John Paris – “Miami (Moisturize Me)”

Guitarist and songwriter John Paris recently released a new single called “Miami (Moisturize Me)”, his first release as a Charleston resident after moving here from Nashville last summer. With this single, the artist ventures into sonic territory he describes as “surf-jazz”, a sound he will continue to explore with future releases.

Paris studied jazz and composition at Brown University, and upon graduating spent time hopping around between New York, Nashville, and even Berlin, where he claims to have found influence in the city’s international street music scene. Now in Charleston, he has been getting his name out there gigging at places like Palmetto Brewery, Chico Feo, Dispensary, Lowlife, Bounty Bar, and more.

While the use of “Moisturize Me” in the song’s title may raise a few eyebrows, especially when the first chorus includes the lyrics “Come on, let me dance in your hand”, I was pleasantly surprised by this submission.

It’s an interesting tune, with somewhat awkward lyrics that bring to mind self-pleasure but seem to actually be about going on a date. However it’s sung with a silliness that suggests Paris may not take himself all that seriously in the first place, which gives it a more endearing component.

Plus, there’s a laid-back undercurrent to it, grooving along with accents of trumpet and saxophone, so if you can look past the sophomoric elements you might just find yourself wanting to hear it more than once.

Stream “Miami (Moisturize Me)” by John Paris below.