Grieves & Budo
Having spent nearly two years on the road touring in support of 88 Keys and Counting, Grieves found himself returning home to a fractured reality. Reeling from turbulence in his career and heartbreak in his personal life mixed with coming down from the high of the support he received on the road Grieves conceptualized Together/Apart, an album that would address the bond music creates between each of us as individuals and as a whole despite the many distances we experience be they geographical or emotional.
The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
Partnering with Rhymesayers' newest artist Grieves in 2008, the two musicians worked together on their first project. What started as an idea for an online-only EP immediately grew in scope and scale, blossoming into the record that would become 88 Keys and Counting. Layering dense synths, horns, and guitars the two brought a wildly refreshing approach to a genre that was wide open for change. Over the next two years, the duo spent their lives on the road, touring tirelessly in support of their new record and grinding out a fan base that now stretches across several continents and hundreds of cities across the world. As an integral and dynamic part of Grieves' live show, Budo adds guitar, trumpet, and synth layers behind Grieves unique synthesis of melodic singing and rapping. The two have recently finished work on Grieves' upcoming full-length Rhymesayers Debut LP, Together/Apart, and are preparing to hit the road in support of the new record beginning next Spring.
In addition to his work with Grieves, Budo has begun developing a dynamic catalog of production and solo-composition credits, including work with the Cunninlynguists, Mr. Lif, Brother Ali, Slug (of Atmosphere), Macklemore, and many more. Budo also has extensive production credits for major television networks including MTV, VH1, and Bravo. He's currently hard at work finishing up an E.P. with singer Evan Roman, entitled The First Hundred Years are the Hardest, and currently slated for a winter 2011 release.