ARTISTS:
CINEPHONIC
ATLANTIS JAZZ ENSEMBLE
SLIM MOORE & THE MAR-KAYS
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA
Since 2018, Cinephonic has been an outlet for the cinematic musical creations of Pierre Chrétien, also known for his work leading groups such as The Souljazz Orchestra and Atlantis Jazz Ensemble.
Drawing inspiration from classic film and library music, Cinephonic expands on the sound with elements of cinematic soul, classic jazz and instrumental hip-hop, creating a rich, evocative, and complex soundscape that juxtaposes intricate compositions with dark funk backbeats - a kind of epic soundtrack for a film that never existed.
On Cinephonic's latest offering, Refuge, Chrétien eschews the soulful mellotronic soundscapes of debut Les Paradis artificiels, as well as the epic orchestral ambitions of sophomore Visions, and instead brings things back to basics, attempting his first record with a humble trio, resulting in a stunning set of hauntingly chilled-out lofi jazz hip-hop.
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Like the mythical Lost Continent that gave it its name, the Atlantis Jazz Ensemble's music lies somewhere between the shores of Africa, Europe, and the Americas, influenced by jazz currents stemming from both sides of the Atlantic.
The group was founded in 2013 by saxophonist Zakari Frantz and pianist Pierre Chrétien of the Souljazz Orchestra, both looking to explore new directions in modal, spiritual and esoteric jazz music. After spending a few years refining their signature sound, the Atlantis Jazz Ensemble released their debut LP in 2016, Oceanic Suite, a seven-part conceptual jazz album depicting the sea and other related themes.
Then, Atlantis rose up again in 2023 with Celestial Suite, a brilliant set of spiritual soul-jazz, with a righteous energy in the mode of some of the best work on independent labels such as Strata East or Tribe back in the day, though updated with enough modern elements to keep the vibe current and fresh. With the blend of electric piano, sax, trumpet, bass and percussion presented here, the quintet has perfected the searching, soaring quality of their sound, capturing to tape, over the course of two days in the studio, an inspired session worthy of the skybound promise of the album's title.
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When you combine Slim Moore's hot-buttered voice with the honey-glazed horns and the oil-slick rhythm section of the Mar-Kays, you get the kind of deep,
rugged, gut-wrenching soul music that only comes around once in a blue moon. The kind of soul music that can be tough as leather, or smooth as silk. The kind
of soul music that can make you cry, dance, and tear your hair out - all at the same time.
Gary "Slim" Moore was born in 1964, in the urban community of Overbrook, Ontario, his parents having recently immigrated to the area from southeastern Jamaica.
Like many soul singers, he got his start singing in church, belting out hymns with his parents' Pentecostal congregation from the early age of four. While still
in his teens, he moved to Montreal, Quebec, where he began his singing career, performing with local bands and sound systems. However, it wasn't until the
mid-1990s, after moving back to his hometown, that he first met up with members of the Mar-Kays.
The project didn't take flight at the time, but the Mar-Kays continued to hone their chops in the meantime, a few of them even going on to back soul royalty:
Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Temptations, The Coasters, The Drifters, and The Platters, to name a few. Then, in 2009, the Mar-Kays managed to track down Slim
once more, and as luck had it, he was just as itching as they were to get something going again. Soon, Slim Moore & the Mar-Kays were finally a reality, and -
like fine aged Canadian whisky - the wait only made it all the more special.
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Since first arriving on the scene at the turn of the millenium, the Souljazz Orchestra has never stopped pushing
the limits of its signature sound: an explosive clash of soul, jazz and tropical styles, unleashed by blaring
majestic horns, dusty vintage keyboards, and an arsenal of earthquaking percussion.
After two decades, the Souljazz Orchestra continues to be an unstoppable force. The three-time Juno nominees have been
fortunate enough to bring their dynamite show to over two dozen countries across North America, Europe and Africa, sharing the stage
with major heavyweights along the way, while showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, years of relentless touring have formed the
Souljazz Orchestra's live concerts into the stuff of legends - more often than not culminating in ecstatic, sweat-soaked, cathartic
affairs, mixing pulsating arrangements with eruptive improvisations.
Official Souljazz Orchestra Website
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