The Farayi Malek Quintet performed a live set of original compositions, bluegrass-influenced tracks, and classic jazz standards at the Medford Jazz Fest.
[Terry Carter]: one of the singers at one of our mutual friends Stacy Clayton's annual gospel concerts over at our Somerville Community Baptist Church. And Stacy had a way of, and I don't know how she did it, but she had a way of getting aspiring superstars to come sing in her choir. There have been several of them, and Farahi is one of them. And not only aspiring superstar singers, but also musicians. And some of the musicians back here are musicians that came out of that tradition as well. So it's Farahi Malik on vocals and acoustic guitar.
It's Grayson Hillen on vocals and electric bass. It's Jacob Means on vocals and the mandolin. So you're in for a treat there. My man, Max Ridley on the big sexy, the big upright bass. And Hector Falu Guzman on the drum set. Okay, Grayson? Okay, all right, so I think I got everybody. So now what I do is I get out of the way and I let the professional musicians take over. Ladies and gentlemen, the Ferrari Malik Quintet.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: How's everybody doing? We doing all right? Thank you so much, Terry, for having us. We're so glad to be here. And we're excited to be playing this set of music for you today. So we're going to do some music, a couple tunes off my first EP, Edge of the Earth, that came out last year, and then some new singles that I have out, and some music that we're about to record tomorrow in Nashville with this guy. Oh my goodness. So we both have very early morning flights. But we're really excited to play this new music for you, because not very many audiences have heard it. So if you like the new music, tell us yes. And if you don't, don't tell us.
This first one is called Every Heartbeat. It's my latest, or second to last single. This came out last November.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: I came through a valley cold one winter night and shining on a hill a yellow beam of light gazing in my wonder Through the frosted trees It felt so real I questioned if it was a dream Walking under moonlight Feelings absent from my heart for years. Now every color is brighter, all I smell is sweet. I feel a gentle snowfall softly on my cheek. Something I was missing finally complete. I'm seen with brand new eyes and I feel you in every heartbeat. Ooh.
♪ Standing now beside you, falling into your embrace ♪ ♪ Ununderstood and love completely for all day ♪ ♪ From my shining hour to my darkest night ♪ ♪ I know you will be with me where I'm gone, all right ♪ I feel you in every heartbeat I feel you in every heartbeat I feel you in every heartbeat feel you in every heartbeat I came through a valley cold on winter night and shining on a hill a yellow beam of light
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much. This next one is called In Her Closet, and it's off my EP, Edge of the Earth. And this is about how We all have these little parts of ourselves that we don't necessarily want the world to see. It might be a problem that we're dealing with, a struggle, maybe something in our past, something in our present, but as we grow into ourselves and we grow to love who we are, it becomes harder and harder to hide those parts because we just want to be seen and loved for exactly who we are. This one's called In Her Closet.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: In her closet, she has dreams. Shiny shoes and magazines. Empty bottles of natural wine. And this is why she lies. In her closet, she has faith. Mustard seed, unplanted state. Skeletons and bullet rye. And this is why she cries. And oh, she lies. Oh, she cries. Oh, she longs to live an honest life. things in her closet holding back her life in her closet she has pain silk scarves and a silver chain sandals telling her to leave this is why she grieves and in her closet she has fear cigarettes and madam's beer hoodies from forgotten times this is why she cries
she cries. Oh, she loves to live an honest life. As she grows, it gets harder to hide the things in her closet holding back In her closet, she has joy. Formal gowns, her favorite toys. Running shoes, grandma's meal coat. This is what she knows. But in her closet, she has stress. At a band and suits to dress. Dirty laundry on the floor. She knows she's worth more. Thank you so much.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: So this summer, I've been playing at all different kinds of festivals. Bluegrass festivals, Americana festivals, some jazz festivals. And usually, a lot of times, the audience will say, do we have any jazz fans in the house? But I know we do here, right? So this next one, one of the things I love to do in my writing is write songs based off of standards that I love. And so this one I wrote based off of a standard that I love called Everything Happens to Me. Are we familiar with that? Some folks familiar with it? So it goes like, I make a date for golf and you can bet your life it rains. I try to give a party and the guy upstairs complains. I guess I'll go through life just catching colds and missing trains. Everything happens to me. So it's very woe is me and then the bridge is like oh I lost my lady love and she doesn't love me anymore and woe is me and everything's terrible. So um I went through something last year that made me feel like writing a woe is me song and was very inspired by that. This is called Today is Not My Day.
We're just tuning up here.
[Unidentified]: All of our instruments got used to the hot weather.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: Yes. All of our instruments are very angry right now. OK. We good? Is that OK? That's better. All right. It's called, Today Is Not My Day.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: Woke up to gray skies that cover the blue. Reached for the place where I used to find you. Walked out the door with a thorn in my shoe. Today is not my day. ♪ Got to the car and my tire was flat ♪ ♪ Wonder what you would have done about that ♪ ♪ Hit every red light on the buses I sat ♪ ♪ Today is not my day ♪ ♪ Time surely is all words ♪
But tomorrow can't come too soon Got home from work, left my keys in the door The candle burned out and it tripped on the floor I'm all out of wine, I can't cry anymore Today is not my day Time surely heals all wounds, but tomorrow I'll close my eyes and you're here next to me. Everything's just as we hoped it would be. Then the sun rises to shatter my dreams. Today is not my day. Today is not my day. Today is not my day.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: Jacob Means Mandolin. Max Ridley on bass. We got Grayson Hill on guitar. Hector Falu Guzman on drums. It's such a pleasure to play with these guys. I've been playing with Jacob for, shoot, 15 years? Has it been that long? We went to school together at New England Conservatory many moons ago. And I've been playing with Max here for, I don't know, a long time too. But it's just really special to share the stage with these guys.
Next, when we got here, I've been doing a lot of co-writing in Nashville recently, and one of the wonderful women I write with, her name is Melody Walker, and I'm from Idaho originally, and she said, we should write a song about Idaho. I'm like, I don't wanna write a song about Idaho. She's like, no, come on, come on, it'll be fun. And so I wrote this about how while I love Boston, Sometimes I fantasize about leaving the cold and the traffic and all the wonderful things that make Boston, Boston and moving back home to the Rocky Mountains. So this one's called Going Home to the Rockies.
I do love Boston, please don't be mad at me.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: I'm sick and tired of these silly lies Those big buildings don't treat me right My subway car is always breaking down Knocked up fake homes on Acorn Street Those cobblestones only hurt my feet I'll go crazy if I don't get my ticket out
[Unidentified]: Going home to the Rockies, back to where I started from City light only broke my bones
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: A little more quiet, a little more peace, a little more warmth in the evergreen. So I'm headed west with the fiddle on my back. Grilling up steaks from the neighbor's ranch cooks. Fenway Franks wouldn't stand a chance. So I'll choose you to forgive me this time. I'm not coming back.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to just retune here for you guys. This is my latest single. It came out last week. And thank you. It's in collaboration with the Steel Drivers, wonderful bluegrass group. It's called Prayer for the People.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: So much trouble in the land, oh Lord, oh Lord Heal this broken land, broken land, broken land so many So many angry souls, angry souls, oh lord. Bring love to their souls, to their souls, to their souls. So many frightened souls, frightened souls, oh lord. Knowledge to this land. Knowledge to this land. So much confusion in the land. Oh Lord, oh Lord. Bring knowledge to this land. Knowledge to this land. So much trouble in the land. Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord.
So much trouble Come heal this broken land Lord, broken land So much trouble in the land Oh Lord, oh Lord Oh Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord Come heal this broken land Lord, broken land So much trouble in the land Oh Lord, oh Lord Heal this broken land Broken land, broken land.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_10]: That song is on the radio, by the way. You guys can all hear that.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: It's on the radio, it's streaming, band cam, all the places. Prayer for the people.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: keep me This world of torple and snare, if I falter, Jesus is my Savior
[Unidentified]: Reject Jesus is not me Daily walking close to Thee Me, me, me
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_10]: Jacob Means on mandolin. Max Ridley on bass.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: Hector Faluguzman on drums.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_10]: Grayson Hillen on guitar.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: I gotta give a big shout out to Grayson because we just got back I guess last week from this festival we did in Wisconsin, thank you. And I'd never played duo shows with two guitars before. And so we worked out a bunch of these songs just arranged with two acoustic guitars and two voices, and it was so much fun, and he held it down so well. So, yeah. We've just been playing together this summer. We met at church, actually. So, big shout out to Grayson. This next one is the next single I've got coming up. This is called May A Love Like This Find Me. And it comes out, I believe, in October.
And I wrote this with a couple of wonderful musicians from the great bluegrass group Sister Sadie. And we wrote it, I brought in this theme, this chorus of talking about different scenarios or things that I see in the world that make me seek a love that I want to find. And not necessarily romantic love, but this song talks about the love between friends and the love between a parent and a child. And so I hope you enjoy this. It's called May a Love Like This Find Me. One, two, three.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: A woman walks her husband to the door, puts on his socks and shoes, and leads him where to go. And though he can't recall her name, he knows he's safe. She's there every day. Little girl runs onto the field. red on her pants, and in her eyes, tears. And Maggie covers her and tells her it's OK. She knows she's safe. She's there every day. May a love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this find me. Oh, may a love like this find me. May a love like this find me A love like this find me
A little boy runs to his mother's arms. His mind is not the same, and making friends ain't easy. He always tries. She understands. He knows he's safe because she's there. May a love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this find me. Oh, may a love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this find me. He heard something in her voice. He pours a glass of wine and meets her at the door. He wonders how she knows like he exists to meet her needs. He knows she's safe because he's there every day. May love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this find me. Oh, may a love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this find me. Someone who loves the things you hate about you.
Someone who sees you at your worst and loves you still. Someone who holds you to your life with undying goodwill. May love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this find me. Oh, may a love like this find me. May a love like this find me. A love like this grab your coat and get your hat leave your worries on the doorstep just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street can't you hear that bitter pack and that happy tune is yours there life can be so sweet on the sunny side of the street I used to walk the shade with those blues on parade oh but I'm not afraid this rover crossed over if I never had a chance I'd be rich as Rockefeller cold as death by feet on the sunny side of the street cause you let the land
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_10]: Bye!
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: Grab your coat and get your hat. Leave your worries on the doorstep. Just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street. Can't you hear that pitter pat and that happy tune is your step? Life can be so sweet on the sunny side of the street. I used to walk in the shade with those blues on parade. Oh, but I'm not afraid. This rover is crossover. If I never, never had a cent, I'd be rich as Rockefeller.
On the sunny side of the street. On the sunny side of the street. On the sunny side of the street.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_10]: Thank you. Thank you so much.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: We just got one more song for you. Thank you for being such a wonderful audience. Thank you again to Terry for having us out. It's just been such a pleasure. One more time for Jacob Means. Max Ridley. Hector Falu Guzman. I gotta shout out Hector now. This is only our second show together. It's our second show together. And the first show he did, it was a trio thing. And I said, I think I want percussion on like one song. And then he ended up playing like half the set, I think. Right? Like he sounds so good. Have to have him on everything.
So you guys remember, um, There was this terrible storm that blew through in January. I was in New Orleans for Folk Alliance. And I almost got stuck. A bunch of people almost got stuck. And it was that storm that shut the whole Northeast down for three days. And then it went through all of the South. And Nashville froze over. And a bunch of people lost their power for a couple weeks. And it was a big mess. And I was thinking about Leahy. potentially getting snowed in in your new home and like all of all of this stuff and just thinking about all the people who are trying to get home to their loved ones. And so I wrote this song, Caught in a Storm. And so it's about being caught in a storm with wanting to be caught in a storm with the people that you love, both literally and metaphorically. Thank you. That's the word I was looking for.
I have stickers, and they're free. And I would love for you to take a sticker and scan the QR code and sign up for my mailing list. You can get all the updates on what I'm doing and my shows and everything that I've got coming up. So please grab a sticker. I think they're over here at this table. Or no, they're back there with Liza. Everybody say hi, Liza. Both ways is great.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: New England is cold this time of year And lately the storms haven't calmed But this time it seems more likely than not We'll find ourselves caught in one Charles is frozen, the wind minus ten Been gone the whole week through Trying to make it back Just so that I can be caught in the storm with you Caught in a storm with you There's no place I'd rather be Than caught in a storm with you One bitter evening you looked in my eyes And said there's something I should know You said I'll be right here and I'll stay through it all In the rain and snow, my love is far greater than any old fear of what the gray skies bring. I'm living by faith and I'm running straight into the eye of the storm with you.
♪ You're even kinder to me ♪ I'm living by faith and I'm running straight into the eye of the storm with you.
[Unidentified]: be than caught in the storm with you.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: There's no place I'd rather be than caught in the storm with you. There's no place I'd rather be than caught in the storm with you.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: Thanks so much. I'm Farai.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_10]: One more?
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: Let's do flowers, let's do flowers. All right, this one is called Where Flowers Grow. And I wrote it when I was in a very dark, or when I was coming out of being in a very dark place. And it's just a song about gratitude, about being grateful for being alive and being on the other side of darkness. It's called Where Flowers Grow.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_08]: All the things I asked myself maybe 10 years ago. Can I stand on solid ground? Should I lie where flowers grow? Can I be more in control of the thoughts that bring me down? Will the angel on my shoulder ever take the demons down? Will I be so discontent with each curve in the road? Will I have some gratefulness and learn to stand on that alone? Can I be more in control of the thoughts that bring me down?
Will the angel on my shoulder ever take the demons down? Everything I know I'll ask myself When I'm older and gray Will I wish I'd said goodbye Will I be so glad I stayed I think that I'll be glad I stayed When I lie where flowers lay Can I be more in control of the thoughts that bring me down. Will the angel on my shoulder ever take the demons down? Thank you, thank you.
[4krK0kKt9D4_SPEAKER_02]: I'm Parai.
[Terry Carter]: So wow. So what we're trying to do here is we're trying to establish a tradition now of having at least one big voice every time we come out and do the Jazz Festival. So last year, we had Donna McElroy, and y'all know what that was. And this year, it's Farahi Malik, and it was just huge. So thank you so much. Thank you so much. Once again, the Farahi Malik Quintet. Farahi Malik on vocals and acoustic guitar. Grayson Hillen on electric guitar. Jacob Means on vocals and meandering. Max Ridley back here on vocals in the upright bass. And Hector Falu Guzman on the traps back here. Marvelous, just marvelous.
No worries. So we're going to need to take a little pause for the cars to switch over groups. So I'll be back with you in a little while. But in the meantime, please go inside and check out the offerings of the Danish Pastry House. They have some real deliciousness there. They've got savory. They've got sweet. So please go check them out. Check out the t-shirts upstairs on the deck. you know, that mint green and that bright orange, right, will set your wardrobe off for the next month. So you need to have one of those in your collection. So we're free, but we're not cheap. So make sure that you make a donation to the cause. See Shayla, she's got the red box, you know, drop a little coin or a little folding money, preferably folding money. in there, and we're happy to have you here. We hope you're enjoying yourselves, and we will be back very shortly with Mina Cho and her group, so get ready for something additionally special.