Jazz / Funk, Modern Creative, Jazz-Funk, Post-Bop
Adrian Owusu Percussion, Guitar, Oud
Egon Executive Producer
Jack Yglesias Flute, Santur, Percussion
James Arben Clarinet, Sax (Tenor), Sax (Baritone)
Jessica Lauren Electronics, Vocals
Kelly Hibbert Mastering
Khadijatou Silcott Fraser Vocals
Low Fi Ensemble Strings
Malcolm Catto Piano, Producer, Drums
Matt Rowlands Artwork
Max Weissenfeldt Vibraphone, Percussion
Mike Burnham Producer, Synthesizer, Effects
Ray Carless Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor), Sax (Baritone)
Despite having been DJ Shadow's backing band on a couple tours, Out There is the debut full-length from the Heliocentrics. It's an inspired mix of cinematic hip-hop instrumentals and Sun Ra-style jazz exotica with horns and percussion a-plenty. Some of the shorter tracks serve more as interludes, sometimes using spoken samples from film (???) that all relate to the concept of a journey "out there" to the cosmos and back, but the vast majority of the album is instrumental. It's more about the grooves than the solos, although flutist Jack Yglesias and synth player Mike Burnham have some really nice moments. Speaking of the groove, drummer Malcolm Catto and bass player Jake Ferguson keep it solid, aided on percussion by practically everyone else in the band. If funky beats, riffing saxophones, and an anything-can-happen mentality strikes your fancy, you might want to give a listen to the Heliocentrics. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
The Heliocentrics
Active Decade: '00s
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Funk, Jazz-Funk, Modern Creative, Post-Bop
Hailing from the United Kingdom, the youth-oriented ensemble the Heliocentrics are hard to pigeonhole, though some have dubbed them a contemporary acid jazz band. Led by drummer Malcolm Catto, the band straddles hip-hop, funk, modern creative jazz, psychedelic electronica, and world musics. Madlib and Yesterday's New Quintet have prominently used Catto's drumming and sampled sounds. The Heliocentrics have backed DJ Shadow, the Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke, and American poet/activist Melvin Van Peebles. The group has issued the single "Distant Star," Out There featuring Karen P and Karl Injex on LP and CD, and "Sirius B" with Percee P and Doom. They acknowledge as influences James Brown, Elvin Jones, David Axelrod, Sun Ra, Ennio Morricone, Stark Reality, and Joyride. The full nonet includes Catto on drums and piano; Jake Ferguson on bass and Thai guitar; Mike Burnham on modular synthesizers and effects; Jack Yglesias on flute, percussion, and santur; Adrian Owusu on guitars, oud, and percussion; James Arben on clarinet and tenor and baritone saxophones; Ray Carless on alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones; Max Weissenfeldt on vibes and percussion; and Khadijatou Silcott-Fraser (K2 Wordplay) on vocals.
--- Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide |
