BY: DIGITAL WAX MEDIA STAFF 

 

If ever there was a group that could be appropriately dubbed as the Wu-Tang Clan of instrumental jazz, west coast collective The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble would surely fit the bill. The nine-piece ensemble specializes in what has been characterized as breakbeat-heavy funk-soul-jazz, and this melting pot of stylistic elements is on full display with the group’s new single, “Las Olas.”

 

Now, the mention of a nine-piece jazz ensemble might understandably evoke preconceptions of dense, orchestral style big band music. To qualify the reassurance itself with yet another qualifying reassurance, there is absolutely nothing wrong with big band music and Duke Ellington is one of the greatest compositional voices in the history of music. That being said, work historically and stylistically categorized as “big band” may be tougher for modern audiences to wrap their heads around. What The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble offers is not necessarily that.

 

Are there points of reference to be found in the material as pertaining to the work of bandleaders operating within more orchestral-style ensemble formats? Sure. Were members of TSFSE inspired in some capacity by The Duke? Almost certainly. But the point being made here is that this work feels remarkably palatable to a modern audience while maintaining a sophisticated sensibility that really gives fellow musicians and more analytical listeners something to chew on, so to speak.

 

”Las Olas” was released on Tuesday as the lead single from  Gemini, the upcoming album from The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble set to be released through Colemine Records in February. The track delivers the wonderfully open atmosphere which permeated the group’s most recent full-length up to this point, Step Down, while serving as a continuation and further exploration of many of the ideas presented as well.

 

At first listen, those outside the know might mistake “Las Olas” for an electronic tune due to how tight and crisp the drum tracks sound. There is much nuance in the grooves of drummer Jake Najor, which themselves are broken up by delightfully tasty fill sections that do so little to distract from the song itself that one might miss them should they not be listening with enough intentionality – though trust that these are tidbits one does not want to miss.

 

The entire thing is propelled by an undercurrent of swing that never overpowers the lo-fi hip-hop feel of the proceedings. Latin and Afro Caribbean bass specialist Omar Lopez – not to be confused with guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López of American rock band The Mars Volta – compliments the groove with tasteful and nuanced flourishes, always staying mindful of the pocket. The rhythms are tied together by the understated percussion work of Kiki Cornell Jr.

 

These elements provide what is simultaneously a decisively defined, yet open-ended canvas upon which a variety of instruments are provided space to intermingle with one another as through emulating a light-spirited conversation between loved ones or old friends. The interplay between the woodwinds is of particular interest, as the sounds can often be heard engaging in the sort of call-and-response exchanges upon which the needle of improvisatory jazz was moved in the 1950s by groups such as trumpeter Miles Davis’ iconic 1959 sextet.

 

The subtlety of the guitar work throughout “Las Olas” is also worth noting. Like much of the surrounding instrumentation throughout, the playing of Aquila’s “Lito” Magana seldom draws attention to itself, but nonetheless serves an essential function within the arrangement. Even during an impressive solo section around the song’s halfway point, a listener is much more likely to find themselves enraptured in the “vibe” and melodic movement of what is being conveyed through the instrument than to stop and begin analyzing the technique as one might the solo to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” for example.

 

What perhaps is most impressive about “Las Olas,” however – aside from the sheer exquisiteness of the production value, which is almost incomprehensible in its clarity and balance – is what The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble manage to do in terms of the seamless blending of genre elements – offering up work that functions effectively in equal measure as thoughtful, soulful, and immersive jazz as well as ambient background music for relaxation or study.

 

Should the consistency of past releases from The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble be any indicator, Listeners are in for a treat once Gemini hits shelves on March 28, 2025, through Colemine Records, and pre-orders for the album are currently available through the Colemine Records website.

 

“Las Olas” is currently available to stream.