Groovement First Listen // Maylight: Up And Down from Chris Read, Lizzy Parks and crew
The debut album from Maylight is ethereal in all the right places. A jazz album pushed through an electronic soul kaleidoscope, Almighty is the debut album from this crew, filled with talent – two of whom I’m familiar with and some who are new to me.
Chris Read is on production – since picking up his ridiculous The Diary (The World’s Greatest Rap Megamix) I’ve kept a close ear on his work, and been delighted to see him go from strength to strength in terms of recognition for all the hard work he puts in. Head over to Substance Music to get an idea of his official mixtape for The Pharcyde, Souls Of Mischief, A Tribe Called Quest – plus his production work and remixes for Oddisee, Renegade Brass Band, Algebra Blesset, The Impellers and many more.
Lizzy Parks raised the roof back in her time at Tru Thoughts, and I had a lovely time interviewing her at Matt and Phred’s back in 2010. Check her website for her current goings on outside of Maylight.
Six more heads make up the collective:
- pianist Rob Barron has done session work for Jay Z, Kanye West and Jay Electronica;
- Mary Wakelam on saxophone;
- Joe Egan of free jazz crew Aida Severo on trumpet;
- Percy Pursglove, who’s played for the Duke Ellington Orchestra and The Coltrane Ensemble;
- Colin Somervell of Trio Tekke on bass;
- drums from Jim Bashford (currently playing for Katie Melua).
I’m extremely pleased to present a first listen of the track Up And Down, which is a bit of a stomper.
Pre-order the album, out 25th March on BBE Music, from Juno or BBE.
