Blue Earth Sound - Cicero Nights [ Full Album ]

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↓TRACKLIST↓

1. Mariposa : 00:00
2. Cicero Nights : 02:39
3. Half & Half : 05:49
4. Lover's Rock : 08:44
5. Gia's Point : 11:17
6. On the Court : 14:45
7. Phrases : 17:18
8. Walking at Night : 20:18

Adding to the already rich tapestry of jazz-leaning experimental music out of Chicago, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader and composer James Weir is set to share his first project as Blue Earth Sound. Out now via Root Records, ‘Cicero Nights’ consists of eight immersive and transportive instrumentals that manage to evoke both the neon-lit haze of late city nights, and the meditative atmosphere of sunlit daytime strolls, all through the lens of organic, cinematic instrumentals.

Created at the International Anthem warehouse under the guidance of in-house engineer Dave Vettraino, ‘Cicereo Nights’ came out of a period of soul-searching for James, journeying to find a musical outlet to reflect where he was in life, whilst also bolstering his songwriting skills. His musical life up to this point had been spent playing in rock groups – firstly as bassist for influential post-punk outfit NE-HI, before later joining synth-rock group Spun Out. He shares: “My earlier bands were inspired by what I fell in love with between 16-21. Subconsciously, a lot of the writing was about energy, angst, and partying. I wanted to make music inspired by life experiences and the music I fell in love with in my late 20s/early 30s - 70s Chicago jazz and soul, Talk Talk, Japanese jazz and Italian soundtrack composers like Stefano Torossi.

To achieve his goals and create music that felt like an authentic representation of his eclectic taste and love of collaboration, he took the first step and bought a piano. What started as an intellectual exercise–to take piano more seriously and to learn the mechanisms behind composing—turned into an intuitiveness that guided his songwriting: “After I bought a piano and put it in my basement in Humboldt Park, it turned out my neighbour Patch Romanowski was a drummer” says Weir. “We developed this chemistry and would play in the basement together. That gave me a big step forward with my relationship to writing on the piano.” One of the earliest ideas eventually became the opener and lead single ‘Mariposa’, with its bright piano chords, pastoral arrangement, and shuffling groove.

Those initial basement jams established that the framework of something special was emerging, and it was at this point that James involved Dave Vettraino. At the International Anthem Warehouse studio space, James enlisted his neighbour and drummer Patch Romanowski, Resavoir trumpeter Will Miller, multi-instrumentalist Eamonn Prizy, and his Spun Out bandmate and long-time collaborator Michael Wells. The initial sessions clarified James’ vision for the project: “I wanted this thing to be fully organic with more traditional instrumentation and no synthesizers. Seeing these players improvise over the tracks, it was clear we didn’t need vocals - the horns were operating in that capacity, and it just sounds good.”

The ‘Blue Earth Sound’ name reflects James’ Blue Earth County, Minnesota roots, with the music effortlessly melding the golden hour nostalgia of youth with the hardened soulfulness and inclusive experimentation of his adopted Chicago home. Throughout its enveloping tracklist, Cicero Nights boasts an arc – an ebb and flow that feels thoughtful, curated, and easy to lose yourself in. ‘Half & Half’takes cues from the Midwest soul of Curtis Mayfield and Donald Byrd, with summery, hook-laden horns from Prizy and Miller marrying with James’ buoyant bass lines. Inspired by the ‘Hoop Dreams’ soundtrack, ‘On The Court’ adds a boom-bap beat, a cloud of Wurlitzer, and smoky wah-pedal guitars. He shares: “I just wanted to make tunes that a DJ could play at a Chicago bar like Danny’s at 8:30 pm that would set a good vibe.”