With more than a year of delay, we’re talking about this excellent album by a new all-Montreal band, Mafuba. A year late, yes, but it must be said that it was only recently made available on Bandcamp. Previously, it was available for purchase quite discreetly, even though it could be listened to on the usual platforms.
In short, the time has come to get it, for peanuts, as they say, but still peanuts that will go into the pockets of the excellent artists who make up this quintet that knows how to groove and deliver some good solid sound. Moreover, you probably won’t find anywhere else a serious review of this reasonably generous Romantic Family Style Menu.
With The Bad Plus
Last but not least: we have just learned that Mafuba will be the opening act for Bad Plus on June 26 at the Jazz Festival, a great band with which the Montrealers share more than a few affinities.
Mafuba shares with his American colleagues an ability to sound like a single organism, strong, powerful, muscular, while knowing how to play delicately in the more refined corners of Interpretation. The groove is essential here, the pulse free yet sustained, consistent with a feeling of unalterable energy that drives and lifts. Duncan Hunter Neale’s trumpet plays a quite notable role here, with Hargrove-esque flights and a sound that is sometimes rough, but always very expressive.
Collective
We must not forget the other members of the quintet. I would feel bad implying that their presence is not as optimal. August McKinney on piano in In August, phew. What momentum! And the athletic drumming of Seyjii Schultz, who is the driving force behind this sonic power that captivates and carries us away. More discreet, Sibtaen Humayun on saxophone still contributes some notable passages, but above all provides unwavering support to the group’s holistic sound. The same observation applies to the double bass handled by Tristan Sisti-Aubé.
This is an album and a new collective that are amazing and very exciting to see arrive on the Montreal jazz scene.
DETAILS AND TICKETS FOR THE BAD PLUS (MAFUBA AS THE OPENING ACT)
tenor saxophone: Sibtaen Humayun
trumpet: Duncan Hunter Neale
piano: August Mckinney
bass: Tristan Sisti-Aubé
drums: Seyjii Schultz
