Redbull Panamerika is premiering the title track off my new EP on Soul Clap Records. The track features the legendary Tempo Alomar on vocals, homie and frequent collaborator Evan Laflamme on sax, and Caserta with the mix & master. They asked me some questions about the project, and I'll add the translation here;
“To our delight, the guys at Soul Clap Records have just brought us Bosq, a producer from Boston pointing us to African sounds embedded in both sides of the Atlantic and on both ends of the hemisphere. Nods to the Caribbean, disco and afrobeat arrive especially in “Tumbalá” the track that gives name to this EP and which Panamérika premiers today. And to know what all this sounds like, it’s Bosq himself to resolve any doubts and bring this material to be released in full next Monday August 17th.
1) Tumbalá found in the EP influences ranging from West Africa, the Caribbean and the Afro-American sound. Was intentional explore all these worlds worlds? What is the one you want to explore?
The further along I have gotten in making music the more comfortable I am with allowing all of my influences to bleed together like this. I look at production and writing in a similar way to dj’ing, Im always hoping combine these different sounds and work to highlight the natural bridges that exist between them and bring out my favorite parts of each. There are so many shared rhythms and traditions especially between African & Latin music, which also meld beautifully with disco, reggae house music, etc. I don’t usually pick out which type of worlds I will be exploring before I start they just sort of find their way into the music at the right time, for example, when I started Tumbalá I didn’t expect that it would have vocals from a Salsero, It just progressed that way naturally.
2) Although it is an EP, “Tumbalá” is a vast subject that recalls the Jam Sessions of the Golden Age of Salsa. What were your influences to get that job?
It makes me happy to hear you say that because I always want my music to sound natural and organic, but with that extra punch that will make it translate to today. I always want to approach each project hoping that it will stand the test of time and have a vintage feel but still be relevant, so I’m soaking in so many influences but never chasing any of them too hard because I think that’s how music becomes too temporary. In terms of specific influences for this EP, definitely that classic Colombian Salsa which to me is a little more raw and has a little more African sound to it, as well as Cumbia, Afrobeat, Disco, Brasilian rhythms (especially “because you”). I had maybe 6 to 8 tracks for me and soul clap to pick 4 out of and these ended up fitting together the best and being the best representation of my whole sound in only 4 tracks I think.
3) ”Because You” and “Riding High” are more oriented disco and dance, without leave African rhythms tracks. How is the effort to integrate these elements?
Afro-Latin percussion and rhythms have always grabbed me in such a strong way that I can never really make a track without them. I think that is probably the most consistent thing about all of my music and it feels very natural for me to incorporate that feel into everything I make. I play most of the percussion on my tracks live so it’s less of a conscious decision and more I’m just following what I feel the track needs and wants. A lot of the classic disco I love also incorporates that feel so I am definitely influenced by the past, records by Candido, Brass Construction, War, Cymande, Loose Joints and many more!
4) We also want to know how to get to “Make It Work”, a different theme for us, more connected to Afrobeat, the street party and African traditions
This is the most “housey” of the tracks for certain, I wanted to really focus on the drums and rhythms here without too many extra distractions, but the melodic elements, electric piano stabs, and a simple guitar melody, are very inspired by the music of Fela Kuti. I love to use keyboards and other instruments almost like another percussion instrument, just adding more and more to the groove. Since I am not a classically trained pianist or anything like that, I find it easier and more natural to layer many simple elements together rather than have a crazy solo you know? But I think the complexity you can build with layering can be really interesting too, and really funky and rhythmic. And even though you can feel this song is very inspired by West Africa - there’s the timbales being played by a salsa timbalero and he is playing a classic oriza rhythm which was popular from Bomba and Plena! So it’s all connected, and that is one of the reasons I love making music so much.”