two cold

Ironically, Chi-Town natives Sherwen Moore and Aaron C. Nicholas recorded their smooth jazz album “Cityscapes 2010” five years ago, “imaging a day traveling through Chicago hearing a variety of jazzy styles that make up sounds of the city in the year 2010.” While the genre has seen better days—with a major retreat of radio outlets abandoning the beloved format—the tunesmiths of Two Cold apparently set out then to create a palette of songs that would stand the test of time, and its re-ignition is anything but dated. Moore has been playing sax since age 13 and warmed up for the likes of Earth Wind & Fire, before forming Two Cold in 1987 with former member Lawrence Blakley (releasing “Zone Volume 1” in 1997, whose tracks were utilized as background music for numerous commercial campaigns). In 2002, Nicholas joined as the duo’s composer, with production of “Cityscapes” commandeered by Reggie Torian, a member of well-traveled R&B group The Impressions. The joyous “Poppin” and “Last Night” are representative of the outfit’s melodic template, driven by Moore’s sweet sax and Nicholas’ angelic cunning with the piano keys; while “Rap Sheet” ups the tempo via a melodic allusion to the Windy City's frenetic pace, complete with sirens, a knee-tapping percussive beat and juicy bass. On the other end of town, “Morning Dew” is as gentle as a hand-in-hand walk along the city’s Chicago River, while “LSD,” an homage to the iconic Lakeshore Drive, is funk-fortified with a jogger’s pace and a melody so memorable, all it lacks is a vocal to sing along. Two Cold know their territory as master musicians. “Cityscapes 2010” is certainly a universal journey.


Billboard Discoveries
July 2010



- Billboard Discoveries

In the dark, silent sanctuary of St. Felicitas Church, the duo Two Cold is cooking up a musical storm. Pianist Lawrence Antonio Blakely lumbers his fingers with arpeggios up and down the keyboard, then heads into the “Zone” the title track of their debut album.

Tenor saxophonist Sherwen Moore enters the church and picks up the song, wailing a blues-tinged line as he comes down the aisle. The two lines weave around each other, touch in unison for a moment, and flow on, not in traditional harmony, but in something like conversation.

More than Just Jazz

Two Cold refuses to be confined to just jazz. Their music incorporates classical, Caribbean an even hip-hop elements, including spoken word. Blakley and Moore refuse to confine themselves to a single role, either. They balance their lives as musicians with work in the community, especially with young people.

by Maureen Kelleher
Streetwise – 1997 - Streetwise

Ironically, Chi-Town natives Sherwen Moore and Aaron C. Nicholas recorded their smooth jazz album “Cityscapes 2010” five years ago, “imaging a day traveling through Chicago hearing a variety of jazzy styles that make up sounds of the city in the year 2010.” While the genre has seen better days—with a major retreat of radio outlets abandoning the beloved format—the tunesmiths of Two Cold apparently set out then to create a palette of songs that would stand the test of time, and its re-ignition is anything but dated. Moore has been playing sax since age 13 and warmed up for the likes of Earth Wind & Fire, before forming Two Cold in 1987 with former member Lawrence Blakley (releasing “Zone Volume 1” in 1997, whose tracks were utilized as background music for numerous commercial campaigns). In 2002, Nicholas joined as the duo’s composer, with production of “Cityscapes” commandeered by Reggie Torian, a member of well-traveled R&B group The Impressions. The joyous “Poppin” and “Last Night” are representative of the outfit’s melodic template, driven by Moore’s sweet sax and Nicholas’ angelic cunning with the piano keys; while “Rap Sheet” ups the tempo via a melodic allusion to the Windy City's frenetic pace, complete with sirens, a knee-tapping percussive beat and juicy bass. On the other end of town, “Morning Dew” is as gentle as a hand-in-hand walk along the city’s Chicago River, while “LSD,” an homage to the iconic Lakeshore Drive, is funk-fortified with a jogger’s pace and a melody so memorable, all it lacks is a vocal to sing along. Two Cold know their territory as master musicians. “Cityscapes 2010” is certainly a universal journey.

Cortney Harding
Billboard Discoveries
July 2010



- Billboard Discoveries