The Jazz Defenders - The Big Man / Love's Vestige

Haggis Records

£10.80

Format: 7" Vinyl
Catalogue No.: HR7002
Barcode: 5050580765634
Release Date: 9th July 2021
Genre: Jazz (Soul Jazz)

01: The Big Man
02: Love's Vestige

Pianist/keyboardist George Cooper's main job is tickling the ivories with top UK funk/soul band The Haggis Horns. A member now for several years, he features on their recordings and tours nationally and internationally with them.

Between Haggis Horns duties and a busy diary of session work for a variety of artists (Hans Zimmer, Nigel Kennedy, U2, Slum Village, Abstract Orchestra), back home in Bristol he leads a firing classic jazz quintet called The Jazz Defenders.

With a love of late 1950's jazz called hard bop, best exemplified by the Blue Note Records albums of musicians like Horace Silver, Art Blakey and Lee Morgan, they released a much-acclaimed debut album on Haggis Records in March 2020 just before music shut down.

The Jazz Defenders, like many musicians laid off by the pandemic, put their time to good use writing and arranging new material. Now, as we emerge from the darkness of lockdown and restrictions, the first two fruits of their musical labour are ready to be heard.

Haggis Records are releasing a 7" vinyl on July 9th 2021 featuring two new original compositions from the band.

"The Big Man" is a bold and brassy dancefloor jazz gem that would fit neatly onto any Lp from 1966 by the Jazz Defenders' musical heroes...Herbie Hancock, Blue Mitchell, Lou Donaldson, Donald Byrd. Fifty years ago this would be called "Soul Jazz". Twenty-five years ago, this would have been classed as "Acid Jazz". Today, whatever you want to call it, it's just great upbeat feel-good music with a toe-tapping beat. Something we all need right now.

The B-side of the single is "Love's vestige" a grooving mid-60's style soul jazz number with a Latin beat and cinematic overtones that conjures up images of mini-skirted ladies, sharp-suited dudes in shades, Vespa scooters, go-go clubs and cappuccino coffee bars. A short sharp and snappy tune...the perfect "Mod Jazz" combination.

It's been a long wait but The Jazz Defenders are back. The single is a little taster for the second album which should hopefully see the light of day later this year on Haggis Records.

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