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Big Band Jazz

Ben Barnett’s ‘LeeRoy’ Poured Big Band Jazz Sophistication Into Ruin Without Spilling a Drop

New Beginnings by The Ruinous Quartet

With a level of class that refuses to dim under modern spotlights, LeeRoy by The Ruinous Quartet arrives with all the cool confidence of a veteran ensemble that knows precisely when to push and when to hold. The seasoned trombonist Ben Barnett, who has etched his legacy into the walls of New York’s most hallowed jazz institutions, leads with precision, panache, and an unteachable knack for arranging chaos into sophistication.

Having graduated with honours from both Purchase College and Hofstra University, with a Grammy nomination to his name and stage time shared with the likes of Barry Harris, Arturo O’Farrill, and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Barnett’s pedigree ensures LeeRoy is more than a nod to tradition. It is a fully animated, genre-scorching demonstration of where big band jazz can go when the right musicians are behind the wheel.

The keys sparkle with enough vivacity to summon a silver age of swing into the present day, while the percussion flickers with a contained urgency that threatens to tip the track into riotous abandon. The Ruinous Quartet live up to their name without ever losing sight of sheer elegance. The blistering drum solo carves a break in the structure sharp enough to shatter glass, yet the whole composition holds its shape with effortless poise.

The sheen of classic jazz may wrap LeeRoy in a satin glove, but the pulse underneath is pure electricity.

LeeRoy is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Anni & John Lister taught a lesson in cinematic seduction in their jazz score, Man of Mystery

The art of seduction is stitched across the intricate tapestry of the latest cinematic jazz score from multi-instrumentalist and producer John Lister of Fingerman Studios and singer-songwriter, Anni. With Anni’s demurely siren-esque vocal lines narrating a tale of a Man of Mystery over the retro big band spy movie sound and the soft jazz stylings bringing decadence by the smorgasbord, the espionage-centric vignette will leave you hot under the collar and beyond.

If the producers for the next Bond film don’t enlist the superlative talents pertaining to Anni and Lister, who co-wrote the song together, they will have missed a lascivious trick. Heaven knows the franchise needs to redeem itself after Billie Eilish sang the last Bond theme.

The official music video for Man of Mystery premiered on September 8th; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

E.G. Phillips has released his riotously infectious Timelord-inspired jazz single, Brave Heart, Luna

E.G. Phillips

We couldn’t get E.G. Phillips’ Doctor Who-inspired jazzy folky big band single in our ears fast enough. Brave Heart, Luna took inspiration from the reassurances made by the 5th doctor to his companion in times of intergalactic strife. Yet the single itself was written to quell fears of a friend; we can only imagine how gratified she was to inspire such a triumphant affirmation of her resilience.

Brave Heart, Luna obliterates the notion that only weak minds suffer by celebrating the strength of those battle-scarred by adversity while the vibrantly almost riotous progressions get the dopamine flowing.

If anyone could give Jason Webley’s rampant imagination a run for its money, it is E.G. Phillips.

You can check out Brave Heart, Luna for yourselves by heading over to E.G. Phillips’ official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast