As a former musical director for Lauryn Hill, through his work playing with Gerald Veasley, Screaming Headless Torsos, and with Vernon Reid in Living Color and Band of Gypsys Revisited, drummer, producer, and songwriter James “Biscuit” Rouse never released an album of his own, until he revisited the music of one of his heroes, Buddy Miles.
On Biscuit and Buddy, the first tribute album ever released for the late drummer and composer, Rouse reimagines eight songs from Miles’ catalog, from “Life is What You Make It,” his cover of Neil Young’s “Down by the River,” closing “Baby I’m a Star,” and more with the help of Living Colour’s Doug Wimbish and Reid, who also sings and plays on “Life Is What You Make It,” along with bassist Lez Lemon, guitarists Marcus Machado, Mark Bowers, horns by V. Jeffrey Smith, trumpeters Kenyatta Beasley and Gil-XI Defay, and more.
“I chose to make this project because George ‘Buddy’ Miles has inspired me as a musician,” Rouse tells American Songwriter of the album. “Buddy is the blueprint for who I am as a musician and musical director. This homage to one of the greats just had to get done and that was me to do it.”
Throughout Biscuit and Buddy, Miles’ songs of yearning love and heartbreak, get funked-up arrangements by Rouse, from his 1968 cover of Isaac Hayes and David Porter-penned “Wrap It Up,” with Rouse singing I see you, I want you, I need you, I got you / You know you want me too / You’re mine and the fractured loves of “I Still Love You” and “Train.”
“Biscuit Rouse defines talent and passion,” Living Color’s Wimbish tells American Songwriter. “A gifted drummer and vocalist, he also happens to be a genuine and grounded friend. Having worked together with Biscuit in the early 2010s for Ms. Lauryn Hill, I can attest that Biscuit brings it—every time.”
Reid adds, “This Buddy Miles Tribute is so apropos. I can’t think of another drummer who can really bring this spirit of Buddy to life. We need this. Biscuit is a great musician, a great drummer—killing chops and soulfulness. I was thrilled to have contributed to this project. I see nothing but lightness and power ahead. It’s in the right hands.”
Rouse also takes on Miles’ signature song, ” Them Changes,” the title track of his 1970 album, which peaked at No. 14 on the R&B chart and No. 35 on the Billboard 200.
“I was drawn to its raw emotion and relatable lyrics that speak to the universal experience of heartbreak and resilience in love,” said Rouse of the Miles classic. “The driving groove and powerful vocals of the song resonated with me on a personal level, as I have also navigated through the changes and challenges of relationships. My prayer is to capture the essence of the song’s message, to acknowledge the pain of heartbreak, but to also find strength and hope in moving forward and never giving up on love.”
Rouse adds, “I hope that my rendition of ‘Them Changes’ conveys the enduring power of love and the importance of self-growth and resilience in the face of adversity.”
Along with Miles’ catalog, Rouse also wrote three original songs for the album, including the single “GI Gina,” which addresses the ups and downs of relationships and putting oneself first—Never in my life, have seen a woman so mean / Held me up to break me down. “Enough is Enough” shares a similar sentiment of detachment with “Shine” delivering a different uplifting moment, inspired by Rouse’s son.
“The inspiration for the song came from a special moment in the recording studio, where my then 3-year-old son joined in and sang all the vocal stacks perfectly and in tune,” shares Rouse of the latter track. “His presence serves as a reminder that love is the key to a brighter future and that we must protect the present for the sake of our children’s future. ‘Shine’ is a reminder to always strive to be the best version of ourselves and to radiate love and positivity in everything we do. It is a testament to the power of love and the importance of passing on that love to future generations.”
For Rouse, the tribute is another timely tribute to Miles in 2024, who died on February 26, 2008, at age 60. Miles was cremated and there was no funeral honoring the musician. On October 6, 2024, Miles will be posthumously inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio and Rouse will accept an honor on behalf of Miles and his family.
