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This album chronicles my journey to find a home that I can identify as my own. As I grow as a person, I have come to understand home as the connections and relationships I build and foster throughout my life. This includes relationships with people, culture, and spirituality. 

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Lakay means “home” in Haitian Kreyol. I was born into a home that provided an abundance of great food, rich culture, and a worldview that I adopted as my own. As I grew up and developed my own understanding of the way the world works, I began to feel disconnected from the feeling of home that I once knew. The first few years after college were difficult. While my basic needs were met, I harbored a great feeling of dissatisfaction with myself. I had a roof over my head, but I did not have a home. Something didn’t feel right. After doing some soul searching I started to realize that it was up to me to create my own home. I had to do the work to find out what was important to me. I started to furnish my home with people, customs, and worldviews that felt true to me. Although I am still on that journey, I have never felt more at home than I do now. 

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Tido is named after my uncle Ti Degramme, who passed away in June 2021 due to complications with COVID-19. My uncle was a pillar of empathy and strength in my family growing up. Those are two qualities that I attempt to carry in myself. As I grow and experience more of this world, I realize how difficult it is to truly embody those characteristics. When I come across difficult situations, I often find myself wondering what my uncle would have done.  

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For Lor was a piece written after the passing of my mother-in-law, Lorri Kanig Halberstadt. Such a tragic experience opened up deep pockets of empathy for my wife and all those who knew her better than I did. I have seen first-hand how death can change the ones closest to the deceased, for better or for worse. Even though we are still experiencing the ramifications of her passing, we can take solace in the bonds that have strengthened as a result of this tremendous loss.  

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Fore is a nod to the start of my journey of finding myself and what my home is. I wrote this song a few months after leaving school and entering the professional world. One of the first epiphanies I had was that I have always been on this journey, in one way or another. As I end one part of my journey, I begin anew. The cyclical nature of the song speaks to the cycle created by embarking on new beginnings and new endings. 

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A Devotion can be defined as religious worship or observance. I learned much of what I know about music in church, and spirituality deeply informs my craft as a musician. One of the things that attracted me to the African American tradition of playing music is the deep sense of spirituality that permeates the music I hear. I hope that with every note, you will be able to hear my music reaching for something greater. 

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Alma is a name that I would consider naming my child if I were to have a daughter. The name came up in an ongoing conversation with my wife about baby names. The song is written in reference to me daydreaming about the person I think my daughter would be. Would she be reserved and laid back, like me? Would she be warm and talkative, like her mother? What would she look like? It can be so much fun to lose ourselves in visions of the future. Alma is a gesture to what the future could have in store for me. 

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Dear Walter was written after the Killing of Walter Wallace Jr in West Philadelphia. After hearing about the news of his killing, I did a bit of research into who he was and the events leading up to his death. He suffered from mental health issues and was having an episode when the police were called. The thing that stood out to me the most was the amount of confusion and distress he must have experienced. I wrote the piece as a lullaby to help his soul rest.   

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El is a generic word for a deity. This song explores the excitement and wonder that comes from a relationship to the source. I have been exploring spirituality and trying to figure out my own relationship with God. After realizing how much my perspective on God and the world has grown, I have been seeking out new ways to understand and embrace my point of view. I felt at odds with the experience for a while, not feeling like I understood where my faith was leading me. Now, I think I’ve been able to find a sense of peace on my journey to discover who or what God is for me. It feels great!