This week’s post is for my fellow jazz heads. The Seattle-based jazz group Industrial Revelation released their first full-length album, “Liberation and the Kingdom of Nri,” October 10 on their bandcamp page. On October 20, its availability was expanded to include iTunes and streaming services including Rdio, Spotify, Rhapsody and SoundCloud. The album is a two-disc set, featuring 22 songs total. It showcases styles of gospel, blues, funk, ballads and even includes vocalists on a few tracks. Although choosing a favorite track on this extensive album is difficult, the closing song, “Wet Shoes,” would have to take the prize. It begins with a gorgeous, soaring melody, but morphs into a groove that is sure to keep you from sitting still. Fans of the Seattle band Hey Marseilles may recognize Industrial Revelation’s trumpeter, Ahamefule J. Oluo, who played clarinet and trumpet on Hey Marseilles’ last two albums. Although Oluo is not widely recognized in the jazz community yet, he caught Seattle’s attention when Industrial Revelation won The Stranger’s 2014 Stranger Genius Award. The annual award grants local artists $25,000 in cash, according to its website. Industrial Revelation caught my eye last year when a member of Hey Marseilles promoted one of their concerts. Recognizing Oluo, I looked up their bandcamp, which brought me to the song “No Tears For A Wolf,” recorded during a performance at the Eastside Club Tavern in Olympia. Oluo’s musicianship had me floored. I sat in my dorm saying, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh” repeatedly throughout the 15-minute song. The only group I can compare Industrial Revelation to is Snarky Puppy, which is an audacious comparison to make. But listen to the track “Amelia” on their new album, and it’s easy to draw parallels to Snarky Puppy’s “Thing of Gold.” Industrial Revelation is a quiet giant of Seattle, performing on KPLU and at last year’s Capitol Hill Block Party. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixVo8fmtYZo[/embed]
