Thursday 3/9: Malcolm Strachan – Point of No Return

When you hear there’s a new release from a Scottish musician on the Scottish label Haggis Records, you might assume bagpipes and strathspeys. Not so with this terrific trumpeter, who delivers a variety of jazz styles from modal jazz grooves to Brazilian samba beats, Latin rhythms to cinematic soundtrack vibes, and along the way, some beautiful ballads. You might hear a nod to his hero, fellow trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, and others from the Blue Note label. Strachan is also a founder and existing band member of the UK funk band The Haggis Horns; many of those bandmates are on this album, including Atholl Ransome (tenor sax/flute), George Cooper (piano), Danny Barley (trombone), Courtny Tomas, (double bass), and Erroll Rollins (drums).