“Be Still” represents a return to Scott Coulter’s musical foundation and first love, jazz. Taking influences from every part of his wide-ranging musical biography, he weaves together straight-ahead jazz, blues, gospel, and the avant-garde to create a sound that is both familiar and fresh, introspective and uplifted.
This album was recorded in the Spring of 2020, the compositions on this album began as a series of Lent meditations on the spiritual life. There was no ambition or plan attached. But when the world went into shutdown, and the musical community closed down with it, these compositions gained new life. This album represents a return to Scott Coulter’s musical foundation and first love, jazz. Taking influences from every part of his wide-ranging musical biography, he weaves together straight-ahead jazz, blues, gospel, and the avant-garde to create a sound that is both familiar and fresh, introspective and uplifted.
Scott reached out to friends and fellow musicians from as far away as Colorado and Boston, and track by track the music on this album became a reality. What came out of these sessions is music that speaks to the spiritual catharsis these times might offer us if we learn how to listen with a contemplative mind. This album is prayer for the world.
As churches look for new safe ways to share music, I wonder if this is one way that music will be integrated into a worship service: music that will evoke the memory of the words for those familiar, yet not allow for the singing of the words in a way that could jeopardize the health of those physically distancing?
“Be Still” will officially release June 14th, 2020.
The musicians represented on the album are: Scott Coulter (Philadelphia, PA) – Organ, Piano; Mark Zaleki (Boston, MA) – Sax; Gavin McCauley (Philadelphia, PA) – Drums; Chris Hersch (Boston, MA) – Guitar; Brad Morse (Lafayette, CO) – Bass; and Kinyon Lanier (Philadelphia, PA) – Vocal.
Bio: Scott Coulter is a Philadelphia-based organist and pianist. He is a former student of Art Lande and Fred Hersch, and a graduate of New England Conservatory. Over the past 2 decades, Scott has performed and toured extensively within the rock, blues and Americana scenes, sharing the stage with grammy-nominated singer Celia Woodsmith (of Della Mae), keyboardist Bill Payne (of Little Feat), guitarist Bill Kirchen and others. He is currently the keyboardist for the award-winning Americana band “Gasoline Lollipops”.
Links:
Bandcamp (preferred target link for album pre-order and downloads): http://scottcoulter.bandcamp.com
Scott Coulter Music Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Scott-Coulter-Music-103805358005517/
Gasoline Lollipops: www.gasolinelollipops.com