Karmic Neighborhood Releases Alt-Pop Single "I Learned to Forgive" Ahead of Feature Film

Royal Oaks, CA (July 14, 2023) - Armand Ruby and Julian Colbeck of musical group Karmic Neighborhood just released a new alt-pop single, “I Learned to Forgive,” the fourth track in a series of singles for their upcoming feature film“Equinox the Musical.” Equinox is the story of two homeless young lovers who discover that forgiveness, gratitude, and love can be the keys to navigating life’s most challenging circumstances. This track touches upon themes of forgiveness, resiliency, peace of mind, hopelessness, and more. 

In the film, the message of forgiveness is delivered in a heartfelt way from Phoebe, the homeless wise-woman who counsels main character Katie in her time of distress. This mid-tempo power song contains mesmerizing lead vocals, intertwining vocal harmonies, and a scintillating instrumental backing track. 

Forgiveness is a mysterious thing. We might think that it benefits the person being forgiven, that it's something we do for someone else. But even more than that, we are the ones who benefit when we can forgive someone who has wronged us. Replacing our resentment and anger with compassion can have the magical effect of restoring our sanity - freeing us from the burden of obsessing over the wound. This message is powerfully delivered in “I Learned to Forgive” by the compelling vocals of well-known Santa Cruz (California) vocalist Tammi Brown, backed by Colbeck and Ruby’s dynamic instrumental arrangement. There are echoes of Nina Simone in the combination of Brown's moving vocals and the song’s social message. 

The full Equinox the Musical preview soundtrack album will be released on the fall equinox, Sept. 22, 2023.

The west coast-based team are strangers-turned-neighbors, turned rhythmic alt-pop collaborators. Armand Ruby and Julian Colbeck are two lifelong musicians in their 60's who met by chance when they moved to the same neighborhood on the central California coast. Julian was formerly a London-based rock star and lifelong music industry veteran, while Armand was professionally an environmental scientist who stayed involved in music as a part-time musician and songwriter. Armand and Julian formed a strong bond through their shared passion for music and the painful yet hopeful life experience of surviving cancer. The two found inspiration within the harmony of their own respective life journeys and a mutual interest in musical innovation. 

Like many creatives, Armand was a sensitive child. Growing up, this was of course a blessing and a curse, in the face of both the world’s beauty and its harshness. Throughout his childhood in the northeastern United States, Armand was aware that maintaining this sensitivity might be a challenge. So keeping this cherished inner life alive became a lifelong ambition – and it found expression through music and songwriting. Armand wrote his first little tune at the age of 11, and as a teenager began composing songs, something he’s continued to do throughout life. But his musical talent was matched by a proclivity for science, and a scholarship to an Ivy League university led to a career as an Environmental Scientist.

Still, Armand continued to be active musically: songwriting, recording demos, performing in rock bands no one’s ever heard of, leading small choral groups, and for several years even singing in a professional opera chorus. A breakthrough came in 2010-2011 with the writing of the book and songs for a musical stage play, “Equinox.” Directing the play in its brief but sold-out run in Santa Cruz California was, according to Armand, “both the most difficult and most rewarding experience of my life.” With Equinox, Armand finds himself working at the creative intersection of art and social activism – shining a new light on the often out-of-sight homeless population and the many ways people can become homeless, through story and music. Moving in 2019 to the rural Monterey Bay area community of Royal Oaks, Armand found that one of his neighbors, Julian Colbeck, was an experienced music arranger, producer and keyboardist.

Julian Colbeck grew up in the south of England, where he learned how to play the piano and ultimately pursued his dreams of being in a London-based rock ‘n’ roll band in his late teens. Julian’s music career took off with the band Charlie, with whom he scored several US Top 40 singles including “Watching TV” and “LA Dreamer.” Over the span of a 40-year career, Julian worked and toured as a keyboard player/producer with YES alumni group Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Charlie, John Miles, and more. In 2008 Julian began work with his long-time friend, Alan Parsons, on the award-winning instructional video series: Alan Parsons’ The Art & Science Of Sound Recording. Julian also has written for many esteemed music industry publications and has authored many music and music technology books. Beginning in late 2019, and interrupted by intensive treatment for stage 4 cancer, Julian saw something of value in his neighbor Armand Ruby’s songwriting and his Equinox film project and worked as an arranger, co-producer, and keyboardist on the Equinox preview soundtrack recordings.