Sean Mason Quartet

New Yorker Sean Mason is well on his way to becoming a leading pianist/composer of his time. Mason emerges as a guiding luminary, shining his introspective command as both a melodic pianist and composer through the historic lens of jazz to create a work that distills the essence of the genre for our time even as it points the way forward.

Here he presents the London premiere of his debut album ‘The Southern Suite’, which was produced by Branford Marsalis and released on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Blue Engine Records last year.

Unforgettable gospel-tinged hooks sit on top of a deep, compelling pocket, making for catchy, danceable, forward-looking music

(jazz.org – Jazz at Lincoln Center)

Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sean took to the piano at the age of 13, teaching himself by ear to play the styles of music he was most attracted to. His approach quickly evolved into a highly original language. Sean’s unique voice in jazz is steeped in the sound of the South, allowing an extended time for groove while also displaying a vocabulary far beyond his years. As a bandleader, he leads the Sean Mason Quartet, a band assembled to play Sean’s original music, which has been described as highly melodic and infectious.

His fervour and arranging talent that makes instruments sound like no one else can. Essential.

paris-move.com

The genesis of Sean’s debut album ‘The Southern Suite’ came from an all-star quintet which Mason handpicked: Tony Glausi trumpet, Chris Lewis, tenor saxophone, Felix Moseholm bass, and Domo Branch drums. The melodies contained within ‘The Southern Suite’ are timeless; they are as fresh as anything out there, and yet they sound so familiar. They take their influence from the jazz tradition and possess an x-factor that puts them in their own category – a magical junction of the lowdown blues joint, the wooden pew of the Black Baptist church, and the glamour of a Broadway score: uptown elegance intermingled with downtown grit.

Just as we think we’re hearing something familiar; he can turn it in a different direction, while mostly exuding infectious joy along the way

(makingascene.org)

The music on ‘The Southern Suite’ is a rich evocation of life, including all its inherent contradictions and complexities — those of nuanced optimism and subtle melancholy.