The Blue Nile – Jazz Interpretations Of The Blue Nile Songbook Colin Steele Quartet

• 1 Easter Parade 04:54
• 2 Heatwave 05:14
• 3 Family Life 06:09
• 4 Body And Soul 05:31
• 5 Mid Air 04:22
• 6 Headlights On The Parade 06:34
• 7 Because Of Toledo 05:18
• 8 The Downtown Lights 06:34
• 9 Let's Go Out Tonight 05:49
• 10 Happiness 04:59
• Total Runtime 55:24

Info for The Blue Nile – Jazz Interpretations Of The Blue Nile Songbook

Scotland’s best jazz musicians meet one of the best and most influential bands from Scotland! The Colin Steele Quartet play the music of The Blue Nile, undisputed masters of Sophisti-Pop.

The beautiful and atmospheric, often synth-driven songs of The Blue Nile get the deluxe jazz treatment in exciting new arrangements. All-time classics like Easter Parade, Heatwave and Let’s Go Out Tonight shine in bright new shades and colours, and get transformed into something unique by Colin Steele’s very own trumpet style.

The album perfectly captures and even enhances the late-night moods and aural landscapes of The Blue Nile’s music, while also adding some unexpected, and, yes, even slightly funky turns to songs like Body and Soul and Headlights On The Parade. Colin Steele’s smooth and emotive trumpet caresses and lifts these beautiful songs to new heights.

"I am a massive fan of The Blue Nile. I love the melodies of their songs, but I also particularly love the overall atmosphere they create, so artistically produced, and there is just so much space. Paul Buchanan's vocals are beautiful and intimate, his singing actually reminds me of Miles Davis' trumpet playing - understated, cool, but every nuance filled with beauty and so much emotion"

This album completes a trilogy of songbook albums by the Colin Steele Quartet which started with Diving For Pearls (2017), a dive into the music of The Pearlfishers, and continued with Joni (2020), their take on the songs of Joni Mitchell.

Colin Steele from Edinburgh, one of UK’s leading jazz trumpet players, is accompanied by the same top-notch musicians as before: Calum Gourlay on double bass, Alyn Cosker on drums and pianist Dave Milligan who also arranged the album brilliantly.

Like many great jazz albums, The Blue Nile was recorded in just one day – on July 16, 2024. Quite the opposite to the approach of The Blue Nile who only managed to record four albums in over 20 years. The session took place at the same studio where all classic Blue Nile albums were recorded: At Scotland’s famous Castlesound Studios.

Colin Steele Quartet

Recorded July 16, 2024 at Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland, Scotland
Engineered by Stuart Hamilton
Mastered by Bo Kondren at Calyx, Berlin
Produced by Colin Steele

Colin Steele
joined his first jazz group the John Rae Collective at the age of 19 (which included Brian Kellock and Phil Bancroft). He then went on to work with Tommy Smith, Tom Bancroft Orchestra and pop band Hue and Cry.

Colin Steele has been described as the Sibelius of Scotland. His music is a joyous celebration of Scottish melody and rhythm, liberated and enhanced by the spirit, sophistication and technique of jazz. His recordings and concerts are warm, life affirming, and thrilling in their effect. He disarms the most hardened jazz fan with the power and beauty of his music and his playing speaks strongly to audiences of all musical tastes."

Between 1990 and 1996 he travelled Europe extensively, living in France, London and Italy.

On his return to Scotland in 1997 he established the phenomenally successful live music club Midnight Blue, which ran for three years and attracted over 40,000 people during this time. He began composing and formed his first quintet in 2000.

Since the release of his debut album Twilight Dreams in 2002, Steele’s highly original and melodic Scottish folk-influenced jazz has won just about every UK jazz plaudit there is; from BBC Jazz CD of the Year and Jazz Review international CD of the Year (for his album ‘The Journey Home’) to CD of the year accolades in The Guardian, Observer, Independent and The New Statesman. Steele’s compositions are inspired by Scottish and Irish folk music, but are firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. The success of his first 2 quintet recordings led to a third, 'Through the Waves' being released internationally by top European label ACT.

In 2006 Steele formed Stramash, a 10 piece Scottish 'supergroup' consisting of his jazz quintet, fiddles, bagpipes, whistle and cello. This group received universal critical acclaim, both for their concerts and for their recording, which was released in 2009. "a stunningly lyrical ensemble". (THE TIMES) ​

Colin's latest CD "Even in the darkest places" with his quintet will be released on the 17th March 2017. ​

Other projects: Over the last few years Colin has also worked on a wide variety of different projects, including a commission for the Edinburgh Jazz Festival Orchestra, a long running theatre show 'A Funny Valentine', based on the life of Chet Baker, a quintet playing the music of Miles Davis, duets with Dave Milligan and Brian Kellock, and 'Stone Islands', a collaborative project with Scottish and Sardinian musicians.

This album contains no booklet.