Toronto spiritual jazz collective astral RIDDIMS has released its debut album, “The Big Band Theory,” featuring the tribute track “Shel Of Moor,” dedicated to the memory of Sheldon Moore, also known as DJ S Luv, a former member of Pocket Dwellers who died of colon cancer. The 13-piece group is led by Pocket Dwellers alum Dennis Passley.
According to the band, the two-part track is structured around Moorish words reflecting Moore’s character: “Tamusni,” meaning wisdom, and “Tayri,” meaning love. Passley says Moore served as the final creative check on the band’s material before songs were considered finished. The track features vocalist Lala Noel alongside a horn section including Passley on tenor sax and mellotron, with Dave Plowman engineering and mixing and Kevin McPhee mastering at East End Mastering.
The single arrived September 17 ahead of the full album’s September 30 release. The record rotates additional horn, string and keyboard players across its tracklist, including Anh Phung, Karen Ng, Maddie Kay, Brendan Rogers and Martino Lozej. astral RIDDIMS will play an album release show in Toronto with Skratch Bastid and Joe Claussell, followed by a November 15 date at BSMT 254 with Disaster Pony.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.