Bristol's soul-jazz brothers The Jazz Defenders hit us with a brand new single on November 26th via Haggis Records, another taster from their forthcoming second album "King Phoenix" which drops in February 2022 from the same label. The quintet, led by keyboard maestro George Cooper from the UK funk kings The Haggis Horns, deliver a new bumping hip-hop/jazz jam called "Live Slow" featuring guest MC Herbal T, from the USA.
The original music burns bright in a mid-late 1960's soul-jazz style made popular by the likes of Ramsey Lewis and Herbie Hancock. Funky backbeat, in-the-pocket bassline, snappy and sharp brass, soul claps, and infectious piano vamping from that man Cooper. Then a third way in, guest MC Herbal T jumps on the mic and flips it into a hip-hop/jazz gem with some classy old-school bars that fit perfectly with the funky soul-jazz instrumental vibe. A great collaboration that references those golden era 90's hip-hop x jazz experiments by bands like Guru's Jazzmatazz and US3. With a nice upbeat tempo, this is definitely one for the b-boy/b-girl jams and cyphers worldwide.
The Jazz Defenders have slowly been building their reputation as a great jazz unit since their debut Blue Note/hard bop-inspired album "Scheming" appeared on Haggis Records back in 2019. The right heads were turned and when their new single dropped in summer 2021, The Jazz Defenders finally got the respect they rightly deserved. The double A-side vinyl single "The Big Man/Love's Vestige" got some heavy support on the radio from top folks like Craig Charles (BBC6 Music), Helen Mayhew (Jazz FM), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), and Worldwide FM resident DJ's Ashley Beedle and Colin Curtis.
"Live Slow" is out the same month as the band hit the road for their Autumn UK tour which kicked off with a sold-out show at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London on 6th November. The tour then swings by Leeds (25th Nov), Macclesfield (26th Nov), Nottingham (27th Nov), Bristol (1st Dec), and Glastonbury (3rd Dec). More shows are to be confirmed. Info and tickets from www.thejazzdefenders.com
credits
from King Phoenix,
released March 18, 2022
George Cooper - piano/keyboards
Nicholas Dover - tenor sax
Nick Malcolm - trumpet
Ian Matthews - drums
Will Harris - bass
Led by one of the UK's most formidable jazz pianists, George Cooper, The Jazz Defenders are a group born from a deep love of
Blue Note jazz, drawing on a wealth of inspiration to craft their own raw and vibrant compositions combining solid grooves and catchy horn lines fusing soul, jazz, hip hop, soundtrack and groove into a masterful union that leaves audiences mesmerised....more
This is an album by my friend Malcolm Strachan who I play with in The Haggis Horns. This is his debut solo jazz album and I'm playing piano on it too! The Jazz Defenders
supported by 20 fans who also own “Live Slow (feat Herbal T) [album version]”
The music takes me along and while leaving I feel exempted from every day things being entirely fascinated by eloquent and fluent horn lines. freejazzy
supported by 15 fans who also own “Live Slow (feat Herbal T) [album version]”
Heard “ Tubby’s Chaser “ on our local Jazz station. Sourced the album on Spotify - listened - it was love at first listen. Hoped I could get vinyl on Bandcamp - was successful!! purple2001
