Malcolm Strachan has been a pro trumpet player since he left the Leeds college of music in 1996. During his career he has worked with countless artists and toured the world with big international names such as Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamiroquai, The New Mastersounds, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Craig Charles’s Fantasy Funk Band and has recorded on countless pop tracks with various artists. Malcolm, who is originally from Inverness, Scotland, formed horn section / funk band The Haggis Horns in 1998 after leaving the college with fellow Scots Atholl Ransome from Dunfermline and the late Jason Rae from Aberdeen. They started out doing various club residencies in Leeds and quickly gained a following after appearing on “Keb Darge presents The New Mastersounds” and soon later releasing their debut album entitled “Hot Damn” in 2007 on First Word Records. Fast forward to today and The Haggis Horns are still going strong and as a horn section and do regular tours and pop sessions. But before the band releases their fifth full-length on their own imprint Haggis Records, the time has finally come for Malcolm to drop his debut solo album “About Time”, a gorgeous set of soul-jazz instrumentals that tip their hat to the great sound of Blue Note.
Eufórquestra (pronounced yoo-FOHR-keh-struh, think euphoria+orchestra) is energy and rhythm personified. An ever-evolving sound that has been influenced by music from all over the world with an emphasis on funk, pocket and groove. Today marks the culmination of over two years of writing and recording for Eufórquestra, and they came out with a bang on their newest collection of songs, While We Still Got Time, out today. Fans of the band will notice a fresh and powerful sound that is based on Euforquestra's signature "modern funk with vintage soul," but also infuses current topics in a way that has not been realized before with strong, compelling pieces. In early 2020 the band journeyed to The Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they fully created new friendships and new vision that Eufórquestra brought back home and forged into the album While We Still Got Time, as shown on Congolese pop star Papa Wemba cover "Show Me The Way." Make no mistake, Eufórquestra's honest sound and cultural influence is on display once again for their latest and greatest contribution to their venerable catalog that made its way from Iowa to Colorado more than a decade ago and has continued to grow across the world for nearly two decades.
Joel Sarakula is a European-based Australian artist who writes, produces and sings soulful pop, gazing out at a contemporary world through vintage glasses, vintage threads and long blond hair: think Ray Manzarek fronting a 70s soul band. His music is informed by a rich, 1970s-inspired palette, drawing on soft-rock, funk and disco influences – sunny, uptempo jams for darker times. He may look like a long-lost Gibb brother but at live concerts an irreverent sense of humour is always there just below the fringe. Born in Sydney, currently based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (via London) and international in outlook, Sarakula is a songwriter who has travelled the world in search of his muse, experiencing everything from being a victim of Caribbean carjackings to performing in the remote fishing villages of Norway before finally establishing his career in the UK and Europe in 2012. After spending 10 years based in London, he moved to The Canary Islands at the height of the pandemic. His experiences of island life lead to the creation of his upcoming album Island Time (due Jan 20, 2023). His previous albums Companionship (2020), Love Club (2018), The Imposter (2015) and The Golden Age (2013) have racked up generous plays, often on rotation across national UK and European radio and got him noticed in The New York Times, The Independent (UK), The Irish Times, Shindig! (UK), Stern (Germany), Rolling Stone Germany, El Pais (Spain) and Sydney Morning Herald.
Wildwood is an exciting new release by the Harry Bartlett Trio. Rooted in the jazz tradition, this album draws heavily on American Folk and Western styles. The trio’s unique, focused identity offers a fresh path through the infinite potential of improvised music. The compositions on Wildwood were written and recorded on Gambier Island BC over a 6 month period. The rugged, isolated character of the BC coast permeates into the songs, lending qualities of reverence and peace. Through this process Harry was working closely with Toronto based guitarist and composer Geoff Young who lent his wide ranging experience and razor sharp focus as an artistic advisor. The Harry Bartlett Trio features Harry Bartlett (guitars), Caleb Klager (bass and modular synthesizer), and Harry Vetro (drum set). The Trio began in 2018 with the release of a debut EP, The Harry Bartlett Trio, and has since performed extensively, appearing in major venues and festivals across Canada. The Trio was awarded the TD Niagara Jazz Festival Jazz for the Ages Award in 2020. This album is a thoroughly crafted set of music that appeals not only to the dedicated forward thinking jazz listener, but to anyone interested in creative new music of a high caliber. Wildwood was released on November 18th 2022.
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