Nick Gomez Drops Latest Single, 'Stimulus'

Nick Gomez

LOS ANGELES - As Nick Gomez walked his first Hollywood red carpet last Thursday night, it was a night to celebrate multiple professional accomplishments made possible by his personal decision to get sober.

Gomez’s new jazz-funk single, “Stimulus,” dropped on August 22. That same day, “Hollywood Grit,” the first feature film for which the saxophonist composed the score and cowrote, produced, and arranged the music for the jazz club-set noir thriller, was released in 22 AMC Theatres. Gomez is also marking the sixth anniversary of his sobriety.   

“Stimulus” was written about the period of uncertainty that followed Gomez's decision to get sober.

“‘Stimulus’ was born out of one of the most uncertain moments of my life. I made the decision to get sober in August of 2019. Six months later, the world shut down due to the pandemic. Like everyone else, I found myself in survival mode—unsure, uninspired, and just trying to get through each day. Eventually, I found my way back to music. When those economic stimulus checks started going out, that (financial) spark gave me the freedom to pick up my horn, write again, and turn a strange time into something joyful. ‘Stimulus’ channels the spirit of joy, freedom, and gratitude into song,” said Gomez, who plays tenor saxophone on the high-energy song that he wrote and produced for his “The Blue One” EP, which was issued earlier this year.

Pulling from the classic funk grooves evocative of James Brown and Motown Records, “Stimulus” is a full-throttle workout on which Gomez gives each member of his quartet - guitarist Jon Gus, Hammond B3 organist Steve Aguilar, bassist Russell Walters, and drummer Joshua Zeigler – a turn to rip a solo before the saxman lets loose his own impassioned wails. Trumpeter Chris Lawrence adds horn power to the track that began collecting radio playlist adds on August 25. Gomez and his band released a video for “Stimulus” (https://youtu.be/Js-M3cGMwV8) on Monday.

“We went old-school with the video, with some modern and fun surprises. It was shot at Total Access Studios in Redondo Beach, California. Like all my videos, it’s a fun watch. It really translates the vibe and energy of ‘Stimulus,’” said Gomez, who will begin a three-month residency on October 12 at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, playing one show per month.

An eight-time Emmy Award nominee, Gomez composed sixty minutes of music for “Hollywood Grit,” which stars Max Martini, Tyrese Gibson, Linda Purl, and Patrick Duffy. The musician has been collaborating with the film’s director and co-writer, Ryan Curtis, since 2014. Music plays a leading role in the movie set in a Hollywood jazz club, and Gomez was allowed to compose the film score and co-write eight new songs with Gus and Sarah Cardenas. Gomez also produced and arranged ten songs for the detective movie that astutely balances corruption, loss, addiction, and comedy. The film soundtrack, featuring a mix of big band, straight-ahead, contemporary, orchestral, avant-garde, and free-style jazz, along with elements of R&B, pop, and funk, is now available (https://ffm.to/nqjxwwb), as is the film score. 

The Los Angeles-born Gomez grew up on Hollywood film and television sets with his family, who work in the industry. His first musical instrument was a clarinet, but by the time he attended Berklee College of Music, he had transitioned to playing the saxophone. Gomez has released six albums, and he’s placed multiple singles on the national charts. His music has appeared in films, television shows, commercials, and comedy specials, including “Katt Williams: Live.” Gomez hopes that “Hollywood Grit” was the first of many red-carpet premieres.

For more information, visit https://www.nickgomez.net.