Biography
Originating in Ottawa, Ontario, the high-energy multicultural ensemble known as the Souljazz Orchestra merges vintage sounds from African, Latin, Caribbean, British, and American traditions, spanning Afro-beat and zouk through funk and ska. Their reach widened considerably via the Fela Kuti-inspired 2006 single “Mista President,” after which they sustained momentum across the 2010s with a series of exploratory releases on the respected Strut label, among them Solidarity (2012), Resistance (2015), and Chaos Theories (2019). The group’s cross-continental roots are mirrored in their demanding schedule as a live act, with appearances spanning North America, Europe, and Africa.
Comprising keyboardist Pierre Chrétien, alto saxophonist Zakari Frantz, baritone saxophonist Ray Murray, tenor saxophonist Steve Patterson, and percussionists Marielle Rivard and Philippe Lafrenière—all of whom also sing—the Souljazz Orchestra formed in 2002. Their debut album, Uprooted, arrived in 2005 on the Funk Manchu imprint. The overtly political single “Mista President,” drawn from the second album Freedom No Go Die—their first of two LPs for Do Right! Music—further enlarged their audience after it placed ninth in BBC DJ Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide program Top 30 that year. Manifesto followed in 2008, after which the ensemble began a sustained relationship with the higher-profile Strut label on Rising Sun, another Peterson favorite. Near-constant touring surrounded and followed Solidarity in 2012.
Once they had performed across three continents, the Souljazz Orchestra regrouped at Metropolitan Studios in Ottawa and delivered Inner Fire in 2014. Resistance, released in 2015, incorporated fresh influences from the discothèques of Francophone Africa and the French Caribbean. Their association with Strut extended through Under Burning Skies in 2017 and Chaos Theories in 2019, the latter exploring the intersection of ska, reggae, and punk that emerged from early-’80s England.
Comprising keyboardist Pierre Chrétien, alto saxophonist Zakari Frantz, baritone saxophonist Ray Murray, tenor saxophonist Steve Patterson, and percussionists Marielle Rivard and Philippe Lafrenière—all of whom also sing—the Souljazz Orchestra formed in 2002. Their debut album, Uprooted, arrived in 2005 on the Funk Manchu imprint. The overtly political single “Mista President,” drawn from the second album Freedom No Go Die—their first of two LPs for Do Right! Music—further enlarged their audience after it placed ninth in BBC DJ Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide program Top 30 that year. Manifesto followed in 2008, after which the ensemble began a sustained relationship with the higher-profile Strut label on Rising Sun, another Peterson favorite. Near-constant touring surrounded and followed Solidarity in 2012.
Once they had performed across three continents, the Souljazz Orchestra regrouped at Metropolitan Studios in Ottawa and delivered Inner Fire in 2014. Resistance, released in 2015, incorporated fresh influences from the discothèques of Francophone Africa and the French Caribbean. Their association with Strut extended through Under Burning Skies in 2017 and Chaos Theories in 2019, the latter exploring the intersection of ska, reggae, and punk that emerged from early-’80s England.
Albums
