Zacchae'us Paul - Jazz Money

Debut album from multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Zacchae'us Paul

Jazz Money, the debut album from multiinstrumentalist, composer, and producer Zacchae'us Paul, is an irreverent, fresh take on jazz that reflects his deep understanding of Black music and the African diaspora. Paul blends jazz, with gospel, the Caribbean rhythms he learned first hand in Puerto Rico, and the Atlanta hip-hop he grew up with, into a wholly personal, youthful and thoughtful sound.

Featuring a cast of inspired improvisers, including executive producer Terri Lyne Carrington, Morgan Guerin, and Melanie Charles, Jazz Money is music of and for the new generation of jazz.

Paul's early musical lessons came from his then-step-father Darrin Jennings, who taught him to play by ear and record music, fostering his love for jazz and gospel. His time at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico and the Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico exposed him to Caribbean music and the African diaspora's history, proving revelatory. The album reflects these diverse influences.

The tracklist showcases Paul's pop sensibility, humor, and diverse musical biography. "Banana Laffy Taffy," with its lush piano and vocal textures, is an ode to the underdog, banana, what Paul believes is the most "underrated" flavor of Laffy Taffy. "Mama Said" is a heartfelt dedication to the extraordinary Black women who have shaped Paul's life. "Better Dayz" is an emotionally powerful song that navigates through the turbulence of lost love and personal growth, all the while holding onto the hope of a brighter future. The powerful "Alpha Woman" features vintage spoken word from the great Beah Richards.

Jazz Money flips, reverses, and reimagines conventions, letting no tradition go unquestioned in its quest to create a fresh, inclusive sound.