Moshe Vilozny recalls when Michael Franti joined him and his band Universal Language on stage a decade ago at NorCal’s Reggae on the River. After putting so much work into his world-beat fusion dance band, he felt like he was seeing the fruits of his labor.
But for the past eight years, Universal Language has not been so active. Vilozny suddenly had a baby to make time for, plus member David “Pacha” Alvares moved back to Mexico and it didn’t feel the same without him.
Still, that drive to create never went away. Vilozny is currently raising funds for his debut solo album, which will feature music he’s been working on over the last several years.
“It’s something that wouldn’t have the dance floor jumping for a couple hours straight,” Vilozny says. “The new album, it’s more intimate and acoustic. It’s still got some groove, but I would say it’s more Americana, roots, soul. It’s more of a songwriter, storytelling approach, more about the lyrics and the song and having more sparse arrangements.”
The songs on the album are ready to record, which he plans to do once the project gets funded via Kickstarter. He’ll be playing guitar and singing on the record, with Dan Robbins on upright bass, Gary Kehoe on percussion, and his brother Boaz Vilozny on harmony vocals.
“These songs just happened. I didn’t set out to write them. It’s basically a natural evolution, just me being comfortable and playing really for myself. It’s been a process of not trying to please anyone, just playing for the joy of music,” Vilozny says. “A lot of these songs are about my personal experiences and where I’m at right now.”
INFO: To learn more about the Kickstarter campaign, visit moshev.com.
.Love Your Local Band: Moshe Vilozney
