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Nick Maclean Quartet

This contemplative and often thrilling quartet's explorations of modern, original repertoire is led by fast-rising piano star NICK MACLEAN — an 8x Global Music Award winner, a Toronto Independent Music Award winner, and one of the most in-demand young jazz piano players in Toronto — this contemplative yet thrilling quartet delivers jazz between the two poles of thoughtful introspection and powerhouse conveyance, taking influences from Herbie Hancock's primordial 1960's Blue Note era recordings, while paying tribute to some of the greatest improvisers in jazz history. 

Maclean's quartet heavily features one of Canada's most provocative improvising trumpet players — BROWNMAN ALI, heralded as "Canada's preeminent jazz trumpet player" by New York City's Village Voice. Recognized as an internationally acclaimed jazz iconoclast, he currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY & Toronto, Canada and is a 2x National Jazz Award winner. This jazz veteran is best known globally as the last trumpet player with the legendary jazz-hip-hop group GURU's JAZZMATAZZ, having replaced Donald Byrd in that seminal ensemble. Ali & Maclean stand shoulder to shoulder with two of Toronto's top-tier rhythm section 20-somethings: BEN DUFF on bass and JACOB WUTZKE on drums. The synergy of the 4 is always palpable in concert.

Awards

— 2018 Global Music Award winner: 3 Gold Medals in the 'jazz', 'album', & 'instrumental' categories

— 2018 Global Music Awards "Top 5 Albums of Spring 2018" (w NICK MACLEAN QUARTET)

— 2018 Jazz Weekly's "Ringer Of The Week" (Feb) (w NICK MACLEAN QUARTET)

— 2017 International Song Competition Semi-finalist - "Madness Of Nero" (from "Rites Of Ascension")


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Album Review

Nick Maclean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali: Convergence

Read "Convergence" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


The Nick Maclean Quartet is a highly respected Canadian outfit, here featuring upper-echelon trumpeter Brownman Ali, marked by a deep reverence for the past and a bold leap into the future. Central to this album's appeal are its original compositions, which are not merely exercises in style but profound statements of artistic identity. These pieces are deeply influenced by the innovative spirit of Herbie Hancock's work in the 1960s, among other Blue Note Records artists during this fertile period for ...

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"A young lion piano man you can't argue with, it doesn't take any thought to do a tribute to Herbie Hancock set but it does take being an old soul to it like he was there when things older than him were created. A well deserved award winner in many jazz and music circles, Maclean leads his crew into the untamed wilds of really doing right rather than just showing up. A smoking set that sounds and feels like the real thing, this forward into the past set — where most of the songs are originals — is a first class doozy. Killer stuff throughout."
- Chris Spector, The Midwest Record (Illinois, USA) - See full article

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Road Warrior (single)

Browntasauras Records
2023

buy

Dolphin Dance (single)

Browntasauras Records
2023

buy

Verboten (single)

Browntasauras Records
2023

buy

Wisdom of Aurelius...

Browntasauras Records
2023

buy

Convergence

Browntasauras Records
2023

buy

Rites of Ascension

Browntasauras Records
2017

buy

Dolphin Dance

From: Convergence
By Nick Maclean Quartet

Road Warrior

From: Road Warrior (single)
By Nick Maclean Quartet

Elasticity of Time and Space

From: Rites of Ascension
By Nick Maclean Quartet

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