As a city with a rich musical lineage, Brighton can hold their own against nearly anywhere in the UK - appreciative, diverse and eclectic audiences have proudly championed the prominence of names from The Kooks to Bat For Lashes to Pink Floyd's David Gilmore as heroes waving the flag for the seaside resort in their own right.
Even within the realms of contemporary soul music, there's again no shortage of incredible contributors - many of which spearheaded by independent labels including Tru Thoughts Records and Jalapeno Records, both prominent proponents for burgeoning soul music afficionados.
Through the release of their debut self-titled EP, The Gyratory Allstars offer an exciting take on imaginative soul music that brilliantly reflects Brighton's varied musical palette. With a sound that finds itself steeped within a variety of the city's musical inspirations, the eleven-member collective features an excellent mix of predominately Brighton-based musicians from a variety of different styles and genres.
Keyboardist Aaron Emerson makes an indelible contribution to the band - a multi-faceted musician, as versed in rock and folk as he is within impassioned soul music, and then there's the pioneer within the aesthetic of soul-infused electronica Jez Lloyd - of Ink Project and Blind Colour fame - who features throughout, flute in hand. An excellent array of musicians and vocalists provide stellar support to vocalist and Gyratory front-man, Jerry Clavier.
A seasoned vocalist, Clavier's soul-drenched vocal can be found gracing the work of a variety of artists including Laroye and his track 'Grateful' from the French producer and musician's 'Let It Go' album (Local Talk, 2023); Producer and DJ J-Felix also recognised Clavier's immense talents by featuring the vocalist - performing under the alias Sol Goodman - over four tracks for his 'Whole Again Hooligan' full-length, released by the aforementioned Tru Thoughts Records.
It would certainly serve as an understatement to say that an opportunity for Jerry Clavier to showcase his talents as a front-man in this vein is very overdue and now backed by such an incredible ensemble, Clavier is afforded the platform to really shine. The Gyratory Allstars' five-track release showcases the collective through some sensational numbers from the James Brown-esque groove of 'Judge a Book' to the rousing and socially-conscious 'Writing's on the Wall'. And while the blissful 'Sun Still Shines' serves as its own ray of sunshine, it may very well be 'Keep Our Love Alive' that steals the show... beautifully produced with a sensational 70s jazz-funk - almost trippy - undertone, it's a track that perhaps represents the best of the Allstars and what they are striving to convey with their music.
The debut EP delivers as an accomplished introduction to The Gyratory Allstars, an exceptional addition to the rich lineage of Brighton's flag wavers and an indispensable voice for today's soul music scene.
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