LISTEN HERE
TAKEN FROM ALBUM ‘THE BREAKS’ OUT SEPTEMBER 3RD
A COLLABORATION WITH HERITAGE ORCHESTRA AND GHOST-NOTE
MOSES SUMNEY MEETS JULES BUCKLEY & THE BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
A NEW BBC PROM LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL ON AUGUST 21ST
BROADCAST ON BBC FOUR ON SEPTEMBER 3RD
| The Grammy Award-winning conductor, composer and orchestrator Jules Buckley today shares the slick new single ‘X Breaks’, a head-nodding hip hop homage which features the four-time World DJ Champion Mr Switch. The track is the second single revealed ahead of the September 3rd release of ‘The Breaks’, the new album Jules has created in collaboration with Chris Wheeler and the Heritage Orchestra, as well as Ghost-Note, the core percussive duo best known for their work with the critically revered Snarky Puppy. ‘X Breaks’ is a track which achieves something which feels impossible. Over the course of a little over two minutes, Jules Buckley has gone into the hip hop vaults to skillfully blend some of the most renowned breaks in hip-hop history into one seamless listening experience. ‘X Breaks’ contains seven breaks, these are iconic sounds originally sourced from tracks such as James Brown’s ‘Funky Drummer’, Bob James’ ‘Take Me To The Mardi Gras’ and ‘Shamboozie’ (used by NWA, Run DMC and Rakim), ‘The Champ’ by The Mohawks (sampled by Eric B & Rakim and Ice Cube) and ‘Unwind Yourself’ by Marva Whitney (used by DJ Kool). LISTEN HERE. Just as impressively, rather than relying upon samples, the instrumentation is all performed and orchestrated, while the live funky drums and percussion from Ghost-Note naturally steal the show, alongside Mr Switch’s effortlessly dexterous turntablism, while the Heritage Orchestra flesh out into a wall of sound which takes the listener through a sonic tour of the sickest hip-hop breaks. Jules Buckley says “Switch, Wheeler and I wanted to find a moment within our live set back in 2019 that focused on the short, sharp bursts of particular breaks that have lifted generations of different breakers and musicians and fans. Using Switch as our soloist, we threaded a selection of some of the sickest breaks we could find. Bob James’ ‘Shamboozie’and ‘Take Me To The Mardi Gras’ have to be two of the heaviest of all time and this whole track is glued together via Clyde Stubblefield’s ‘Funky Drummer’ break. It involved a lot of crate-digging and scheming no doubt. X Breaks brings together a set of classic breaks that have inspired both musical artists and breakers worldwide. It’s difficult to pick a favourite, hope you enjoy it!” ‘The Breaks’ is a homage to the four pillars of hip-hop culture and will appeal to crate-diggers and connoisseurs alike. Inspired by the renowned 2019 BBC Prom ‘The Breaks’, the album features fresh reinvention of all-time classics from artists including James Brown, The Sugarhill Gang and Kool & The Gang. Two years in the making, ‘The Breaks’ also features collaborations with contemporary artists such as the influential saxophonist Kamasi Washington, the jazz/funk pianist, solo artist and former Snarky Puppy man Cory Henry, and Heavenly Recordings duo Mattiel. The album was recently previewed by the new contemporary version of ‘Apache’. The track was originally written by Jerry Lordan before it was covered by the Incredible Bongo Band whose version became an essential part of hip-hop folklore as one of the genre’s core samples, used by everyone from Afrika Bambaataa to Nas and Jay-Z. ‘The Breaks’ album is designed to be listened to non-stop as a continuous mix, and will be released on CD, vinyl and cassette. An unmixed version will also be released digitally. Released via Decca Records, the album is available to pre-order HERE. Ahead of the album’s release, Jules Buckley will present his 17th BBC Prom, Moses Sumney Meets Jules Buckley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, at the Royal Albert Hall on August 21st. Blending soul, jazz, art-pop and spoken word, singer-songwriter Moses Sumney will perform songs from his albums ‘Aromanticism’ and ‘græ’ in orchestral form, with new arrangements courtesy of Buckley. Tickets for the show will be available here. It will be broadcast on BBC Four on September 3rd. With a staggering discography of over 70 albums, Jules Buckley has worked with some of the biggest names in music, spanning Quincy Jones to Stormzy and Chaka Khan to Michael Kiwanuka. His multi-genre talents have resulted in some of the most eclectic BBC Proms imaginable including the iconic Ibiza Prom, the 1Xtra Grime Symphony, and tributes to Nina Simone and Scott Walker. He recently collaborated with Paul Weller for a special show at the Barbican, which has been captured in his upcoming album ‘An Orchestrated Songbook’. Buckley formed the Heritage Orchestra in 2004 with Chris Wheeler, creating a 45-60-piece non-classical orchestra which has filled arenas and defied all expected orchestral stereotypes. |
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