STRATØS DELIVERS A GEM WITH HIS DEBUT ALBUM "PLANETS"
A FRESH VOICE IN MODERN JAZZ
It's always interesting to witness an artist pull from a diverse range of inspirations, and somewhere in that melting pot, create a sound that is uniquely their own. In "Planets", the Michigan based artist who goes by Stratøs takes us on a celestial journey in which each track presents a new idea to unpack and explore. The debut album is Modern Jazz at its best, one in which Stratøs displays both his willingness to push boundaries and his wide range of artistic reference points. "Planets" has elements of everything from Hip Hop and Electronic Jazz to Death Metal and Cinematic film scores. The result is a project that makes subtle nods to artists who have paved the way, whilst forging it's own path ahead.The roots of Stratøs' musicianship start with his own family tree, and the music that he was exposed to early on.
"I was actually a very picky child when it came to the music I connected with," He says. "My mom's from Detroit and my dad's from Barbados so I grew up listening to Motown, Reggae, and Gospel. I have three older sisters, two of whom spent a lot of time taking care of me so I also listened to what they liked. The middle sister, Clarissa, was a cellist so we listened to lots of orchestral music. The youngest sister, Marie, had very diverse musical tastes so we'd listen to anything from Avril Lavigne to Twista. I didn't really connect to any of this music emotionally as a young child, so I had the silly opinion that I 'Didn't like music.' It wasn't until I heard what I now think was Sonny Rollins as a 7 or 8 years old that something sparked in me." That spark led Stratøs into a general interest in Black American music of the 20th century and eventually, it led him to the saxophone that has become a staple in his music. Soon enough, Stratøs came around to the other styles that he was raised on as well, with a newfound appreciation for them after reevaluating the music on his own terms.
"I think studying Black American music of the 20th century gave me the life lessons needed to approach music in the way that I do"
With an improvisation style rooted in the subtle melodicism of Cool Jazz and the complexity of Electronic Jazz, Stratøs has emerged as a name to know on the modern Jazz scene as a whole. He is the three-time winner of the prestigious Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, and was awarded the ASCAP Foundation’s Johnny Mandel Prize among others. In a world in which the phrase "Jazz is dead" is spewed quite often, Stratøs has thrived, and he'd be the first to tell you that the music hasn't gone anywhere. "Black artists are taking what our ancestors created and continue to breathe life into it.," He says. "I think studying Black American music of the 20th century gave me the life lessons needed to approach music in the way that I do. I keep those lessons close to my heart as I approach other styles of music and integrate them into what I already know, and try to create something new. I find that the more I lean into what I like, the deeper I can carve out my own personal style."
This personal style can be found throughout his debut album. On "Earth", he gave the guest rapper Santino Jones instructions to rap as if he's an alien observing earth from an outside perspective, and he delivers a standout verse. On "Neptune", Stratøs delivers a tune that is as eerie and desolate as the planet itself. While each track proves to be equal parts intricate and melodic, the heaviest tune is not named after a planet at all. "Pluto" is an elegy written for the Late Richard Lozon, who gave him the saxophone that we hear on "Planets". Shortly after gifting the sax, he passed away. "When I was 19 in my sophomore year of college, my teacher approached me and said 'I think you need a new saxophone. Your current one is holding you back technically, " Stratøs details. "After a couple of days of asking around, someone told me about a man who was selling his collection of saxophones...I arrived at his house and he took me to the room he had the horns in. I'd never seen so many vintage Selmers in one place so I was pretty stoked. I played through a couple to test them out and he just sat and watched. After trying a couple more, I told him 'Hey so if you're looking to sell these, I'd be willing to help you get rid of them all. I know a shop that's looking. All I'd ask in return is that you let me have one for a reduced price.' When I got done playing through all of them, he turned to me and said 'Well, which one do you like?' And I said 'Well I really liked that one over there,' confused because he didn't seem too interested in my original offer. 'It's yours then,' he responded. I was in utter shock. We exchanged letters from that day on until he passed."
"It wasn't until I heard what I now think was Sonny Rollins as a 7 or 8 years old that something sparked in me"
The elegy to Richard Lozon is a full circle moment, and the perfect way to close a standout debut album. "Planets" was a self produced effort by Stratøs with some deeply personal subject matter, but he's quick to highlight the folks who made this possible when asked about his creative process. The album is loaded with standout features and contributors who understood what needed to be done. Andrew Rathbun, John Hébert Alekos Syropolous, David Binney and more, all add something special to the album. "I'm always a little nervous when approaching musicians of this caliber because in your head you might think 'These people have essentially done it all. What can I offer?' But the point isn't to impress them, it's to hopefully create a compositional landscape that they can thrive in.""Planets" is a deeply profound statement by Stratøs and his assembled cast of artists and we're excited to share it with you all. The album is available on all platforms on October 1st and is a must listen for fans searching for the new thing on the scene. As for that gifted sax, Stratøs says he'll pay the deed forward when he's done with it and pass it on to the next person for free as it was done for him. For the sake of modern Jazz, and music as a whole, we're hoping that day is a loooong time from now.