The New Groove Orchestra
Illharmonic
Self-released, 2007
By Jake Shenker
Forget Coltrane’s sheets of sound — if you want music that will hit you like a tonne of bricks, check out the debut album by The New Groove Orchestra. This ten-piece from Montreal is a jazz big band with a lot of soul. On their independently released debut album, Illharmonic, these young musicians put a fresh new spin on a very old groove, and made me wish there were more synonyms for the word “funk.”
Formed in McGill University’s music department through a unifying love of soul music, these young jazzheads prove that scholarly musical training works. Fronted by fiery singer Meghan Patrick, the NGO boasts a tight five-piece horn section and a smoking rhythm section worthy of a Tower of Power tribute band. But what sets these guys apart from other funk outfits is how intelligent their music is: horn harmonies straight out of a jazz arranging class, time-shifting grooves, and subtly layered rhythm make Illharmonic feel like a professional production. Clearly the jazz department at McGill is doing something right.
The album opens with the drum and bass groove track “Pandora’s Funk Trunk,” and by the time the wall of horns and Shaft-style wah guitar enter, you’ll already be dancing. Illharmonic moves through old school funk, big band jazz, and classic soul with surprising precision, and rarely lets the groove drop. And despite boasting so many capable musicians, lengthy solos are kept well below jam-band levels. Tracks like “Lady Justice” break the mold of traditional funk and bring some modern R&B to the mix, while “Jimmy T. Funk” could be straight off a James Brown record. The horn lines on “Love’s Fool” are painfully catchy, and the breakdown after the last chorus is as eloquent as it is powerful.
The New Groove Orchestra has been playing all around Montreal for the past two years, and has become a staple of McGill drinking events like Frosh. They’ve done well to create a buzz on the local music scene, and are taking advantage. While most local bands hold their CD launch parties in big local clubs, NGO went big with a huge funk party at The Lion’s Den in New York. Couple that with a stint at this year’s Montreal Jazz Festival and you’ve got a hot young band on the verge of getting huge.
Illharmonic can be purchased off the band’s website, on cdbaby.com, and on iTunes. Recommended include “Lady Justice,” “Love’s Fool,” and “Vitamin G.”
