10th March 2012: 100 Advance, Signed Copies of Euan Burton’s ‘Occurrences’ now available!!

It’s been a very busy couple of years for Euan Burton, not only did he have his usual quota as a full time bassist as one of the premier jazz musicians working on the Scottish scene today, but he’s also found time to compose a new Suite of music for  a remarkable cast of musicians which has all resulted in the  imminent May 14th release of his debut album for Whirlwind Recordings, titled ‘Occurrences.’

 As of today, we are now offering 100 ADVANCED COPIES  of ‘Occurrences’ on a first come first serve basis.  These will be the only copies for sale until the official release, and you can only get them from the official ‘Occurrences‘ Page at Whirlwind Recordings.

Double bassist, composer, bandleader, promoter, and educator Euan Burton has been a lynchpin figure on the Scottish Jazz scene for nearly a decade, working also across a multitude of genres and collaborating with like-minded creative artists from around the globe. As well as being a first call bassist with many of Scotland’s most high profile jazz artists, Burton has been seen and heard recently with many US heavyweights such as Ari Hoenig and Jonathan Kreisburg. His playing boasts a beautiful touch and warm tone, a measured assurance in his improvisations, and a solid foundation when in support mode. As a composer, Burton marries a wonderful blend of heart and mind, providing playful yet tricksy structures for which his band members take great flight. In May, 2012, Burton releases his debut release for Whirlwind Recordings Ltd. Titled ‘Occurrences,’ this album represents his most conceptual and mature musical statement to date.

“I wanted to make a cohesive record that felt like a whole rather than a collection of compositions.” explains Burton from his Glasgow home. His new release ‘Occurrences’ finds him at the peak of his creative powers with a recording several years in the making. A suite consisting of seven parts, Burton creates a melodic narrative through the story arc of the album with each member of the group playing key roles as the music unfolds. The group consisting of his long term collaborators– all with highly visible international profiles in their own right– including London born, New York based saxophonist Will Vinson (Gonzallo Rubalcaba, Aaron Parks), fast rising Irish Guitar sensation Mark McKnight (Seamus Blake, Sam Yahel), acclaimed Scottish pianist Steve Hamilton (Gary Burton, Earthworks, Tommy Smith) and James Maddren (Kit Downs Trio, Gwilym Simcock Trio) on drums.

“Occurrences was written as a suite but it can also be thought of as seven pieces. Each piece functions like a chapter helping the story to progress,” Burton continues. “That’s certainly how I’m feeling this record, but the idea was to create a story in which the listener can relate each part to the whole, and can transfer stories from their own life into the music, but to mean something unique and personal to their own experience. My number one concern throughout the entire process of conceiving this record was that of the listener and how the music comes across to them. Is it connecting? Is this section furthering the story? I was trying to think like a film director or screenwriter in some ways, developing a narrative, pacing it right for the audience and leaving space for the actors to make their roles their own while nudging them in the right direction.”

In a world addicted to speed and turnover, artists who carefully and conceptually craft their music are a welcomed rarity. On ‘Occurrences,’ Burton has done just that, and the results are powerful. He has given us a body of work that not only reaches to jazz audiences, but an open invitation to all lovers of music, song, and story.