LA-based multi-instrumentalist and self-proclaimed “Genre Assassin” Nate Franchesco has built a reputation on range, but “Guest Pass, Volume 1,” makes a different kind of argument. This six-track collaborative EP feels less like a formal drop and more like an intimate gathering of master musicians, each bringing their own voice, culture, and spirit into a shared sonic space. The point isn’t flexing. It’s connection, the kind you can hear in the way players leave room for one another.
That sense of welcome shows up before a note lands. The cover art, an evocative studio tableau with instruments posed like characters awaiting their cue, sets the scene for what follows. The music carries the same atmosphere, relaxed, intentional, and quietly confident. Franchesco’s vision is simple and ambitious at once: bring together top-tier musicians from around the world and let real musical conversation take center stage. The result is hauntingly beautiful at times, deeply human throughout, and rich with emotional nuance rather than flash.
The journey begins with “Tightrope Swing (Jazz Vocal Scat Edition)”, a concise opener that clocks in at just over a minute. Featuring Srbuhi Hovhannisyan, it immediately sets the tone, warm, nostalgic, and steeped in classic jazz sensibilities. Gentle instrumentation forms a soft bed for expressive vocal inflections that feel almost conversational. It’s intimate jazz that doesn’t hurry to impress. Instead, it eases in, feeding both the soul and the mind. Like a whispered secret or a late-night jam session, it lingers long after it fades.
The mood shifts effortlessly into “55’ Hot Rod (Violin Edition)”, a vibrant, irresistibly danceable piece featuring Oleg Bezuglov. This track is pure motion, infectious, joyful, and brimming with life. Bezuglov’s violin glides and dances, gently stroking the ears while stirring the heart. Franchesco’s guitar work complements with precision and restraint, letting the violin shine without ever overpowering the groove. It’s the kind of song that invites spontaneous movement, encouraging listeners to surrender to joy with unfiltered abandon.
Track three, “West Coast Dollaz (Vocal and Rhymes Edition)”, pushes the EP’s genre-blurring ambition even further. Featuring Benji, it’s a smooth and scintillating blend of soul, R&B, and hip-hop that never feels patched together. Enchanting vocals intertwine with rhythmic phrasing, creating a laid-back yet assured vibe that feels both modern and timeless. Franchesco threads his instrumentation into the soundscape with an easy confidence, honoring multiple genres without diluting any of them.
A moment of serene introspection arrives with “Bossa Lounge ’67 (Flute Edition)”, featuring Gina Sobel. This track is soothing in the purest sense, gentle, graceful, and emotionally restorative. Sobel’s flute floats delicately above Franchesco’s lush guitar work, transporting the listener to a peaceful, almost dreamlike space. It’s music that calms the spirit and invites reflection, a sonic pause where thoughts can wander and flourish in tranquility. The playing stays focused, but it wears that focus lightly.
The emotional peak of the EP comes with “Feel Like Making Love (Sax Edition)”, featuring Ivan Rodriguez. At three minutes, it’s the longest track on the project, yet time seems to dissolve as it plays. Rodriguez’s saxophone feels transcendent, lifting the composition toward near-heavenly heights while keeping its warmth intact. The chemistry between sax and guitar sounds organic and effortless, sensual, immersive, and deeply expressive. It’s the kind of track you don’t want to end, because it’s built for feeling more than measuring.
Closing the EP is “Domador De Toros (Trumpet Edition)”, a poetic bookend at one minute and twenty seconds that mirrors the opener’s brevity. Featuring Joaquin Muro, the track is a masterclass in restraint and emotional power. Muro’s trumpet soars with quiet confidence, blending seamlessly with Franchesco’s exemplary guitar work. It’s more felt than heard, more experienced than analyzed. The ending doesn’t land like a full stop. It hangs in the air with resonance, as if the last note keeps moving even after the speakers go quiet.
With “Guest Pass, Volume 1,” Franchesco showcases immense talent across guitar, drums, bass, and piano, while making his deeper identity clear: collaborator, curator of moments, believer in music as shared language. He trusts his guests, and he knows how to build space for them to speak. This EP stands as a testament to what happens when artistry, trust, and global collaboration converge, an elegant reminder that some of the most powerful music is made together.
