benson, and Bobby McFerrin - with robust jazz vocal scatting. As the piece flirts with various grooves, Croker's arrangements set the rhythm section front and center, providing a solid, bluesy basis over which McDole presents his improvised vocal solos.

“BLUE IN GREEN” is McDole's presentation of the Miles Davis/Bill Evans masterpiece in a way that renders the work anthemic. Using dense, opaque vocal hues in the manner referred to by African American poet Nathaniel Mackey refers to as “duende,” McDole enhances the emotional spirit of the composition without “unnecessary clutter.” Highlighting McDole's commitment to the present and future is Croker's arrangement of rapper and poet Kendrick Lamar's “UNTITLED 05” A rhythm section showcase, this track shows McDole and his band swinging hard and driving fast as they tackle this piece from the oeuvre of the artist whom McDole describes as “the Coltrane of rappers.”

The album concludes meaningfully after its titanic tour de force roundup of jazz, Black American and Black Diasporic Music with a summative work aptly entitled, “GO HOME.” Composed by McDole, this piece is a callback to the title track and to the album's philosophical theme as it harkens listeners to slow down, reflect, and contemplate the riches in even the simplest parts of life. Musically, “GO HOME” echoes the central recurring motif from the title track “CHROMA” as it encourages its audience to find home within oneself. For, when all is said and all is done, as CHROMA concludes, McDole desires simply that the listener make some “living room” for oneself and for one another.

Tyreek McDole, vocals
Emmanuel Michael, guitar
Michael King, piano, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha MODX7 organ
Akili Bradley, trumpet
Brandon Rose, bass
Joe Dyson, drums, percussion
Theo Croker, percussion, samples, production
Marcelo De Lamare, samples, synthesizer, programming

Tyreek McDole
is a 25-year-old Haitian-American vocalist from Florida, is making waves in the New York and international music scene. His journey began with a standout debut at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2018 Essentially Ellington Competition, where he won the Outstanding Vocalist Award, presented by Wynton Marsalis.

Since then, he has shared the stage with artists like Rodney Whitaker, Theo Croker, Gary Bartz, Maurice Brown, and Joey Alexander. In November 2023, he won 1st place in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition becoming only the second male to do so in its 12-year history. Noted as one of the most anticipated events in jazz, McDole's accolade now ranks him among the competition's previous winners including the standout artists Samara Joy (2019 winner).

Tyreek is also earned a degree in jazz performance from The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Under the guidance of esteemed instructors LaTanya Hall, Gary Bartz, Gerald Cannon, Eddie Henderson, Billy Hart, Dan Wall, Sullivan Fortner, and Weedie Braimah.

Tyreek’s upcoming release, Open Up Your Senses, drops soon on Artwork Records—he hopes you appreciate his offering.

This album contains no booklet.