Area Music Artist EJ Simpson Will Release his Third Album May 5

Philadelphia music artist E.J. Simpson will release his third album, Fabulous Fantasy, this May 5 at the Fallser Club in Philadelphia; located at 3721 Midvale Ave.

“I started working on this album five years ago,” said Simpson, 54, “I don’t know why it took me so long.”

Simpson is proud of how Fabulous Fantasy turned out.

Simpson released his first album, Heart like a Tiny Jewel, 2009. Seven years later in 2016, Simpson released his second album, Got a Circle to Circle.

“The first album was about a break-up relationship; the second was about life and love, living in the city and living on the earth,” Simpson said. “The theme of Fabulous Fantasy is traveling inwardly and outwardly. It’s about celebrating our brief existence in these bodies on Planet Earth. This album takes you on a ride.” Simpson elaborated that a reviewer described his new album as watching a blade runner movie but with headphones.

Certain Sun Ra aficionados might notice that a few of the notes on the first two tracks of Fabulous Fantasy - Strangebird (If Beautiful) and Hare Hare - arguably have a Sun Ra sound. (Sun Ra’s birth name was Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993.)

Asked if he listened to Sun Ra while putting Fabulous Fantasy together or was aware that the release of his new album was 30 years after Sun Ra died, Simpson answered:

“No. But I’ll take your question as a compliment.”

Although the 5th track on Simpson’s new album, Vista Room, does not have the Sun Ra sound, it contains the Sun Ra theme of travel.

“Vista Room is about a train ride across the country,” said Simpson.

A number of Sun Ra tracks were about traveling through space and visiting other planets such as Rocket Number Nine Take Off for the Planet Venus, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuNpmyZ6za0 and Walking on the Moon with jazz vocalist June Tyson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwTd7X0jHzQ

Sun Ra often said that he was from Planet Saturn.

Simpson credited Fabulous Fantasy’s co-producer/drummer Adrian Harpham for giving the album a powerful sound. On the album’s 10th track, Well-Con-Illu, Harpham’s drum voice gives the tune life. Harpham also worked with Simpson on his two previous albums.

Simpson concluded the interview by sharing a music memory. In the early 2000s, he shared the stage with Nancy Sinatra at a Hoboken (N.J.) street festival.

“I opened the show, she closed the show,” said Simpson. He wanted to meet her but at first wondered if it would have been possible. He explained:

“Suddenly, there were large men with long black trench coats and shades, who didn’t move; who kind of surrounded Miss Sinatra.” Lucky for Simpson, Nancy Sinatra wanted to meet everyone.

“She was very, very nice,” Simpson concluded.

To learn more about E. J. Simpson and to attend his album release event May 5:

ejsimpsonmusic.com