Review: LEDJ - Circuit Breaker (Bridge The Gap)

Hard to imagine how the Musical Director for Mulatu Astake (James Arben) and a Heliocentric mate (Danny Keane) plus a couple of member of the Hackney Colleiry Band could re-invent the New Orleans brass band format - but they have and it's all to the good.

It might take a couple of listens, but this quartet, Arben (horns), Keane (keys), Luke Christie (drums) and Ed Ashby (tuba) have crammed a lot into their debut 5 track EP.

The opener, 'Circuit Breaker' is their in ya face HCB style Ethio-Jazz but then the jazzy Fender Rhodes really shines on 'One Last One' that if had lyrics, could be a cross-over hit.

'5 Days Of Freedom' builds into a jazzy-funk groover and it's possibly the most jazz dancey of the set - more Chick Corea than Herbie say and the Ed's tuba give it some serious depth (and thoughout).  As a quick aside, good to see Oren 'Tuba Explorer' Marshall in Norma Winstones' backing band (along with Sam 'Floating Points' Shepherd!) at WeOutHere Festival this year - the tuba is back?

'Hailstorm' get punk-jazz Ezra Collective'd dub trance - these guys must be awesome live like Acoustic Ladyland back in the day.  A big change to the haunting ballady 'Monday 6th March' closer.

So you think the New Orleans' comparison was a bit far fetched?  I suppose Professor Longhair might not have recognised much here but he'd certainly love and dance to it. 

.

Artist: LEDJ
Title: Circuit Breaker
Release date: 24th October, 2024
Label : Bridge The Gap
Catalog Number : -
Format: LP / Digital / Bandcamp