Fresh and sweet with a balanced radiance depict that wonderful sensation of biting into a flawlessly ripe mango. The minute the skin meets with your teeth and breaks the soft exterior guarding the juice inside, it uncovers a succulent treasure for your taste buds.
Though one can’t physically bite into a sound, the experience of listening to local Milwaukee musician and recent UW Madison grad Kevin Paris’s debut album, Mangos For Breakfast, is the audible equivalent of sinking your teeth into one of those mouth-wateringly juicy mangos.
The album, a breezy folk reggae combination, features Paris’s soothing vocals accompanied by an acoustic guitar, ukulele, the unique sound of a djembe drum and, of course, the talent of his long-time friends, Charlie Lynch, Jake Held and Andrea Brubaker – all fellow UW students.
Produced at Rocket 88 Studio in Middleton this past spring, Mangos For Breakfast personifies what Paris dubs “Midwest Ease.”
“It’s the feeling you have within the Midwest. People are calm, relaxing, friendly and open,” Paris said in a recent interview with the Badger Herald. “The phrase tries to capture that down-to-earth feel.”
Though the album may represent our region’s amicable attitude, the peaceful ethereal spirit of the musicality brings to mind visions of a seaside escape, a world away – perhaps a reflection of Paris’s time spent studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa during his junior year at UW.
“While traveling, the title of the album was confirmed because it was prime mango season,” Paris said. “I would get up in the morning and just indulge in the mangos.”
Though Paris has always had an interest in music, it wasn’t until after returning from South Africa that he truly began to pursue a professional interest in sharing his talent with friends and the world.
“Having music as an outlet is the perfect way to express yourself and share that expression with others,” Paris said.
Though his family is creatively oriented – with a father who plays guitar and writes poetry and a mother who loves to sing – Paris credits his driven attitude and keen musical sense to the development of his independent musical growth.
“My family has vastly influenced and fostered my character and the lenses through which I see the world… all of which are purely reflected through my lyrics, melodies and music in general,” Paris said.
This world lens is also affected by his familial history. Paris’s mother was born and raised in the U.S., his father in Italy and his stepmother in Brazil. These varied influences, both domestic and international, help Paris understand and build an admiration for the cultural connections that bridge human relations.
Paris plans to explore his heritage further in November when he will be traveling to Sao Paulo, Brazil with his stepmother for what he refers to as his own personal form of grad school.
“I’m going to take that time to get everything in line and really practice because if I’m going to take [music] seriously, I need to do so on all levels.”
As Paris eloquently details on his blog, “having spent the most part of the last 22 years of my life with school at the forefront of all things, I’ve been a beneficiary of truly beautiful experiences and an invaluable education, but consequentially had to sideline music far more than the melodious soul would like.”
As luck would have it, this “melodious soul” will even have an inspirational mango tree in the backyard of his new Brazil home. Life couldn’t be sweeter.
To learn more about Kevin Paris, visit kevinparismusic.com. Check out Mangos For Breakfast on iTunes and Amazon.
If you are a local musician and would like an artist spot in The Badger Herald send an e-mail to [email protected].
