Today
I am going to do a review on Dan Shout's 'In with a Shout' album. It
was released about a month ago and I was lucky enough to go to the
launch. To be honest it was my first CD launch that I have ever been
to and I absolutely loved it. I went alone, but when I arrived at the
newly renovated Reeler Theatre at Rondebosch High School for Boys I
was relieved to bump into two people I know (who are actually fellow
saxophonists).
I loved the whole concept of the launch. It was only R110 to attend and you received an album and a complimentary glass of wine. I grabbed a glass of red wine (which was great by the way) and said hello to the very proud Terrence Scarr, who is the head of music at the school. I then walked into the Reeler Theatre and could see that Mr Scarr has good reason to be proud. I could smell the newly painted blue walls that hold framed pictures of past music students in their honour. Recognizing a few faces in the pictures, I sat down with great anticipation of what was to come that evening. The stage was all set up, instruments waiting for their masters' to bring them to life.
Dan
Shout is a composer, arranger and saxophonist. This is his
3rd album which his company Shout
Music Company produced. It is completely instrumental, and
it features three tenor saxophones. The three tenor players, are Dan,
Marc de Kock and Sisonke Xonti. On drum-kit is Marlon Witbooi, Benjamin Jephta on electric bass , Gorm Helfjord on guitar, Andrew Ford on piano and Daniel Boem
on percussion.
At
the launch, Dan told stories about the background to each of his
pieces. He explained that each one 'speaks' of a time in his life,
thus making this album a collection of experiences from the journey
of his life. From when he was small and his parents emigrated to
where he grew up in Namibia to moving and settling in Cape Town. It
really is a personal reflection that Dan has invited other people to
share with him. His collaboration with such great musicians enhances
the listening experience as each player brings something unique to
the album. Solos are spread throughout the band, each specifically
given to a suitable player for a specific piece.
The arrangements are intriguing, the more that you listen to the album, the more intricacies you are able to hear. With South African jazz influences and even a bit of classical clarinet thrown in, the main thread pays tribute to the bebop master's and the result is a culmination of sound that is both sincere and beautiful. In my mind this is a 'selfless' album. It's an offering of Dan Shout to the world and one that will move you, whether or not you have any understanding of jazz.
To learn more about the pieces on the album and to entice you to purchase one I have done a little Youtube explanation of the names of the pieces on the album. I am also doing a give-away of a copy of 'In With a Shout' and a surprise gift. You will need to watch the video in order to enter the give-away competition.
If you are interested in purchasing the album, you can contact Dan directly at: dan@shoutmc.com
or purchase it at CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/da
or iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/za
Make sure to watch this video to WIN a copy of 'In with a Shout'. (You will need to watch in HD).
https://www.youtube.com/watch
p.s. I don't have any proper video editing software, so please excuse the poor editing of this video. Hopefully this will improve with time.
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