The Ohio Valley’s own organic soul/R&B/pop group Ezra & The Reletivs, led by Ezra John Hamilton, is set to host a release party for its first full-length album, Guayaba (gwī-ya-ba), from 7-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at The Capitol Theatre Ballroom in Wheeling.
Band members include: lead vocalist Ezra Hamilton, a member of the cover band Hit Play; Logan Seidler on drums; Luke Daller of Hit Play on bass; and keyboardist David Sims Jr.
The band has self-produced and released three singles including fan-favorite “Are You Down?” (available on Apple Music & Spotify) since their inception in January 2018.
The album hosts a multitude of musical influences including, but not limited to, D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder, Prince, J-Dilla and Jacob Collier. Lyrically, it is a foray into the ideas of life, love, relationship and time.
Hamilton brings his 20 plus years of studio, musical and personal life experiences with him while the group bends and stretches the ideas of music “genre.” The music captivates listeners, incorporating organic drum loops, acoustic and electric guitar, orchestrated vocals and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
For their first full-length album, Ezra & the Reletivs enlisted the help of Hamilton’s longtime friend and peer Brian Craddock.
Craddock is a guitarist for American Idol icon Chris Daughtry. Hailing from Charlottesville, Virginia, he has established himself as a producer/writer in Nashville, Tennessee, over the past four years.
One of the songs included on the album, “Connectivity/The Light (Live in Studio),” features engineering and production by local Emmy-winner Jamie Peck, and was recorded live at West Liberty University’s Media Arts Center Recording Studio.
The release party, hosted by Ezra & The Reletivs, will feature other local and regional entertainment including:
• DJ Stealth-1: A former Pittsburgh native, now based in London/Toronto, Ontario. Stealth blends soul music of the ’60s/’70s/’80s with English House and R&B, all while using only a few crates of records and two turntables.
• 12/8 (Twelve/Eight): This new group of high school kids from Wheeling and St. Clairsville brings to the stage the energy and musical prowess of Greta Van Fleet and the Arctic Monkeys. They have regularly been performing in the greater Wheeling area since March and have created a huge buzz in the community.
Tickets are $25 per single/$40 per couple. Food from Hangover BBQ is included. Tickets are on sale now at the WesBanco Arena Box Office, www.etix.com and at a number of local businesses. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Augusta Levy Learning Center, an evidence-based autism treatment program in Wheeling.