Futurenot | "Be The Change"

For many, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a “glass half empty” outlook mourning the loss of canceled tours and gigs. For Jason Cressey and Peter Daniel, two household names in  Seattle’s funk, soul, and jazz scene, their outlooks shifted to “glass half full.. if not pouring over” upon the realization that there was now an abundance of time to make a record with their newly-formed cinematic, jazz-inspired hip-hop crossover project FUTURENOT. 

The project is rounded out by fellow trailblazers in the Seattle music scene: Tim Kennedy (Big Tooth, keyboards), David McGraw (True Loves, drums), Cole Schuster (big bad thoughts, guitar), and Mark Hunter (The Dip, bass). Building on the success of their debut single “Let Us In (ft. Moe Betta),” which kicked down sonic doors and perked up the ears of music aficionados and casual listeners alike, FUTURENOT has released their second single titled “Be the Change."

“Be the Change” is the first song that Cressey and Daniel wrote together. Inspired by hanging out at the park, it draws musical inspiration from the sounds, vibrations, and attitude of the Nat & Cannonball Adderley Quintet. “It’s our attempt at a jazz standard,” the duo explained to legendary radio DJ Abe Beeson. The song is based around a simple melody in the horns but basks in the glory of the rhythm section that creates an amazing vibe and context for the melody to melt on top of. The horns and the rhythm section feed off of each other’s vibrations in both melodic and rhythmic capacities and you can hear the feel-good, nearly telepathic chemistry that resonates with the strong influence of the Adderley brothers.

The single prefaces the band’s upcoming album Greatest Hits which drops on November 19, 2021, via Color Red. The album title seems like an oddity for a brand new group releasing their debut LP, but as the group explained in a feature piece with Abe Beeson of KNKX’s ‘The New Cool,’ it “represents the ‘greatest’ moments from several dozen musical ideas they've been working through even before FUTURENOT was formed.” While eclectic, Greatest Hits presents Cressey and Daniel as musical mixologists crafting a cohesive concoction that incorporates elements of “Theme from Shaft”-like anthems, vibey cinematic soundscapes, and conscious, yet lighthearted hip-hop impressions that appeal to fans of high-profile cross-over projects like Roy Hargrove's ‘The RH Factor,’ Robert Glasper’s ‘Black Radio’ and crate diggers mining for old instrumental soul 45s alike. It’s vintage-inspired music realized through a modern lens.  

For those in Seattle, FUTURENOT's second show will take place on Friday October 22nd at Drunky's Two Shoe BBQ in White Center. 

FUTURENOT is vintage-inspired music realized through a modern lens. It is about being in the present, creating music for the here and now while incorporating the experiences and influences of our past to move towards the future. The band blends elements of hip hop, jazz, soul and pop with vocals, backbeat and a generous dose of strong melodies that will require you to roll your windows down and turn the volume up.

"Greatest Hits" is the culmination of work that Jason Cressey and Peter Daniel began in 2013. The two met performing together in the horn section for local Seattle legends Funky2Death and quickly started collaborating on original music. Over the years as their respective careers have blossomed, they've continued to find themselves performing together, making time to stay friends and write music. The title of the album is more than just a tongue-in-cheek joke about a first release; it is a reference to how we drew from that material to create this collection.

Jason and Peter have been fortunate to perform together, and separately, with Macklemore, Odesza, Father John Misty, Monophonics, Durand Jones & the Indications, True Loves, Skerik, Stanton Moore, Nikki Glaspie, Ghost Note, Soul Rebels, Paper Boys, Liv Warfield, Polyrhythmics, Khu.eex and Lucky Brown.

FUTURENOT debuted to the world on March 10th 2020 opening for Neal Francis at Barboza in Seattle hours before COVID quarantine orders were issued. We then spent the better part of 2020 creating this album in anticipation of a future beyond the pandemic, when we can bring these soundwaves to an orbit near you.