NICK MACLEAN QUARTET feat. Brownman AliManhattans | www.Manhattans.caGuelph, ON - 951 Gordon StFRI-FEB-23, 8:00pm$PWYCFB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/156595321657569/ :: Nick Maclean - piano:: Brownman Ali - trumpet:: Jesse Dietschi - bass:: Tyler Goertzen - drums The Nick Maclean Quartet returns after the packed-house release of their debut studio album RITES OF ASCENSION. Led by a 26 year old rising jazz-piano star, come see this powerhouse quartet which features internationally acclaimed jazz trumpet iconoclast Brownman Ali alongside some of the top 20-something jazz musicians Canada has to offer. 'Nick Maclean's 'Rites Of Ascension' is nicely twisted and baked! A fresh look at Herbie Hancock classics and delicious new original themes all presented with taste and virtuosity. No safety net here, everyone is living on the edge. Nick's playing and writing is sublime, Brownman sounds ferocious and the rhythm section is an unstoppable force. This is truly jazz at it's adventurous best. I love the music these guys make. You will too.'-- Bruce Cassidy, Blood Sweat & Tears alumni, EVI world authority 'From Canada comes this updated soul jazz in the vein of the Blue Note acid jazz compilations. Fresh and youthfully joyful reworkings of three Herbie Hancock standards lead the disc off before we settle into several of pianist Maclean's own compositions. Key to the sound is the gloriously expressive trumpeter Brownman Ali, who contributes one of his own tunes here, the funky 'Madness of Nero', as well as producing.' - Hobart Taylor, KUCI 88.9FM (California, USA) 'Rites Of Ascension is one of the best [recordings] I have heard this year (and I receive about 60 + per month). Well above average, and that Brownman Ali is just fantastic and sure rings a bell for me! Nick Maclean's compositions and renditions of Herbie's stuff is of the highest standard. Bring them to Montreal please!' - Richard Therien at CIBL Radio-Montréal 101.5 FM READ Lynn Rene Bayley's review of RITES OF ASCENSION (Art Music Lounge)https://artmusiclounge.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/the-nick-maclean-quartet-breaks-through/ READ Chris Spector's review of RITES OF ASCENSION (Midwest Record)http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1297.html READ Hobart Taylor's review of RITES OF ASCENSION (KUCI 88.9FM)http://kuci.org/show_feature.cgi?id=1691 READ Memphis Marty's review of RITES OF ASCENSION (Jazz Music Blog)http://thejazzmusicblog.blogspot.ca/2017/11/nick-maclean-quartet-rites-of.html READ Dick Metcalf's review of RITES OF ASCENSION (Improvijazzation Nation)http://rotcodzzaj.com/improvijazzation-nation-167/issue-167-reviews/ FROM THE LINER NOTES BY DAVE RESTIVO 'Pianist and composer Nick Maclean, 26 years old at the time of this recording, is in very much the spirit of Hancock, which is to say that this album is very much about Maclean's artistic voice (and those of his carefully chosen colleagues)... inspired by Hancock while also presenting a highly individual and distinct evolution from the source material.'- Dave Restivo, Canadian Jazz Giant =======================================================BUY THE ALBUM: https://nickmacleanquartet.bandcamp.com/(Released October 31st)======================================================= ==========================================About NICK MACLEAN QUARTETwww.NicholasMaclean.com/nickmacleanquartet==========================================This contemplative and often thrilling quartet's explorations of modern, original repertoire is led by a fast-rising star in Toronto's jazz piano community, 25 year old NICK MACLEAN. Formed in 2016, Maclean's foursome delivers jazz between the two poles of thoughtful introspection and powerhouse conveyance, taking influences from Herbie Hancock's primordial 1960's Blue Note era recordings, while paying tribute to some of the greatest improvisers in jazz history. Repeatedly regarded as a modern take on the ferocious and hard-swinging post-bop era, the group has been busy in the Ontario jazz club circuit and featured in numerous festivals and concert series including multiple appearances at the Toronto Jazz Festival both as a featured ensemble and an often requested backing band. In addition to their original material, the ensemble has also mounted several popular tribute series to jazz masters including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry & Cole Porter. The group is frequently lauded for the strength of their collective improvisatory vision and features one of Canada's most provocative improvising trumpet-playing iconoclasts Brownman Ali, standing shoulder to shoulder with Maclean & two of Toronto's top-tier rhythm section 20-somethings: Jesse Dietschi on bass and Tyler Goertzen on drums. The synergy of the 4 is always palpable in concert. The quartet's debut 11-track full-length album 'Rites Of Ascension' features 6 Maclean-penned compositions, 1 Brownman original and 4 re-imagined Herbie Hancock classics, all recorded at the renowned Canterbury Studios in Toronto. Produced by Brownman Ali, this new release will be available on Browntasauras Records internationally in the fall of 2017. ========================================About BROWNMAN and BROWNTASAURASwww.Brownman.com | www.Browntasauras.com========================================Trinidadian-born, NYC-schooled & heralded as “Canada’s preeminent Jazz trumpeter” by NYC’s Village Voice, multi-award winning trumpet player Brownman Ali stands at the forefront of innovation in the Canadian jazz community. A protégé to his teacher, Grammy-winning trumpet legend, Randy Brecker, he tirelessly leads 7 unique ensembles of his own including the internationally acclaimed, Miles Davis influenced, BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO. In 2009 he launched his own record label: Browntasauras Records, which saw the Electryc Trio's two now celebrated recordings garner substantial accolades and press. The label is now a home to all his ensembles as well as the newly signed NICK MACLEAN QUARTET. Now, using the label as a breeding ground for new and visionary talent in the modern jazz realm, Browntasauras and Brownman himself are widely regarded as vanguards for the evolution of Jazz in Canada.