While the Grammy-nominated soul unit, The Foreign Exchange finishes the last leg of their Authenticity Tour, Foreign Exchange Music has just released the Shibuya Session EP—a collaborative project between The Foreign Exchange producer, Nicolay and the Raleigh, jazz virtuoso outfit, The Hot at Nights, whose guitarist, Chris Boerner, also plays with TFE.
In 2006, TFE producer, Nicolay visited Tokyo and three years later he released the evenly sheened, City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya as a testament to some of the sights and experiences from that life-altering trip to Japan.
Nicolay and The Hot at Nights – Meiji Shrine
Here we find Nicolay essentially updating and remixing his own project with The Hot at Night musicians, Nick Baglio (drums), Matt Douglas (saxophone), and Chris Boerner (guitars and piano). Earlier this year, the group released their debut LP, Nice Talk, which music critic, Brandon Soderberg described as a “lithe, sophisticated approach to a stalwart genre past its “cool” expiration date…”
Not that there was anything wrong with Nicolay’s original Shibuya compositions, but there is a certain plush, off-road quality to The Hot at Nights’ unrestrained jazz approach that this upgrade benefits from, especially when Douglas’ horn starts tearing away at songs like “Inner Garden” and “Departure.”
Beginning in January, Nicolay and The Hot at Nights will head out on a 13-city tour in support of both Shibuya Session and Nice Talk. To download the Shibuya Session EP for free, simply click here. Upcoming tour dates are listed below.
