Cutting-edge Gospel Group Zeke Locke & Nuxperience Drop Debut Track “I’m Walking”

churchylifeMusic, Entertainment, News Leave a Comment

Share This Now šŸ˜

Zeke Locke & NuXperience, is a high-energy act thatā€™s been shaking things up as a support group for gospel greats such as Fred Hammond, and Donald Lawrence sinceĀ  2019. The Chicago-based outfit has now dropped their debut recording, ā€œIā€™m Walkingā€ (Tyscot Records), on all major digital platforms. The feel-good track is a fusion of `90s music styles. ā€œItā€™s really New Jack Swing and some Minneapolis funk,ā€ Locke says. ā€œThose synths that you hear in there? Thatā€™s thatĀ  Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis influence.ā€ They willĀ  perform the track on selected stops on the 2022 ā€œFestival of Praiseā€ tour that stars Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, and Israel Houghton:Ā https://smarturl.it/45yhaj

A native of Kankakee, Illinois, Ezekiel ā€œZekeā€ Locke grew up singing in church. However, after graduating from Olivet Nazarene College with a business degree, he entered the corporate world at Bunge North America and Nucor Steel. At the age of 29, he accepted a buyout from the latter and focused on his first love: music. ā€œI didnā€™t know anything about producing music,ā€ Locke recalls. ā€œI bought all this equipment and for 2-3 years, I spent every day locked away learning everything I could by trial and error. In the beginning, I was doing everything. I did R&B. I did Hip-Hop. I did gospel. Music imitates life. I eventually decided that I wanted to tell a different story, the story of gospel itself. I love that blend coming out of R&B and Hip Hop. Why canā€™t we have that in gospel too?ā€

After Locke formed his first gospel group, Ezekiel:767, opportunities blossomed. Friends recommended him to direct Kierra Sheardā€™s BRL (Bold Right Life) choir circa 2013, and Ā then Deitrick Haddonā€™s LXW choir in Chicago. After LXW disbanded in 2019, Locke launched The NuXperience. ā€œWe did so many things,ā€ he adds. ā€œWe went on tour with Fred Hammond. We Ā performed at an NBA All-Star game and collaborated on Donald Lawrenceā€™sĀ GoshenĀ project.ā€

The NuXperience earned their name by bringing a progressive sound and style to Chicagoā€™s traditional gospel scene.Ā ā€œI was just playing around with some names but settled on that because the way we performed was so different,ā€ Locke explains. ā€œWe would get laughed at Ā because Chicago is a choir city, but we were coming with a different vibe, and we started marking waves. If you come to see us, youā€™re going end up on your feet or dancing.Ā  Itā€™s a party on stage, so you should feel like you went to something because when you see us, itā€™s a new experience.ā€

Catch Zeke Locke & The NuXperience on selected dates of The Festival of Praise concert tour:

March 19 – Hammond, IN (The Venue at Horseshow Casino @8 PM)

March 25 – Baltimore, MD (Meyerhoff Symphony Hall @ 8 PM)

March 26 – Bronx, NY (Lehman College @ 8 PM)

March 27 – Philadelphia, PA (The Met @ 7 PM)

April 02 – Washington, DC (MGM National Harbor @ 8 PM)

April 03 – Pittsburgh, PA (UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse @ 7 PM)

April 08 – Houston, TX (Arena Theatre @ 9 PM)

April 22 – Atlanta, GA (Cobb Energy Center @7 PM)

April 24 – Grand Prairie, TX (Texas Trust CU Theatre @7:30 PM)

April 28 – Petersburg, VA (VSU Multi-Purpose Center @7 PM)

April 29 – Norfolk, VA (Chartway Arena @7 PM)

For more tour information, log on at Ā http://www.festivalofpraisetour.com

About the Author

+ posts

Churchy Life is a digital media platform, that celebrates being a Christian, living a Christian life, and everything that comes along with it. The fun, the music, the fellowship, the stories - Churchy Life is bringing it all to the forefront in exciting new ways.


Share This Now šŸ˜
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments