New York Nostalgia is an album about almost-love. Stumbling, loving, sexy, flirty, sad, warm, dirty, loose love — fleeting, and true. These songs are love letters; love letters to old flames, and to a New York that is no more; a broken city of cook-outs, Sesame Street, late-night stoop hangs, bad blocks, 106th Street, bebop, post-bop, playing tag in the hallway. My band Bottom Heavy has true chemistry. The band is live on this record - it’s warm, it's crisp. It's the sound of a band playing in the same room, everyone up close, together and tight. There were lots of rehearsals, lush and intricate arrangements, careful attention was paid to the sound; real, live, warm musicians - breathing life and soul into the room and sound. The music is rooted in groove, with a nod to soul and the blues, hints of Marika's classical upbringing with the spirit of jazz. Bottom Heavy is: Marika Hughes (cello/voice), Kyle Sanna (guitar), Charlie Burnham (violin), Fred Cash Jr (bass) Tony Mason (drums). With special guests on this album: Marc Cary (piano), Ron McBee (percussion), Doug Wamble (slide gtr), Mike McGinnis (tenor sax), Jordan McLean (trumpet), Imani Uzuri and Morley (additional vocals). I produced this record with Doug Wamble at Brooklyn Recording with Andy Taub engineering. And it was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound.