Released: 09/09/22
Clear Path Ensemble bottles the energy of that burgeoning movement and distils
it into moody morsels of differing styles. From electric jazz to ambient,
experimental, house and funk - it's a DIY, jam- session attitude towards
composition, as the band members freely cherry- pick from a vast orchard of
influences.
Citing inspiration from '70s ECM catalogue, the ensemble channels the
"expansive and astral" elements of electric jazz, with an introspective dynamic. At
times it's fused with catchy synth hooks, smooth basslines and shuffling beats,
while other tracks morph into moody electronic soundscapes, and even Sun Ra-esque
free jazz. Led by percussionist Cory Champion, the band released their debut self- titled
album with HHV in 2020, followed by a headline performance at the 2021
Wellington Jazz Festival. Champion has played drums alongside some of New
Zealand's most revered contemporary musicians (Lord Echo, Lucien Johnson and
Mara TK to name a few), and also produces leftfield deep house and techno
under the name Borrowed cs, which partly informs the ensemble's electronic
production.
Says Champion: "for a long time I had ambitions to make this project but always
planned on it being recorded traditionally. Ultimately, I was encouraged by a new
DIY spirit in contemporary jazz, where electronic music production techniques are
fully integrated in the recording and production of great new contemporary jazz
music."