SHUFFLE DEMONS

ARE YOU REALLY REAL

ALMA Records

Richard Underhill, alto& baritone saxophones/vocals; Kelly Jefferson & Matt Logan, tenor saxophone; Mike Downes, acoustic & electric bass; Stich Wynston, drums/vocals.

I love Straight-ahead jazz and bebop.  I review all kinds of music, but my own jazz roots are buried deep in the exciting jazz of the 1950s and 1960s. Shuffle Demons is an ensemble that brings back memories of that time and space, even though they have added their own contemporary twist.  Their unique presentation is minus piano, but still presents a cohesive, energetic jazz package with a rhythm section featuring only drums and bass in support of three master horn players.  Their sound is dynamic.

These celebrated Toronto, Canada based musicians are celebrating forty years in the music business.  The Shuffle Demons have recently signed to one of Canada’s leading jazz labels, ALMA Records, former home of Joey DeFrancesco.  This is their eleventh album release.

They open with “X Marks the Spot” composed by the quintet’s bassist, Mike Downes.  It’s Straight-ahead jazz at it’s best. The three horns create harmonic excitement above the melodic bass line that opens the tune. They dance above the flurry of drums provided by Stich Wynston. Wynston is dynamic and creative with his percussive support. Each horn player solos with gusto. They captivate me with their technique and improvisation.  Downes is a multiple Juno-winner who has worked with Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and Dave Liebman.

The title tune weaves spoken word into the arrangement. It sets up a fusion groove, with Wynston’s rolling trap drums accentuating the syncopation.  The lyrics speak of a changing world.

“The world is changing and rearranging; So, I must ask you, are you really real?  The list of A.I. is going sky high, it’s just like sci-fi. Are you really real?”

All of this original music is composed by the group members, but the majority of the composition are the work of Juno-winning co-founder Richard Underhill.  He has written seven of the new songs. The various compositions by group members cover blues, rap, funk and a full range of jazz styles.  I love the “Bottom Dollar” tune, rooted in the blues and composed by Kelly Jefferson. It’s a slow shuffle with a melody that sticks like Velcro to my mind. The horn solos are formidable and appreciated. Group co-founder and drummer supreme, Stich Wynston brings fire to the arrangement.

Other favorites are “Good Mourning, (written by Stich Wynston), the funk driven “Money is my Only Religion” composed by Underhill, “Scala Rosa” a Matt Logan composition with several syncopated staccato breaks in the melody, and “Sunny Side Up” that just made me feel pure happiness!

Longevity has not diminished the Shuffle Demons’ adventurous spirit. They continuously offer creative compositions and a united group front. Producer, Jono Grant, has worked with this unique quintet for thirty years. They refer to him as “a studio wizard,” because he brings the best out of these talented musicians.

Shuffle Demons serves as a cultural ambassador jazz group, bridging countries and continents with their universal sound. They are one of Canada’s true, musical, national treasures.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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