October 27, 2023: Blue Engine Records, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s in-house record label, announces the release of The Southern Suite, the debut album from pianist and composer Sean Mason. A rising star who’s earned praise and support from both Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Mason’s infectious, melodic compositions combine the Southern elegance of his native North Carolina with the urban sophistication of his current home, New York City. The album is currently available to stream and purchase here.
Mason previously released two live performance videos for the songs “Closure” and “Lullaby.” The two tracks represent a duality between breaking with traditions or celebrating them – a conceptual tension which is infused throughout The Southern Suite. “Closure” is a dynamic composition which Mason describes as representing “…the end of a chapter. It communicates a ‘F you with a smile’, that I have the freedom to break the rules while still honoring my musical ancestors. It’s rooted in gospel nostalgia— intersecting the rhythm of swing with contrapuntal techniques of classical music.” “Lullaby” was composed in memory of Mason’s Grandmother who he had a very close relationship with, and as Mason writes, “This song also captures the spirit of the Southern tradition, as it’s framed in such a ‘yellow and sunny’ way. Despite ballads normally being sad and dark, I was intentional about writing one that described love the way I experienced it in the South—from the understanding that ‘family always comes first’.
Watch the “Closure” Live Studio Performance Video
Watch the “Lullaby” Live Studio Performance Video
The genesis of The Southern Suite came from an all-star quintet which Mason handpicked: Tony Glausi (trumpet), Chris Lewis (tenor saxophone), Felix Moseholm (bass), and Domo Branch (drums). Mason recalls, “It was during the first rehearsal that we realized how special of a group we were. We had only played through my first two songs when we all stopped, looked at each other, smiled… and said, ‘Whoa—we should record this.’
“This album is situated at the intersection of ‘renaissance’ and ‘street culture’” explains Mason. “Each song represents a deviation from traditionalism and the cultural norms that I often felt forced to conform to, leading me to embrace the convergence of such paradoxical concepts and embody them through the musical language.” The Southern Suite portrays a resolution of these polar forces and is a bold statement of purpose from Mason, a generational talent well on his way to becoming a leading pianist/composer of his time.
Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sean took to the piano at the late age of 13, teaching himself by ear to play the styles of music he was most attracted to. His approach quickly evolved into a highly original language. Sean’s unique voice in jazz is steeped in the sound of the South, allowing an extended time for groove while also displaying a vocabulary far beyond his years. As a bandleader, he leads the Sean Mason Quartet, a band assembled to play Sean’s original music, which has been described as highly melodic and infectious.
The Southern Suite Tracklist:
- 01 Final Voyage
- 02 Kid
- 03 Lavendar
- 04 SillyM
- 05 One United
- 06 Lullaby
- 07 Closure
- 08 Sean’s Theme
Sean Mason
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