Eddie Chacon is an artist who first got started back in the early ‘90s as one half of the soul duo Charles and Eddie, who had a hit with the single, “Would I Lie To You?” After their split at the end of the ‘90s, Chacon stepped away from the limelight for a while, mostly finding work as a photographer and creative director. In 2020, he finally stepped back to the microphone, working with John Carroll Kirby on his much anticipated solo album, Pleasure, Joy and Happiness, which came out on Day End Records. Now he’s back with his second solo album, this time on Stones Throw, as he gives us Sundown.

For Sundown, Eddie Chacon once again teamed up with John Carrol Kirby. This time, the duo went to Ibiza, where they rented the only Fender Rhodes on the island and set up a makeshift studio where they could begin to write the album. As they were doing this, they made it a point to listen to Pharoah Sanders’ “Greeting to Saud,” using it as their guiding light for the sessions, a reminder that experimentation is fun, but to never overcomplicate things and lose the message and feeling of the song. After writing the first half of the album, they went back to Los Angeles, where they brought in a core ensemble of Logan Horne on flute and saxophone, Elizabeth Lea on trombone, Will Logan on drums, and David Leach on percussion. The approach to the music is one where jazz meats soul on the plane of alt-R&B, where there is plenty of room to get weird and experimental, using some unexpected sounds and effects, or switching up song structure in unexpected way, but the core of these beautiful soul songs is never lost. This is really where the partnership between Chacon and Kirby has flourished. Chacon has gotten a chance to reinvent himself as he has come back to music, and he still has an incredibly beautiful and soulful voice with great control and tone, and wonderful melodic instincts. However, the key here is that he’s coming back with a freedom to do things on his terms, not really interested in playing any industry games, just making music that moves him, and working with Kirby at this unique intersection of soul and jazz has clearly invigorated him. It’s an album that at once is approachable and sexy, but also just experimental enough that it never sounds predictable or cliché. Chacon is pouring his heart out on this album, and he’s never sounded better.

Sundown was not an album that any of us would have predicted as recently as 2019. Now, after all this time, we have not gotten one, but two Eddie Chacon solo albums. Sunset takes the foundation of Pleasure, Joy and Happiness and expands upon it and takes everything to the next level. It’s a truly beautiful album.