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“The XMan Cometh – Expect the Unexpected,” the new release from San Francisco-Bay Area artist Charles Xavier, introduces The XMan, an emcee of sorts who boldly questions the status quo. Xavier, a drummer/vibraphonist and composer, scores a new, original sound by daring to cross musical boundaries. You’ll feel the free-form artistry of jazz, the passion of punk, and the street heat of rap. You’ll hear the unexpected: thick, funky bass beats and the sweet tones of the vibraphone coupled with screaming horns and driving drum lines. You’ll hear stories of sex, politics, and street hustle.

Let’s set the record straight from the outset – any resemblance to the character from the popular Marvel Comics X-Men is purely intentional. After all, when you go through life with the same name as a comic book hero, you may as well use your implied super powers to their best advantage!

In the case of this XMan, those super powers are of the musical variety. Drawing from his past experience, which encompasses everything from jazz to punk, Xavier has crafted a CD that brings together an incomparable cast of players on ten songs that speak of human rights, of dreams buried deep in the heart, and of the struggle to survive in today’s complex world. Xavier asks that you “expect the unexpected” because that’s exactly what he delivers.

A professional musician since he was sixteen, Xavier’s musical tastes were shaped by the East Coast jazz scene and further honed in the clubs and recording studios of Los Angeles. He’s worked with everyone from jazz greats Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette at the eclectic school the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY to seminal artists on the LA music scene of the 1980s such as Francis X and the Bushmen and Trauma Fetish. Along the way, he’s also worked on projects with such artists as Stan Ridgeway and Ray Manzarek. In the 70s, he formed the avant-garde jazz band Satori, and then in 1982, after relocating to the West Coast, he hooked up with acclaimed producer Glen Feit (Red Hot Chili Peppers and David Byrne, among others) to produce his debut EP (as Xavier and the Messengers), titled “The King Has Come.” A blend of reggae, rock and jazz, “The King Has Come” first introduced audiences to Xavier’s unique blend of social commentary, and musical artistry, and was so critically well-received that it earned an “Editor’s Choice” review in Downbeat Magazine.

On “The XMan Cometh – Expect the Unexpected,” Xavier takes that winning combination to the next level, with the support of a wide array of musicians, including – among others - Sam Riney (Ray Charles and Chaka Khan) on sax, Warren Gale (Grateful Dead) on trumpet, Barry Reynolds (Grace Jones, Marianne Faithful), Frankie “Blue” Sposato (Tricky, Garbage, Jamiroquai) on guitars, Richard Larsen on keyboards (Erasure, Berlin), Antonio “Tony” Newton (Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson) and Steve Loria (Spirit, Tricky) on basses. Xavier himself plays drums and vibraphone, as well as various “percussion toys,” and he shares vocal duties with Eric Harrington (the singer on “The King Has Come”), session vocalist Anejia Shockley, and Jerry Giddens (Walking Wounded.) Another unexpected touch is the participation of Carol Robbins on acoustic harp.

On “The Xman Cometh – Expect the Unexpected,” Xavier serves up music with meaning and message, delivering hope and a call for personal and socio-political change in a fast and complex world.

Happy Note Records has just released “The XMan Cometh – Expect the Unexpected,” which is distributed by Burnside Distribution (retailers) and IRIS Distribution (digital). For additional information on the XMan, visit http://www.happynoterecords.com.