Jonathan Scales Fourchestra - Tundra Jazz Night @ Tabloo

An evening for music lovers with a twist! Jonathan Scales Fourchestra Je might have heard this before, but the playfully named Jonathan Scales Fourchestra is really hard to describe. They switch effortlessly from in-your-face, stunning virtuosity and passion to those quiet moments where all background noise disappears and you hold your breath to take in a soundscape of pure stillness. The power trio of electric bass (E'Lon JD), drums (Maison Guidry), and steelpans (Jonathan Scales) combines elements of jazz, classical music, and progressive rock, interspersed with Latin rhythms and soulful outbursts of funk. From club and festival stages throughout North America and Europe, and tours through Africa and Southeast and Central Asia as a cultural ambassador for the American Ministry of Buitenlandse Zaken, to their NPR Tiny Desk Concert with Béla Fleck: the live shows of the Fourchestra make even the most seasoned listeners forget where they are for a moment… even if it is only for a precious moment. This might sound strange, but while they are about to release their eighth studio album, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra is only now truly embracing their identity as a group. For years, Jonathan’s live band consisted of a changing lineup of top musicians, and there was even an “all-star” version with bassist MonoNeon (Prince, Nas), drummer Sput Searight (Snarky Puppy, Snoop Dogg), and percussionist Weedie Braimah (Trombone Shorty, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah), besides a series of other prominent names. Now, however, the Fourchestra is a clearly close-knit, indivisible band, and Jonathan writes music for the trio as a whole, not just for the steelpans.