Composer, trumpeter, producer, DJ and founder of Gondwana Records, Matthew Halsall returns with his first album as leader since 2015’s glorious ‘Into Forever’ with ‘Salute To The Sun’. The set is inspired by ambient rainforest and jungle field recordings as well as deep spiritual jazz and Strata-East vibes. The opener ‘Harmony With Nature’ gradually unfurls, growing from delicately sketched sounds from nature that develop and progress with a strong percussive groove, the gentle, eastern influences of ‘Joyful Spirits Of The Universal’ build into a spacious jazz landscape while ‘Canopy & Stars’ is another gentle, ebbing piece that slowly spreads and reveals it’s layers gradually. The calm of ‘Mindfulness Meditations’ takes the listener into the depths of an inner peace, the sparse, open spaces of ‘Salute To The Sun’ gives each player their own space to express themselves while the driving ‘Energy Of Life’ still retains the tranquillity of the rest of the album but adds more pace. Brilliant, timely set from this modern day master. Essential.
Track listings:
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01 Harmony with Nature by Matthew Halsall
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02 Joyful Spirits of the Universe by Matthew Halsall
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03 Canopy & Stars by Matthew Halsall
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04 Mindfulness Meditations by Matthew Halsall
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05 Tropical Landscapes by Matthew Halsall
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06 Salute to the Sun by Matthew Halsall
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07 The Energy of Life by Matthew Halsall
Ian Devan –
Totally off the radar, its a fantastic album so get it whilst you can.
My album of 2020, by a long way !!