Spells from School of Jazz Sorcery

Band Featured: Underground Canopy

Genre: Acid Jazz/Fusion/Hip-Hop

Album: Uncut Gems (Nov. 2022)

Lurking around the metros of moody Paris, saunters a groovy sextet of funk cats. Underground Canopy is a disgustingly delightful combo of musicians who pay homage to the arts of jazz, funk, and hip-hop. Surrounded by their crusty pot of production, there is an organic and sophisticated soup. Drums encased in years of saturation, smacking bass as glue, and pads of deep Rhodes pianos, swirling synthesizers, and ambient horns come together to forge something unique. Evidently, Underground Canopy is expanding on their influences of French fusion masters Cortex, and perhaps the vibey side of Jamiroquai's discography. They reside in the classification of Acid Jazz.

This genre arose in the 90's as a crossroads for psychedelia, hip-hop, and jazz. Rap groups like A Tribe Called Quest were notorious for sampling real smooth jazz selections in their beats, and this infusion of jam music and wonky beats were immensely influential. Another legendary example of this was J Dilla's catalog. Then, folks wondered what this originally Frankensteined style would sound like reinstated into a live context, like where jazz began. The Roots certainly embraced this stylistic tinge, especially when responsible for a lot of D'Angelo's diabolically funkyVoodoo. Acid Jazz is another story that proves music's cyclical nature. Folks innovate with what they have, inspire others to continue, and amalgamate everything.

Uncut Gems is an immersive canvas demonstrating all these colors whilst depicting various moods. One piece could soundtrack the slow metamorphic nature of forests and bogs, while another could catapult one super-sonically into space and all its undiscovered secrets. The tune "Zero-F," a thirteen minute jam honoring the SNES racing game F-Zero, is personally a favorite for its unrelenting evolutions and the band's improvisational prowess. It's such a sweet mood that its length is no bother. "Space Gems" is a guilty pleasure for me with its emphasis on atmospheric synths. "Into The Deep" I believe is the piece that embraces the Acid Jazz title best. It almost resembles if Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead had a lovechild. This is the ultimate "give yourself a break and have a good time doing it" record. Whether it's traveling, sleeping forever, cooking a meal, or watching paint dry, Underground Canopy will morph the mundane into magic.

If you truly want more, there are two half hour improv sessions on their YouTube channel that are wonderful. The videos cut in and out of hypnotic city footage and the six members absolutely shredding in a dark hidey-hole studio. The means of recording seems minimal but the performances are massive. Nevertheless, if you want to groove, throw these guys on.

~Written by Peter Fox~

Social Media: https://instagram.com/undergroundcanopy?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7k7AFLI13ChqpIlQGI1lJo?si=oxlSJmbPRqqZNY4_2LvySQ

Art created by Davor Gromilovic (@davorgromilovic)