C3zr Shares Debut Album’s Last Single “Together”
Chicago-based pianist and producer C3zr shares his debut album’s last single, the breezy soul-pop song “Together” featuring Chicago singer Paolo Apuli. Pino announced his electrified soul debut album Round Voyage last fall — out on March 1st off of LA-based label 600 Block Record (Killah Priest, Pugs Atomz) — and “Together” shows the album’s warmer, more plaintive side.
After years studying and teaching music, Pino stylized his name as C3zr to share his own musical outlet. The upcoming album features a wide array guests to help flesh out the producer’s compositions and beats, including Chicago-based rapper and neo-soul singer Ifeanyi Elswith for the lead single “B.B.B,” the R&B vocalist Travis Percy for the smoldering slow jam “Not Over U,” and now Apuli’s affectionate singing on “Together” reveals a gentler side of the record.
Under The Radar wrote of the single that it’s “a more breezy and soulful effort, floating atop easygoing drum machine beats and simmering keys.” The magazine continued, “it also shows off an undeniable plaintive charm, carried by warm tones, hazy production, and an exceedingly smooth vocal performance from Apuli.”
Pino said, “This is my second collaboration with singer-songwriter, Paolo Apuli. One of my inspirations on this track was discovering Mac Ayres and how he creates an R&B feel with smooth, gentle vocals. I wanted to emulate that with Paolo on vocals and guitar, to give it an airy, floating-like feel. I ended up playing this gentle chord progression on the Fender Rhodes, and it gave this warm feeling. As we got the song’s backbone down, the theme came to be about friendship and coming together.”
After sharing the single “B.B.B” this fall, Chicago Public Radio station Vocalo shared it in a recent round-up of artists “poised to break through.” Atwood Magazine shared his previous single, writing he “channels that familiar, timeless yearning into something far more soulful and smoldering: A jazzy, smoky seduction.” Northern IL NPR affiliate station WNIJ had Pino and his collaborators in the studio too, showing the new songs in a live context.
Pino began studying piano at just six years old, later earning a scholarship through the Chicago Piano Music Festival at Northeastern Illinois University. He completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music there, and he even got to tour China with university’s jazz ensemble. He also co-founded the new Chicago jazz lounge Opus, which opened last summer. Check out our previous coverage here.