Last week legendary jazz-hip-hop-soul quintet Butcher Brown announced the release date of their upcoming album and that pretty much made my music week. Needless to say, all jazz heads are looking up to October 6th when Solar Music will officially drop via Concord Jazz.

Formed in 2009 and hailing from Richmond, Virginia, the talent-overflowing band comprises Marcus Tenney (trumpet and saxophone), Morgan Burrs on the guitar, Corey Fonville (percussion), Andrew Randazzo (bass), and DJ Harrison who seamlessly works his magic on the keyboards.

There's a lot to unpack, so let's get to work.

Solar Music is a follow-up of their groundbreaking albums Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey (2022) and #KingButch (2020), and as always the innovative collective continues to push boundaries by delivering a rich repertoire of 17 tracks (that's without the three additional single edits available digitally). That's not the best part. The guestlist on the record is jaw-dropping, to say the least, and includes names like Pink Siifu, Braxton Cook, Jay Prince, Nappy Nina, Keyon Harrold, and many others.

"Solar Music demonstrates the band’s dynamic approach to the jazz format and incorporating their own rich lineage of musical influences from their upbringing in Richmond, fusing elements of soul, funk, rock, and hip-hop, into music that is universal.", shares the band.

Solar Music's first official single "I Can Say To You" features New York-based vocalist Vanisha Goul. The song kicks off with a minimalistic beat and Vanisha's repetitive soulful preach that echoes throughout the composition like a beacon of light and one of those statements that's just straight-up facts.

you'll find your way tomorrow or today,

there's nothing else i can say to ease your mind, except...

Followed up by a flawless delivery, "I Can Say To You" is one of those tracks that automatically evokes the repeat mode on. A damn good reason to be excited for the full Solar Music experience. Also, you got to love the dub scent engraved in the composition.

Do we really have control

if you really think you do, God bless your soul

posted by Ivo
June 2023