Releases

‘IN THE FLOW’ released Feb 2021 on Urban Trout + Earshift Records

about

For the past two decades, New Zealand saxophonist Matthew Ottignon has honed his skills and vision through a string of shape-shifting solo projects and collaborations. Now he’s turned up on Urban Trout (label of brother Aron) with “In The Flow”, a new album from his Australian outfit Mister Ott. The music is Afrofunk-informed boogie, the album a languid ice-melter, engineered to beam groovy, defogging solace and soul-warming slabs.

It all starts with the slap-n-brass-laden dub-funk of “Kleeer”, taking us to another dimension of vaporous daze with its cartel of hip hop-laced drums and jaunty Rhodes, before “Steam” embarks us on a further guitar-strewn, highly dynamic voyage across Ethiopian jazz-infused sonic horizons. Showing off its playfully syncopated swagger, “Walk N Talk” merges a skittish drumwork with dusty synths and moody trumpets out of a neo-noir detective flick shrouded in meditative oneirism.

Pulling out the frenzied congas and fluttering 70’s melodies, “Gold Chain” attacks, pedal to the metal, blazing with drums reminiscent of the mastered tribalism of Tony Allen’s compositions. More Skank by essence, “Highway One” is a straight nod to Mulatu Astatke and the Ethiopian jazz scene. Exuding pure spiritual elevation through its symbiotic rhythmic entanglements, the track runs the gamut from muted, introspective melancholia to head-on exaltation of the senses.

Nodding to the dubbed out sensualism of Blaxploitation soundtracks, coated with a hint of pure aboriginal psychedelia, “Bad Actor” drapes us in thick shrouds of mind-expanding retro voodoo funk. The final cut is “Pintupi 84”, name checking the story of the Pintupi Nine, a family of aboriginals discovered in 1984 still living a traditional hunter/gatherer life in the remote Australian desert. The track echoes Jon Hassell’s Fourth World sound, fusing a sense of spiritual elation with moving harmonics that evoke the beauty, mystery and violence inherent in the repeated collisions between the modern and ancient worlds.

credits

released February 26, 2021

Matthew Ottignon – tenor and bari saxes
Ellen Kirkwood – trumpet and flugelhorn
Daniel Pliner – keys
Ben Panucci – guitar
Dave Symes – bass
Carlos Adura – drums and percussion
Dom Kirk – congas, bata and percussion

Recorded, edited and mixed Jan-Aug 2020
Engineered and mixed by Richie Belkner at Free Energy Device, Sydney, Australia by Richie B
Mastered by Michael Lynch
Produced by Matthew Ottignon

Urban Trout Records UTR006
Earshift Music distributed by MGM (Aus, NZ, North America, Japan)

‘SINGLE SHOT’ released Dec 2016 on Art As Carthasis + Earshift Records

Mister Ott’s second album ‘Single Shot’ sees the band expand their Ethiojazz sound to incorporate psychedelic guitars, reverb-drenched horns, intergalactic keys, and a crunchy drum/bass combo. The result is a mesmerising marriage of eastern sounds, tight jazz/funk instrumentation, and hypnotic dance grooves with a psychedelic edge. The music blends native melodies with improvisation for which Afro-jazz is renowned.

Sure to be enjoyed by fans of Anderson .Paak, badbadnotgood, Mulatu Astatke and Fela Kuti alike.

released November 24, 2016

Compostions by
Ottignon (2,4,5,7)
Ottignon, Pliner (1)
Ottignon, Pliner, Panucci (3)
Ottignon, Pliner, Kirkwood (6)

Recorded by Richie Belkner at F.E.D. August 2016
Mixed by Damien Charles
Mastered by Kathy Naunton
Artwork and design by Ella Egidy
Produced by Matthew Ottignon

Matthew Ottignon – Tenor and Baritone sax
Ellen Kirkwood – Trumpet
Daniel Pliner – Keys
Ben Panucci – Guitar
Eden Ottignon – Bass
Carlos Adura – Drums and Percussion (1-6)
Dan Kennedy – Drums (7)

—————————————————————————————

‘DROP IT LIKE IT’S OTT’ album released Oct 2014 on Earshift Records

“The mysterious burst of sonic energy that is Mister Ott is infectious.” Megaphone Oz

“It’s a blast, from start to finish” Australian Stage

Acclaimed jazz saxophonist Matthew Ottignon’s latest project Mister Ott brings together some of Sydney’s finest musicians in an Ethiopian flavoured musical excursion combining eastern sounds and hypnotic rhythms with groove-heavy funk. Following the resurgence in Ethio-soul from the popular Ethiopiques series as well as Matthew’s touring in Ethiopia with iconic world music export Dereb the Ambassador, Mister Ott’s new album Drop it Like it’s Ott is a high calibre instrumental dance album that crosses world music with jazz, Ethiopian and funk.

Mister Ott have released two singles Mattaraja and Take it Higher. Drop it Like it’s Ott is their debut album, released by Earshift in October 2014. The band has performed throughout Sydney since 2011 at venues such as Venue 505, The Basement, Foundry 616 and others, as well as recently in Amsterdam and Paris. They play to critical acclaim, including radio support on ABC Radio National and community radio stations throughout Sydney.

“Mattaraja” single released June 2013
– available on itunes, cdbaby, and all other digital outlets