Toronto nights & Music with Just Prince

It was Friday night, and a good friend of the show, Just Prince, invited us to the listening party for his new album, Ocean. We made the journey to the holy land of Toronto and, like good Samaritans, arrived on time. That gave us a chance to talk with artists like Prince and Abbas away from the maddening crowds.
Talking to an artist in an unfiltered way is my attempt to understand the depth of their world and creativity. We had listened to Prince’s previous work, so we had an idea that this album would be different from what we expected. Getting to know Abbas was a rare opportunity. He learned the tabla from the same house as Ustad Zakir Hussain. That fact alone told me everything about the creative depth of the team behind this album.
The same goes for Reza. We did not get a chance to speak with him, but after listening to Ocean, I understood why Prince needed him on board. In Toronto, it seems every artist knows what it means to work with Reza. He is one of the greats.
After people started to roll in, we met more artists like Rohit from Sound of Rooh. I had heard him live before at a mehfil organized by our beloved friends from Virasat. Speaking of a small world, I found another South Asian artist with Lahori roots there. Guess what? We were all connected through Virasat. A small world, or perhaps just proof of how tight-knit this Toronto community truly is. Coming from the West Coast, I found this refreshing. I had missed this element back home in BC.
More people arrived. More artists to talk with. Some were learning the art of music. Others were just setting their feet. For a few, this was their first album listening party. We were all excited for our host to begin what I will call a slippery whopping slash of music.
I had Just Prince on my show Awaaz Radio to talk about his previous album, Nacheez, along with his story and inspiration. This listening party reminded me of that interview. He had started working on Ocean back then. I could hear elements of our conversation woven into the album. He was onto something, and looking back, I realize he gave us a great preview of what was coming.
After a few words from our host, who thanked us and made sure we had food and chai to settle in, the listening began.
Then it started, folks. The music took me from lows to highs and back to a place where I was left with existential questions.
“Rain Day,” “Tick Tock,” and “Bright Side” kicked me back. These were not just songs with lyrics. I could feel it in the recording. Before the words arrived, the instruments entered a flow state. The musicians were playing with the music, not following a straight path from A to B to C. They moved from A to G, G to M, M to Z, and back to A. They had fun with it, and they did it with such ease that we, the listeners, were able to join them on that journey.
“Barren” stood out. It was not just a song but a movie score. It had an elemental quality. I could feel what it means to be barren. Just Prince used his voice in a way that made me realize the pain embedded in that word.
Another highlight was Just Prince’s vocals. With every song, he transitioned from one mode to another. The blues. Jazz. Classical Indian. Then back to a poppy neo soul element. Each shift gave the song a new character. It would not have been possible without the vocals he brought to the production.
There were moments when I would try to figure out the highs and lows, the drops. Just Prince was sitting across from me. During “Bright Side,” we were all sewn into the depth of the music. We looked at each other and knew exactly where the drop was going to happen. The emotional wavelength was the same.
And that is Ocean for you, folks.
I would love to give more details, but I would be robbing you of the experience. So I encourage you to go and listen. Maybe it will be something that connects us all. Something we will have in common.
Let us know how you felt about the album. DM us. Email us. Share your thoughts and feelings.
Hopefully I will write again soon and return with more stories that help build our connection.