Having emerged out of West London's broken beat movement in the '90's as bandleader of the cult soul/jazz outfit SK Radicals, Sean Khan's music holds a fascinating place in jazz's lineage.
On Muriel, jazz greats 'Trane, Jaco, Herbie and Gil', are paid tribute to, as is Goya music, the label Sean attributes to kick-starting his recording career, as well as being a key facilitator of the broken beat movement as a whole. These references reflect Sean's unique musical standpoint: his axis of influence pivots between classic, free and Latin jazz and a specific sense of rhythm and experimentation drawn from his immersion in the broken beat scene. This combination of musical approaches, coupled with Sean's belief in a concept of 'instinct over intellect' (while retaining an appreciation of the philosophy behind the music) lays the foundation for the album's stirring innovation.
The masterful compositions on Muriel are teeming with technical prowess and drenched in soul with the help of some world-renowned vocalists including father of British Neo-Soul Omar, Brazilian musical icon Sabrina Malheiros and Heidi Vogel of the Cinematic Orchestra. The album is dedicated to the driving force behind his musical education, his mother Muriel McGinley. Through its exquisite mixture of classic jazz, soul and funk, the record offers a fresh portrait of Sean's musical influences and the divergent scenes he has been a part of.
Sean Khan's exquisite alto sax throughout the album demonstrates both his technical prowess and keen understanding of jazz's history, whilst continuing to carve out its future. The swing laden, percussive beats of Laurie Lowe and the underlying slung double bass lines of Mike Edmonds, lay the foundational groove for Sean's highly accomplished and expressive sax playing. Album opener 'Things To Say' and "Sister Soul' each feature the vocal talents of Diana Martinez and Sabrina Malheiros respectively, which flawlessly compliment Khan's luscious arrangements, while 'Dance For Little Emily' showcases Sean's ingenuously darting sax solos.
In anticipation of Sean Khan's second full length album on Far Out Recordings, Far Out has released two 12" remix EPs, the first of which features remixes from 4Hero and Nicola Conte of album tracks "Things To Say" and "Don't Let The Sun Go Down" - with a contribution from the instantly recognizable vocals of the father of Neo-Soul, Omar - the second a showcase for two rising South London producers, Henry Wu and Ben Hauke, who lend a whole new spin to the tracks "Samba Para Florence" and "Things To Say". On 'Muriel', Khan immerses himself in his jazz roots and, in doing so, has produced his finest album to date, one that uniquely reflects the high-quality Far Out jazz sound.
