Following the breakthrough release of 2017’s The Arrow of Time, London’s Freestyle Records has recently released the highly-anticipated third album from the Melbourne-based 9-piece spiritual jazz ensemble Menagerie, titled Many Worlds.

Led by producer, songwriter, guitarist, DJ and recording artist Lance Ferguson (also of the groups The Bamboos, Lanu, Rare Groove Spectrum, and Machines Always Win), this brilliant recording nicely captures the spirit of post-Coltrane exploration that we saw in the 70s on labels like Strata-East, Tribe Records, Muse, Impulse!, and Black Jazz, while pushing the sound forward. Over six great tracks, the expansive group fuses together spiritual melodies and cosmic jazz grooves with layered horns, guitar solos, both acoustic and electric keys, and funky percussion rhythms. The recording also features epic vocal harmonies on the title track “Many Worlds”, and some hypnotic spoken word-poetry on “Free Thing”.

Recorded at Union Street Studio by award-winning engineer John Castle, the recording also features some of Australia’s finest musicians, including pianist Mark Fitzgibbon (a regular performer at Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge’s original Dingwalls sessions), drummer Daniel Farrugia, renowned saxophonist Phil Noy (The Bamboos) and more.

Already seeing regular rotation from Gilles Peterson (BBC6/Worldwide FM), Don Letts (BBC6), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Simon Harrison, Paul Miller, Ennio Styles (3RRR) and many others, Menagerie have arguably released their best and most complete recording to date. Highly recommended!

Menagerie — ‘Many Worlds’
(Freestyle Records)

1. Hope
2. Many Worlds
3. Free Thing
4. Mountain Song
5. Hymn of the Turning Stone
6. Quantum Blues

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• Jazz
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