Over Chrétien’s vibes and Frantz’ alto sax, Rivard sings soulfully about expanding one’s mind and lifting one’s spirit “high to the sky.” It’s a standout track and was a highlight when the band played to a packed house at Toronto’s Garrison club in March. On the new album, the third to be released on England’s Strut label, Souljazz ventures into spiritual jazz territory with “Celestial Blues,” written by Andy Bey for Gary Bartz’ NTU Troop. Similarly, the group’s love of jazz has been evident ever since it covered Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has a Master Plan” on Freedom No Go Die. Philippe was a good drummer when he left for Cuba, but when he came back he was a monster. But everyday he’d sneak out and go to Havana’s music conservatory where they’d give conga lessons. “Philippe was there illegally,” Chrétien explains, “living in the basement of this old lady’s place and kind of hiding out. The drummer embraced Latin grooves back in 2003, when he spent a year living in Cuba as a kind of musical refugee. The band’s affinity for salsa was first heard on its early dancefloor sizzler “La Habana” and is prominent on Inner Fire’s fiery jam “Agoya,” which Chrétien co-wrote with Lafrenière. “It became very limiting and frustrating-especially since we’ve been playing Latin, jazz and other African music from the beginning.”
“Whenever we did anything but African tunes people were like ‘why aren’t you doing Fela Kuti songs?’” recalls Chrétien. But ultimately the band felt pigeonholed by the tag. Added Chrétien: “We’ve been good friends ever since.”Īfrobeat became the group’s signature sound, a kinship Souljazz shared with other acts like Montreal’s Afrodizz and Brooklyn’s Antibalas. But we learned them and Souljazz ended up doing a whole show with him. I said ‘of course’ and was given this huge bible of pretty complicated charts. “Dele came up to me at the Afrikadey! Festival in Calgary,” Chrétien recalled, “said he needed some backing musicians and would we help him out. The group entered the court of the Afrobeat king that year when it crossed paths with Dele Sosimi, Fela’s keyboard player in his Egypt 80 band. The band’s second album, 2007’s Freedom No Go Die, was collaboration with Burundi musician the Mighty Popo explicitly subtitled “An Exploration of the Revolutionary Sounds of Afrobeat Music.” We’re still looking to get to Africa which, when it happens, will like a pilgrimage for us.”Īfter forming in 2005, Souljazz members-including horn players Zakari Frantz, Steve Patterson and Ray Murray, percussionist Marielle Rivard and drummer Philippe Lafrenière-made the journey deep into the heart of Fela’s musical world.
“We were invited to play the Shrine (Fela’s club in Lagos) by the Kuti family, but things got complicated with flights and visas and it fell through unfortunately. “We’ve gotten close so many times,” explains Chrétien, the group’s classically trained composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist.
That Souljazz has never been to Africa is surprising, given the band’s close association with the sounds of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, who died in 1997. Souljazz leader Pierre Chrétien says the six-piece ensemble also hopes to reach South America and Africa for the first time this year. This summer is no different, as the group-hot on the heels of its excellent sixth album, Inner Fire-continues to blaze a trail at festivals on both continents. Listening to the Souljazz Orchestra is like to taking a rhythm-crazed, horn-drenched trip across the planet, hopping from Latin salsa and Caribbean funk to African beats and jazz from east and west.įor a dozen years, the tropically inspired, Ottawa-based band has crisscrossed Europe and North America, introducing its exotic musical mosaic to enthusiastic audiences and critical acclaim.