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I’m excited to discuss two excellent Chicago-based multi-instrumentalists that we’ve covered on SWT in the past, Jontan and C3zR (Cesar Pino). According to the press release for this single that they team up on, “Jontan (Jonathan Gardner) sings in Portuguese on the dreamy soul single, with the title translating to ‘moon,’ while C3zR (Cesar Pino) produces and plays jazzy keys on Jontan’s Fender Rhodes… and they met each other through local shows. They’re releasing the single off of C3zR’s label 600 Block Records (Wu-Tang Clan’s Killah Priest, Pugs Atomz, more). The single follows Jontan’s album this year, The Yellow House, as well as C3zR’s debut album in 2024, Round Voyage. Like C3zR’s album, Noam Wallenberg (Vulfpeck, Mac Miller, more) mastered ‘Lua.'”

Let’s explore each human in a bit more detail before we get into their joint song. Both are into collabs in the Chicago area and the results have been worth checking out.

In January of this year, I wrote a Singles Spotlight about Jontan’s fantastic piano-driven song with soulful R&B vibes that will take you back to the past while listening. You can check out the song “The Only Man You Need,” along with a great bio about the musician, educator, and audio engineer, and his album at the time, The Yellow House, right here. In his 2023 year-end round-up of best albums, Josh placed Jontan’s Orange Book within the notable release category, and as one musician in the Walker band ensemble in one of SWT’s early posts and Water Tower Sessions. You can check out our YouTube channel, complete with the original slides and template (we’ve since upgraded), right here. While you’re there, check out our playlists, as there are also Interviews. And please subscribe, comment, and tell your friends about us!

Last month, SWT posted a great Water Tower Session from Reva K that also included an insightful interview in which she name-drops C3zR and talks about how they’ve known each other for a while, how he’s supported and helped her with her music, playing instruments, and more. What a tight-knit and supportive world and scene in Chicago. Love that. Don’t sleep on artists from the city. And in 2024, around the time of his debut album, Round Voyage, we posted a fantastic and underrated Water Tower Session with C3zR and vocalist Ifeanyi Elswith for the song, “B.B.B” Check that post out right here. She’s great too! Again, this session is another opportunity to check out one of the early sessions on our YouTube before we adopted a cleaner, better look. Here’s “B.B.B” from our YouTube channel.

Having covered and not only respected their individual talents, but to find out that they collaborated?  I couldn’t put this song on the calendar as part of our Singles Spotlight series fast enough. I hope Jontan and C3zR collaborate, record, and ultimately release more tracks to the public. Enough for an EP or album?  Might be greedy on my part, but I’d listen to it all. On repeat for a while.

The song “Lua” opens with a solid percussive beat that sets the foundation for the melody before smooth Portuguese lyrics (we provide an English translation after you listen as well, so those that are curious and don’t speak Portuguese) are delivered. Soon, some gorgeous funk and jazz are applied to the beat via a Fender Rhodes. Such a lovely rhythm on that instrument and in the song’s beat in general. Jontan’s voice is silky and flows well. The result of all these components is a smooth, easy-on-the-ears listening experience. It’ll make you want to get up and dance if you were sitting down to begin with. You’ll love it too. If you don’t, my email is in the author box at the very end of this Spotlight.

Check out “Lua” by C3zR and Jontan for yourself by pressing play:

You can also listen to “Lua” via the music vendor of your choice, here.

Lua – Original lyrics (in Portuguese):

Noites que a lua vem brincar 

E a gente gosta de dançar 

Quero conhecer um novo céu Tempo de acolher um novo eu 

Ah, vou deixar este meu novo engano Vem abraçar este teu novo ano 

Noites que a lua vem brincar 

E a gente gosta de dançar 

Quero conhecer um novo céu Tempo de acolher um novo eu 

Ah, vou deixar este meu novo engano Vem abraçar este meu novo ano Ah, vou deixar este meu novo engano Vem abraçar este teu novo ano 

Quero conhecer um novo eu Tempo de ficar embaixo do céu 

Noites que a lua vem brincar 

Que a gente gosta de dançar La la la la la la 

Que eu quero conhecer 

La la la la la la la 

Na na na na 

Na na na na 

Na na na na 

Na na na na 

Na na na na 

Na na na na

Lua – lyrics in English:

On nights when the moon comes to play And we love to dance 

I want to discover a new sky 

A time to welcome a new self 

Ah, I’ll leave behind this new illusion of mine Come embrace this new year of yours 

On nights when the moon comes to play And we love to dance 

I want to discover a new sky 

A time to welcome a new self 

Ah, I’ll leave behind this new illusion of mine Come embrace this new year of mine Ah, I’ll leave behind this new illusion of mine Come embrace this new year of yours 

I want to discover a new self 

A time to remain beneath the sky 

On nights when the moon comes to play That we love to dance 

La la la la la la 

That I want to discover 

La la la la la la la 

Na na na na 

Na na na na 

Na na na na 

Na na na na

Na na na na 

Na na na na

Thanks for reading and listening to another Singles Spotlight installment. Want to know more about these musicians?

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com