The Souljazz Orchestra return with a brand new studio album for our troubled times, 'Chaos Theories', released on Strut on 13th September.
Always known for their uncompromising social and political messages, the Canadian collective hit harder than ever on 9 new tracks, outing the hypocrisy of modern day politics, police brutality and the everyday struggle of the working man. Led by chief songwriter and arranger Pierre Chrètien, the band continue to evolve their sound, drawing on a broad palette from their trademark Latin, Afro and Caribbean styles to some of the UK's political sounds of the early '80s, the era of The Clash, The Police, 2-Tone and frontline reggae. "We were basically messing around with the idea of creating our own brand of 'Afro-punk'", remembers Chrétien, "something with the aggressive, in-your-face energy of punk rock or free jazz, but still backed by the hypnotic, pulsating grooves of tropical music."
The album takes the listener from carefully targeted sonic missiles to more reflective thought-provoking moments. 'Police The Police' starts the offensive: "I wrote this after my neighbour was beaten to death by Ottawa police during an arrest," explains Chrétien. "The authorities downplayed the incident and the officers were working the next day like nothing had happened." 'House Of Cards' takes a thinly veiled swipe at the current US administration on an infectious disco groove: "lies within lies within lies... like so many Russian dolls"; 'Boat Rockers' challenges us all to look beyond accepted norms and 'General Strike' documents the frustrations of the working class as the pay gap gets increasingly wider; 'Slumlord' shines the spotlight on dodgy landlords while the brilliant closer 'Well Runs Dry' laments modern day living, with its confused pace and mundane obsessions, remembering simpler days gone by.
Leading their field for 17 years, The Souljazz Orchestra have constantly moved forward and remain an in-demand live band worldwide. 'Chaos Theories' is their 9th album, is released on LP, CD, cassette and digital / streaming and is mastered by The Carvery. LP format comes as a special dark blue vinyl edition. The band tour Europe and Canada during September, October and
November 2019.
Tracklisting:
1. CHARLIE FOXTROT
2. POLICE THE POLICE
3. HOUSE OF CARDS
4. BOAT ROCKERS
5. SKY HIGH
6. WAR GAMES
7. GENERAL STRIKE
8. SLUMLORD
9. WELL RUNS DRY
Tour dates:
Sep 20 - Ottawa, ON -
Babylon
Sep 27 - Montpellier, FR - Rockstore -
Tix
Sep 28 - Rambouillet, FR - Usine à Chapeaux -
Tix
Sep 29 - Chelles, FR - Les Cuizines -
Tix
Sep 30 - Paris, FR - New
Morning -
Tix
Oct 01 - Gent, BE - Vooruit Balzaal -
Tix
Oct 02 - Madrid, ES - Café Berlín -
Tix
Oct 04 - Granada ES - Planta Baja -
Tix
Oct 05 - Zaragoza ES - Las Armas -
Tix
Oct 06 -
Barcelona ES - La Nau -
Tix
Oct 09 - Dusseldorf DE - Zakk -
Tix
Oct 10 - Mainz DE - KUZ -
Tix
Oct 11 - Athens GR - Gagarin 205 -
Tix
Oct 12 - Thessaloniki GR - WE
Complex -
Tix
Oct 13 -
Berlin DE - Gretchen -
Tix
Oct 14 - Dresden DE - Tonne -
Tix
Oct 16 - London UK -
Jazz Cafe -
Tix
Oct 17 - Dublin IE - Sugar Club -
Tix
Oct 18 - Épinay-sur-Seine - PMO -
Tix
Oct 19 - Nancy FR - Nancy Jazz Pulsations -
Tix
Nov 16 - Gatineau QC - Le Petit
Chicago
Nov 21 - Sherbrooke QC - La Petite Boîte Noire
Nov 22 - Montréal QC -
Groove Nation -
Tix
Nov 23 - Québec QC - L'Anti -
Tix
Nov 28 - Waterloo ON - Starlight
Nov 29 -
Hamilton ON - This Ain't Hollywood
Nov 30 - Toronto ON -
Velvet Underground -
Tix
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