With the highly acclaimed Distilled and Distilled Live behind him on the renowned Naim Jazz label, Manchester guitarist and composer Stuart McCallum is probably best known for his work with Cinematic Orchestra. The distinctive, ethereal and atmospheric sound of his guitar has been at the heart of their sound since 2004, including on the albums 'Ma Fleur' and 'Live At The Royal Albert Hall' and the award winning soundtrack 'The Crimson Wing'.
In 2012 he was commissioned by the British Council to compose and record a piece of music for the Musicity project in Tokyo. The music would be available for people to listen to and download via smart phones at various listening posts as part of the Roppongi Art Night Festival (an annual all-night art festival started in 2009). Inspired by the Roppongi district, McCallum created the track The Seventh Tree, which is now available as a free single download. The single features Cinematic Orchestra band mates Phil France on bass and Luke Flowers on drums.
An epic and beautiful piece of music, The Seventh Tree refers to the growth and destruction of Roppongi which was reputedly built around six trees, all of which have now been destroyed. The Seventh Tree is a compelling track that gets under the skin: reflective and yet powerful, with two contrasting sections re-imagined in different instrumentations and textures. The Seventh Tree plays like a speeded up film of Roppongi's history - it's destruction during the Second World War and its subsequent growth into what is now a vibrant commercial district.
His 2011 album Distilled was described as "dreamy, trippy, downtempo instrumentals" (Uncut) and "a thing of breathtaking beauty" (All About Jazz) and perhaps most pertinent to The Seventh Tree "delivered with a cinematic sweep" (Manchester Evening News). Influenced by jazz and DJ culture, McCallum's music is a distillation of many influences, creating a sound that is concentrated and distinctive.
Stream, download and share The Seventh Tree for free here:
Stuart McCallum on Naim Jazz Records:
'Distilled' 2011
'Distilled Live' 2012
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