released September 28, 2018

The Future Is Bright

“Overwhelmed with hope, overflowing with expectation and dreaming of what could be; the journey ahead as brilliant as the dawn breaking through the turbulent sea...”

Dreamer’s Interlude
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

“A dream that someday we’ll all be free. A day I hope that I’ll live to see. A prayer that hatred and violence will cease. It’s time to live this dream.”

Nuance
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP) Guitar solo: Jordan Damiani

Round Of A Pause
written by Phillip J Collier (BMI), Donald C. Stevens Jr/DonCherylMusic (ASCAP), Brandon Mullen/BMullenMusic (ASCAP), Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

Sunny/T.F.I.B. (Feat. Shaylah Stevens)
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

“Though hiding in plain sight, I can see the future and it’s quite bright. Evidence, these dreams will not end in the night. With hope await, the dawning of the light.”

O.T.T. Interlude
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP), Aliandro Prawl/PRAWL BWOY Productions LLC (ASCAP), Donald C Stevens Jr/DonCherylMusic (ASCAP), Brandon Mullen/BMullenMusic (ASCAP)

Sudden Inspiration (Feat. Simon Martinez) written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

Open (Feat. Eric Roberson & Sam Greenfield) written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP), Eric Roberson/Blue Erro Soul/Sony ATV Publishing (ASCAP) *Lyrics in booklet

You Oughta Know (Feat. Simon Martinez & Brandon Young) written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

Trocodile (Feat. Katisse Buckingham)
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

Fanfare
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP), Lawrence Farmer IV/The Black Surfer(ASCAP)

Traveling to Heaven
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP)

Song #2 (Bonus Track)
written by Christopher Michael Stevens/Signs Of Life Music (ASCAP), Donald C Stevens Jr/DonCherylMusic (ASCAP), Phillip J Collier (BMI), Brandon Mullen/BMullenMusic (ASCAP), Jordan Damiani/Jordan Damiani Music (ASCAP)

All songs produced by Vertical Current (Christopher Michael Stevens, Donald C Stevens Jr, Brandon Mullen, Phillip J Collier, Jordan Damiani, & Walter Nash Jr) with Sam Greenfield & Simon Martinez Except Track 11 produced by Christopher Michael Stevens & Jeff Thomas/Track 12 produced by Vertical Current

Executive Producer Christopher Michael Stevens

This album was recorded live at Giant Steps Recording on January 17, 2016 (Except for Song #2 which was recorded live to 2 inch tape at Stride10Nine Records on January 27, 2017 as a submission for the NPR Tiny Desk Contest)

Recordings Engineered by Vic Stevens at Giant Steps Recording in Sicklerville, NJ and by Jeff Thomas at Stride10Nine Records in Haverford, PA

Overdubs Engineered by Christopher Michael Stevens for Signs Of Life Music LLC, with the exception of the grand piano for tracks 4 & 8 and vocals for track 12 - Engineered by Jeff Thomas at Stride10Nine Records in Haverford, PA and Eric’s vocals- Engineered by Eric Roberson at Blue Room Studio in Lumberton, NJ.

Postproduction/Mixing/Mastering by Jeff Thomas at Stride10Nine Records in Haverford, PA

Art Direction and Design by Pamela English

Front Cover Photography by Christopher Michael Stevens


Vertical Current is:

Christopher Michael Stevens-Cornet (All Tracks Except 4 & 11)/Flugelhorn (Track 4)/French Horn (Tracks 8 & 10)/EVI (Track 9)/Vocals (Tracks 1 & 12)/Keys (Track 11)/Programming (Tracks 2 & 9)
Donald C Stevens Jr- Electric Bass (All Tracks Except 11)
Brandon Mullen- Drums (All Tracks Except 11)/Vocals (Track 5)
Jordan Damiani- Electric Guitar (All Tracks Except Tracks 8 & 11)
Phillip J Collier- Piano/Synthesizers (All Tracks Except Tracks 8 & 11)
Walter Nash Jr-Percussion (All Tracks Except Track 11)

Guests:

Simon Martinez- Electric Guitar (All Tracks Except Tracks 11 & 12) (Soloist on Tracks 6 & 8)
Sam Greenfield- Saxophone (All Tracks Except Tracks 11 & 12) (Soloist on Track 7)
Eric Roberson- Vocals (Track 7)
Shaylah Stevens- Vocals (Tracks 4 & 7)
Katisse Buckingham- Flute (Track 9)
Brandon Young- Grand Piano (Track 8)
Jeff Thomas- Vocals (Track 12)

THANK YOUs

First and always, thank You to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Your love never fails and that is what gives us the strength and the courage to keep going. To our families, for your sacrifices. Your support and investment in who we are off stage is truly precious and we are incredibly grateful for each of you (Shaylah Stevens, Cheryl Stevens, Walter Nash Sr & Ellen Willard, Tameeka Nash, Ruth Rodriguez, Eric & Tonya Mullen, Mike & Amy Danial, Jamilah Damiani, & Sakinah Collier). To our extended “Band-mily”, Sam Greenfield & Simon Martinez you guys will always have a place with VC! Thank you for your contributions to this album and to our lives. Katisse Buckingham, thank you for lending your skill and expertise so generously! It is an honor to have you be a part of our story. To Brandon Young, thank you for being willing to share your gift with us! You on a real piano is a truly wonderful sound. To Jeff Thomas, thank you for believing in us and for the countless hours you’ve put into helping us complete this project but most importantly for your friendship. Speaking of friends, thank you to Eric Roberson for all of the time and energy that you have spent to help us. You have shared your wisdom and your resources so unselfishly. To Vic Stevens, for opening the doors of your studio and helping us capture these moments and for bailing us out when the hard drive crashed! In addition, there have been several people who have supported us during these last few years that we would like to mention: J Michael Harrison (WRTI 90.1fm), Dan “Dilemma” Thomas, Rachel Greenberg, Yocontalie Jackson, Anthony Tidd and the Kimmel Center Sittin’ In staff, Johnny Brenda’s, Zoe Ashby, & Darryl DeBrest. Also, we wanna give a big shout out to our sisters Chartel & Lee Mo. Even though you are not on this album you will always be VC!! We can’t wait to work with you both again. Last but certainly not least, thank you to all of our fans! We can’t do this without you. Thank you for taking this journey with us. We are so very excited to share the next step with you because the future is indeed bright! If you have taken the time to read this, THANK YOU!!!