Malcolm Strachan - Take Me to the Clouds [Audio]

Official stream from Haggis Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
#HaggisRecords #Jazz #SoulJazz
Album: About Time [ALBUM]
Track: 1 of 9
Title: Take Me to the Clouds
Artist: Malcolm Strachan
Label: Haggis Records
Cat#: HRCD004
Formats: CD Album/Digital
Digital Release: 27th March 2020
Physical Release: 27th March 2020

About This Release:

Scottish trumpeter Malcolm Strachan is a founder member of top UK funk/jazz-funk band The Haggis Horns as well as being one of the busiest session musicians in the UK today. In a professional career spanning 20 years, he's recorded with the likes of Mark Ronson, Amy WineHouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamiroquai, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Jesse Glynne, The Craig Charles Fantasy Funk Band, Black Honey, The New Mastersounds and Blue Note saxophone legend Lou Donaldson. Now he's finally releasing his first solo album, aptly titled "About Time", on Haggis Records and he's going back to his original roots...Jazz
The album is a collection of original compositions, all written and arranged by Malcolm, which are firmly rooted in the classic acoustic modern jazz style typified by the great 60's and 70's recordings on the legendary Blue Note Records label. A nice variation of themes and tempos feature throughout the album. From full-on latin vibes to beautiful ballads, soul jazz grooves to cinematic soundtrack flavours, all woven together by a great group of experienced musicians.
Malcolm's core quartet is himself on trumpet/flugelhorn, fellow Haggis Horns members George Cooper (piano) and Erroll Rollins (drums), plus Courtny Tomas on double bass. Featured guests are Atholl Ransome on tenor sax (The Haggis Horns), Rob Mitchell on baritone sax (Abstract Orchestra) and Danny Barley on Trombone. Strings are courtesy of Richard Curran and the percussionist is one of the finest session players in Europe, Karl Vanden Bossche (Incognito, Robert Palmer, Joss Stone, The Gorillaz, Sade, Blur - He and Malcolm met while touring with Mark Ronson)
Malcolm's love of jazz comes from his parents. Aged 7, his jazz musician father gave him a trumpet. From then on, jazz was his life. His musical education came via music teachers, youth jazz orchestras and jazz summer schools but mostly from his dad's record collection listening to Art Blakey and Dizzy Gillespie records and learning to improvise and solo by ear. At 18, he enrolled at Leeds College of Music and quickly immersed himself in the city's vibrant acid jazz, funk and soul scene and from making his recording debut in 1999 with The New Mastersounds, jazz was his musical passion but took a back seat to funk/soul/pop which were the day job. Until now.
Jazz is back. The wait is over. It really is "About Time" for Malcolm Strachan

Reviews for This Release:

"Much anticipated solo release from one of the UK's top session trumpeters! It doesn't disappoint! Soul-Jazz at its finest. As you might expect from Malcolm's pedigree, big lush arrangements that sound like a long lost Art Farmer CTI classic from the 70's. Fans of Nicola Conte or Timo Lassy will love this." - Chip Wickham

"A wonderful piece of work, fantastic playing throughout. A thing of beauty!" - Snowboy

[brianmcewan]

Eat yer hairt oot Pat - this is jist nae oot o' yer bicycle bag! Lovely stuff Malcolm.

[gregc]

the Jazz album of the year for me so far

[davidedegliesposti]

cloud after cloud .. you really took me to the moon.... many thnx for trip

[garyb]

love this track the arrangements and the cinematic feel is stunning .one of my favourite jazz albums recently.hope Malcolm continues to make music of this quality and style.And thanks Haggis records for allowing him that artistic freedom.

[starshiptrooper]

Superb. One of the musical highlights of my year.