Known for his explosive live performances and powerful compositions, 2023 alone saw daoud perform with internationally renowned artists including Ibrahim Maalouf, Lakecia Benjamin and Erik Truffaz around the world, while his diverse portfolio career includes co-producing #1 records, and publishing several books on trumpet playing and improvisation.

Influenced by contemporary trumpet greats Keyon Harrold and Theo Croker, daoud’s quintet spent two days at the Alhambra studio in Rochefort – an old converted cinema – capturing the ensemble’s daring live sound and groove-based original compositions. With an intense, sarcastic sound, through his debut the trumpeter strives to prove that “you can play “serious music” without taking yourself too seriously”.

Creatively implementing slick modern production, ‘Good Boy’ draws on neo-soul, stoner rock, and psychedelia as well as an atypical lineup featuring synthesizers and vibraphone to craft a colorful palette that is uniquely daoud’s. Extending the ensemble with a series of featured artists, including a lush string quartet, scorching affected electric guitar and lyrically melodic saxophone, the record carries the listener through a number of refreshingly contrasting soundworlds and textures.

Each composition is a musical representation of personal stories and pieces of daoud’s identity; ‘Ford Focus 1999’ is a love letter to the grooves of his youth, ‘Non Peut-être’ paints imagery of a late night drive through Brussels, and ‘Chloé’ is a cathartic trip back to a teenage breakup, when emotions run higher and wounds cut deeper.

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