Video premiere: Joshua Crumbly, ‘Reflection’

Kevin Bronson on August 18th, 2020

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In a world divided, the music of Joshua Crumbly takes the listener to a place that is uniquely unified, not just in the styles he blends but in the commonality of the emotions and ideas his songs suggest.

Crumbly, a bassist-composer who has collaborated and toured with the likes of Kamasi Washington, Leon Bridges, Ravi Coltrane, Lizz Wright, Anthony Wilson and Terrence Blanchard, stepped out in May with the release of his debut album “Rise.” It’s a half-hour of instrumental jazz-rock-soul fusion that offers a calming, conversational tone as an antidote to today’s oppressive invective.

This week, the Southern California native, who studied at Julliard, releases the standalone single “Reflection,” a sonic addendum to the album and a song whose warm keys (courtesy of David Cook) and restrained percussion glow with hope, despite what dominates the headlines every day. Suffice to say Crumbly is not the kind of man who shouts at his television.

“I was in a very pensive mood with everything going on in the world and wrote this song while listening to the news in the background,” Crumbly says. “The progression allowed me the space to brood in my thoughts and feelings as well as brought me to a more hopeful place the more I played it. My wish is that you feel invited to reflect in your own way upon listening to the song.”

The video, directed and edited by Alan Be, offers a montage of images from recent social justice protests along with footage of Crumbly in solemn contemplation.

“The video is meant to symbolize holding on to that small glimmer of light and finding one’s own belief that we are going to get through this,” Crumbly adds. “I think there’s been a tremendous focus on the ‘rage’ and similar emotions of this time but not enough on the beautiful moments of unity worldwide and my wish was to focus on the latter. A lot has been brought to light, and my belief is that the collective awareness, empathy and togetherness this time has brought will lead us to better days ahead.

“I hope to have captured the ‘bittersweetness’ of the time, but also hopefully convey an uplifting message, both sonically and visually, that leaves room for your own ‘Reflection.’”

||| Watch: The video for “Reflection”