Flea is best known as the unruly bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers, but, today, he’s releasing a new song on which he returns to his original instrument: the trumpet. “A Plea” is out now on Nonesuch Records and features a handful of jazz luminaries, including Jeff Parker and Mauro Refosco, joining Flea on the track. It also comes with a music video directed by his daughter Clara Balzary, and you can watch it below.
In a statement, Flea said he wrote the song to urge listeners to “build a bridge, shine a light, make something beautiful and see somebody, give it to somebody.” He continued: “I don’t care about the act of politics. I think there is a much more transcendent place above it where there’s discourse to be had that can actually help humanity, and actually help us all to live harmoniously and productively in a way that’s healthy for the world. There’s a place where we meet, and it’s love.”
In addition to Parker on guitar and Refosco handling percussion, “A Plea” also features double bassist Anna Butterss, drummer Deantoni Parks, alto flutist Rickey Washington, trombonist Vikram Devasthali, and Flea on electric bass in addition to trumpet. Additional vocals are provided by Chris Warren and the song’s producer Josh Johnson, who plays alto saxophone, too.
Red Hot Chili Peppers have been busy these past few years, releasing two albums—Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen—in 2022 alone, but Flea keeps a booked schedule of his own while not on tour with his band. In addition to being a published memoirist and an actor in blockbuster movies, he’s also got his own podcast, This Little Light. His debut solo EP, Helen Burns, came out in 2012.
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