PJ Morton releases ‘Cape Town To Cairo’ new album made in Africa.

Today, PJ Morton – 5x GRAMMY-winning soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer based in New Orleans has released an album unlike anything he has ever done before – taking listeners on a trip from Cape Town to Cairo – out now via Morton Records/EMPIRE. 

The unprecedented project saw Morton fully create the new LP during a 30-day journey across Africa to immerse himself in soundscapes and cultures with plans to create a collaborative project that shows the world that Africa is more than Afrobeats.

From Cape Town and Johannesburg (South Africa) to Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana) and Cairo (Egypt), he stepped foot onto the continent last October with only the wild dream to make a record in a month, and a mission to immerse himself in as many different cultures, stories and communities as he could. 

The trip started with no music, lyrics or preconceptions. 

Reflecting on his travels PJ Morton says, “I wanted to capture the emotions I felt while I was on the continent, so I made a promise that I wouldn’t write anything before I arrived in Africa, and I wouldn’t write anything after I left – I ended up recording all my vocals before I left too. It really was an experiment in trusting my instincts.

I have the ability to overthink as many of us do, so I wanted to spark something that had real stakes.”

While collaborating with featured artists including Fireboy DML, Mádé Kuti, Asa, Ndabo Zulu, and Soweto Spiritual Singers, producers like P.Priime and The Cavemen., his own live band and local musicians, ‘Cape Town to Cairo’ finds PJ Morton using music as his greatest common language. On “Count On Me,” PJ and Fireboy DML speak to the world as a whole, through an uplifting message about the power of friendship and unity. 

PJ shares the process of making the album, “We didn’t have the luxury of time to police which genres would fit where, and the origins of all this music started in Africa anyway.

What ended up happening was that all of my raw thoughts and influences came out all at once. 

There’s of course R&B and soul, but there’s also gospel in songs like “Simunye”, pop in “Count On Me” and jazz on “All The Dreamers”. Cape Town to Cairo is the diaspora in music form, done my way.”

He connects New Orleans to Lagos on “Smoke & Mirrors” – recorded a day after Fela Kuti’s birthday festivities – while the transportive arrangements of “Please Be Good” and “Simunye (We Are One)” feat. Soweto Spiritual Singers showcase native sounds and the pride in belonging to something bigger than oneself. 

Whether the song came all at once or developed across multiple countries, as was the case with “All The Dreamers” feat. Asa & Ndado Zulu, Morton felt a constant sense of gratitude that manifested in “Thank You,” as well as an awareness for his personal lineage and many others’ ancestors who were taken from Africa (“Who You Are” feat. Mádé Kuti). 

CAPE TOWN TO CAIRO TRACKLIST

Smoke & Mirrors

Count On Me feat. Fireboy DML

Please Be Good

Who You Are feat. Mádé Kuti

Thank You

I Found You

All The Dreamers feat. Asa & Ndabo Zulu

Home Again

Simunye (We Are One) feat. Soweto Spiritual Singers

 

Listen to Cape Town to Cairo via Morton Records/EMPIRE, and experience the making of the album in a new full-length lyric video: WATCH

In addition to ‘Cape Town to Cairo’, PJ Morton just became the first Black composer to write music for a Disney attraction Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. \

The historic collaboration opens June 28th at Disney World and later this year at Disneyland. 

The new ride features his original, New Orleans-inspired soundtrack and theme song, “Special Spice.” 

Furthermore, PJ Morton has announced the publication of his career-spanning memoir Saturday Night, Sunday Morning Arriving November 12th via Worthy Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, the book sees him recounting and reflecting upon a trailblazing path that continues to defy expectations while straddling the tensions of music and faith, race and culture, expression and identity. 

Before then, PJ Morton and his band will embark on an extensive, worldwide Cape Town to Cairo Tour, with even more dates to be added soon. Find the latest dates for the Cape Town to Cairo Tour here pjmortonmusic.com/#shows 

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