Matthew Halsall: Salute To The Sun version on vinyl 2LP in Standard edition. This particular edition was published in United Kingdom in publishing company Gondwana Records on 29. April 2022.

Matthew Halsall is back with a new band: he's releasing a new album, Salute to the Sun. Matthew Halsall has never wanted to do just one thing: he is a composer, trumpeter and bandleader, producer and arranger, DJ and last but not least the founder of Gondwana Records. His music-making remains at the heart of his work, as this versatile Manchester-based artist still considers himself an artist first and foremost. As a trumpeter who conspicuously rarely comes to the fore, as a composer and bandleader who over the years has charted and developed his own sonic cosmos: a sound that incorporates elements from British jazz history as well as the spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders; enriched by influences from world music and electronica, modern art and even architecture. This sound, too, clearly has its roots in northern England - though so many influences from around the world meet here. Matthew Halsall introduces his new band and announces 'Salute to the Sun', his new album on Gondwana Records Composer, trumpeter, producer, DJ and founder of Gondwana Records, Matthew Halsall has always worn many hats. But at the core of everything he does, Halsall is first and foremost an artist and musician. A trumpeter whose playing is full of thoughtful beauty, and a composer and bandleader who has created his own rich soundscape. A sound that draws on the heritage of British jazz, the spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, as well as influences from world music and electronica, and even modern art and architecture, to create something of his own. Music that has its roots in northern England but draws inspiration from all over the world. Salute to the Sun is his first album as leader since 2015's Into Forever and marks the debut of his new band. A select band featuring some of Manchester's finest young musicians, Matt Cliffe (flute and saxophone), Maddie Herbert (harp), Liviu Gheorghe (piano), Alan Taylor (drums) and Jack McCarthy (percussion) and Halsall's long-time collaborator and bassist Gavin Barras, who has been at the heart of Halsall's bands for over a decade. It was important to Matthew to have a band based nearby that could meet and play weekly - before Covid - as well as hosting monthly sold-out basement sessions at Yes in Manchester. The album draws energy from these sessions and inspiration from the themes and ideas that have inspired Halsall over the years (on albums such as Oneness, Fletcher Moss Park and When the World Was One), namely ideas of ecology, the environment and harmony with nature. "I feel Salute to the Sun is a positive, earthy album. I wanted to create something playful, but also something quite primal, earthy and organic that would connect with the sounds of nature. I listened to lush ambient field recordings of tropical environments like jungles and rainforests, and was drawn to percussive atmospheric sounds that reflected what I was hearing (bells/shakers/chimes/rain sticks), and began experimenting with wooden percussion instruments like the kalimba and marimba." Salute to the Sun features lush, fully improvised melodies inspired by atmospheric rainforest and jungle recordings, deeply soulful melodies built on hypnotic harp and kalimba patterns, deep spiritual jazz grooves inspired by Strata-East, and some of Halsall's most beautiful playing and inspirational, healing melodies recorded to date. The album was recorded in the band's weekly sessions using Halsall's own recording equipment, giving the recordings a relaxed vibe and effortless energy that allows the music to truly breathe. The album is also a family affair, as Halsall's brother Daniel Halsall, the art director of Gondwana Records, played a key role in the recording and co-produced the album. It's also his unforgettable album cover for Salute to the Sun, beautifully designed by legendary designer Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic, who also designed the covers for recent archival releases Oneness, Sending My Love and Colour Yes and is one of Halsall's favourite designers. Daniel Halsall and Ian Anderson have designed all seven of Matthew's previous albums together, so it was special to bring them together for Salute to the Sun, an album that Halsall wanted to present in the best possible way. The album was mixed with another long-time collaborator, George Atkins, at 80 Hertz in Manchester, who worked tirelessly with Halsall to perfect the sound. The album was mastered by renowned sound engineer Peter Beckmann, who added depth to the sound, especially in the bass tones and Halsall's trumpet. The superb double vinyl was cut by Barry Grint at Alchemy Mastering as a half speed master to achieve the best analogue experience. The result is arguably Halsall's most beautiful and complete recording to date, playful, charming and imbued with sunny warmth and life energy.

Album spans genres Jazz, Contemporary Jazz and Modal.