The Souljazz Orchestra | |
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The Souljazz Orchestra (2007) | |
Background information | |
Origin | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | Jazz, jazz funk |
Years active | 2002–present |
Labels | Funk Manchu, Do Right!, Strut |
Members | Pierre Chrétien Marielle Rivard Steve Patterson Ray Murray Zakari Frantz Philippe Lafrenière |
Website | souljazzorchestra |
The Souljazz Orchestra is a Canadian musical group based in Ottawa that has toured Canada, the United States and Europe. Their music is a fusion of soul, jazz, funk, Afrobeat and Latin-American styles.
Career
The band signed to London-based Strut Records, a UK record label that focuses on dance music and afrobeat. Other musicians signed to Strut include "Ethio-Jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke, Motown guitarist Dennis Coffey and Ghanaian highlife singer Ebo Taylor, to name a few."
According to AllMusic, the band's "overtly political 2006 single "Mista President," off second album Freedom No Go Die (Do Right!), really increased their audience, voted to the number nine spot in the 2006 Top 30 of BBC DJ Gilles Peterson's Worldwide programme.
In 2012, the band completed two US tours that included stops in cities such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Chicago.
Their Resistance album release tour of Europe, all October/November 2015, sees them among others in London, Liverpool, Zurich, Paris, Lyon, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, Cologne, Vienna, Prague, Athens, Marseille.
The band has had three Juno nominations: Instrumental Album of the Year (Rising Sun, 2011), and World Music Album of the Year (Solidarity, 2013, and Resistance, 2016.)
Members
- Pierre Chrétien – electric piano, clavinet, organ, guitar, bass, percussion, vocals
- Marielle Rivard – percussion, vocals
- Steve Patterson – tenor sax, percussion, vocals
- Ray Murray – baritone sax, percussion, vocals
- Zakari Frantz – alto sax, flute, percussion, vocals
- Philippe Lafrenière – drums, percussion, vocals
Discography
- Uprooted (Funk Manchu, 2005)
- Freedom No Go Die (Do Right!, 2007)
- Manifesto (Do Right!, 2008)
- Rising Sun (Strut, 2010)
- Solidarity (Strut, 2012)
- Inner Fire (Strut, 2014)
- Resistance (Strut, 2015)
- Under Burning Skies (Strut, 2017)
- Chaos Theories (Strut, 2019)
References
- Kellman, Andy. "The Souljazz Orchestra". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- Wigney, Allan (2008-05-28). "Souljazz Orchestra going global". jam.canoe.ca. Sun Media. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - Perlich, Tim. "Souljazz Orchestra: Bangin' Afrobeat straight outta Ottawa". NOW Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
- C, Scott. "Global Positioning: Ottawa's Souljazz Orchestra". Montreal Mirror. Communications Gratte-Ciel Ltée. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- Kellman, Andy. "The Souljazz Orchestra: Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- Liss, Sarah; Andre Mayer. "Top 10 albums of 2010". CBC News. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- "Souljazz Orchestra Headlines First Major US Tour". National Geographic World Music. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- Dacks, David. "The Souljazz Orchestra - Rising Sun". Exclaim!. Exclaim! Media. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- Detwiler, Ryan A. "The Souljazz Orchestra heads south of the border for first major US tour, heats up mild American winter". Tiny Mix Tapes. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- "Souljazz Orchestra Headlines First Major US Tour". National Geographic World Music. National Geographic Society. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- Kellman, Andy. "The Souljazz Orchestra: Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- Detwiler, Ryan A. "The Souljazz Orchestra heads south of the border for first major US tour, heats up mild American winter". Tiny Mix Tapes. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- Pryor, Tom. "Video Selecter: The Souljazz Orchestra". National Geographic World Music. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.