asauldm | Music

“Honora” is the debut full-length solo studio instrumental album by Flea, the legendary bassist and co-founder of Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on March 27, 2026, via the prestigious Nonesuch Records label.

The record marks the first full-length release of Flea’s solo career spanning more than four decades, following the Helen Burns EP (2013). The album is named after Flea’s great-great-grandmother, whose difficult life, struggle with poverty in Ireland, and eventual emigration to Australia served as the primary inspiration for the project.

The album largely abandons the commercially driven funk-rock sound associated with Red Hot Chili Peppers. Instead, Flea ventures deep into the realm of experimental music:

• Avant-Garde Jazz / Jazz Fusion (complex jazz improvisations with bass guitar and trumpet serving as the primary storytellers)
• Experimental Rock / Art Rock (unconventional song structures, gritty garage textures, and psychedelic atmospheres)
• Ambient / Post-Rock / Trip-Hop Fusion (slow, spacious instrumental soundscapes rich with reverb and ambience)
• Spoken Word / Soul-Jazz (a fusion of poetic narration and soulful melodies)

Producer: Josh Johnson—saxophonist, keyboardist, and former musical director for Leon Bridges.

Although most people know Flea as one of rock’s greatest bass players, his first musical love was the trumpet, which he played in his school jazz band under the influence of his jazz-musician stepfather. On “Honora,” Flea steps forward not only as a bassist but also as a bandleader and trumpet player. As he approached his 60th birthday, he realized that if he did not return to the trumpet then, he might never do so. He committed himself to practicing every single day for two years—even in hotel rooms while touring stadiums around the world with Red Hot Chili Peppers.

For the album’s vocal performances, Flea invited several close friends and internationally acclaimed artists. Thom Yorke (Radiohead, Atoms for Peace) contributed vocals, piano, and synthesizers to the single “Traffic Lights,” while the legendary Nick Cave performed the lead vocal on the atmospheric interpretation of “Wichita Lineman.”

To ensure the project reached the highest artistic level, Flea assembled an outstanding backing band featuring guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Anna Butterss, and drummer Deantoni Parks. Additional contributions came from percussionist Mauro Refosco and Warren Ellis (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), who performed alto flute and viola.

The album consists of six original compositions alongside four distinctive cover versions:

1. An instrumental reinterpretation of Frank Ocean’s R&B hit “Thinkin Bout You.”
2. A cover of Funkadelic’s legendary guitar masterpiece “Maggot Brain,” written by Eddie Hazel and George Clinton.
3. Jazz interpretations of the classic songs “Wichita Lineman” by Jimmy Webb and “Willow Weep for Me” by Ann Ronell.

Although “Honora” is a solo project, Flea’s Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates also contributed to the album. Drummer Chad Smith performed on the opening track “Golden Wingship,” while guitarist John Frusciante provided his signature sonic treatments and sound manipulation on “Frailed” and “Willow Weep for Me.” In addition, the music video for the debut single “A Plea” was directed by Flea’s daughter, Clara Balzary.