Pierre Chretien, Souljazz leader, speaking from his home in Ottawa, Ont. described their style simply as "a mix of Afro, Latin, jazz and funk music." But their sound spans from the classic Nigerian funk of Fela Kuti to the exotic sounds of obscure Ethiopian jazz-funk of the '70s. They also dive into Latin jazz and other Western jazz sounds.
NPR said of their latest, "Rising Sun" (2010, Strut), that some of it "brings to mind a fantasy collaboration between Fela Kuti and the Modern Jazz Quartet's Milt Jackson. Souljazz doesn't reinvent soul, jazz or the fusion thereof, but it plays all of the above with the passion that drove its forefathers." (Full Story)
Souljazz Orchestra
with Desolation Row
When: 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23.
Where: The Strutt, 773 W. Michigan Ave.
Cost: $10
Contact: 269-492-7200, thestrutt.com
