In what certainly is one of the most anticipated albums of 2023, legendary UK producer, deejay, and acid jazz pioneer Chris Bangs is set to release his new full-length record Firebird this week on the iconic Acid Jazz Records.

Featuring 10-tracks, this brilliant new album is a jazz dance scorcher that encompasses a lifetime of Chris’s musical influences, melding together hard-hitting Latin and Brazilian/samba rhythms, uptempo jazz-funk and fusion grooves, 70s-rooted salsa and more. The record also includes a number of standout covers, including fresh renditions of Dom Um Romao’s “Kitchen (Cosina)” and Cal Tjader’s “Samba Do Sueno” (which was named BeatCaffeine’s ‘Favorite Track of 2022’).

The remarkable session features some of the most in-demand musicians across genres, including guitarist Nigel Price (Van Morrison, David Axelrod, JTQ), pianist Janette Mason (Seal, KD Lang, Robert Wyatt), trumpeter Dave Priseman (Jeff Beck, Imelda May), saxophonist Simon Bates (Elvis Costello, Chaka Khan, Carleen Anderson), vibraphonist Roger Beaujolais (Robert Plant, Tony Allen, Neneh Cherry), and bassist Ernie Mckone (Boogie Back, Paul Weller).

Over the past couple of months, a number of tracks on the album have seen strong radio play from highly influential individuals among the UK jazz scene, like Colin Curtis, Kev Beadle, Gilles Peterson, David Patterson and others.

Incredible from start to finish, Firebird can already be penciled-in as one of the essential releases of the year, and should quickly become a favorite among the jazz dancefloor. Highly recommended!

Chris Bangs — ‘Firebird’
(Acid Jazz Records)

1. Samba Do Sueno
2. Firebird
3. Dinamita
4. Ritmo Picante
5. Sambara
6. East Coast
7. Bam Bam
8. Kitchen (Cosina)
9. Circuit Break
10. Lifetimes

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• Brazilian
• Jazz
• Jazz Dance
• Latin