Nick Hempton & Cory Weeds - Horns Locked

The first quarter of the 21st century is drawing to a close, and with the world in the grip of uncertainty, the only prescription is a dose of feel-good soul jazz. Heavy on the blues, dripping with grease; direct, honest, and swinging. Just simple songs and unambiguous melodies, with grooving rhythms and no pretense.

In the summer of 2024, Nick Hempton made one of his regular visits to Vancouver to reunite with very soulful co-conspirators Jesse Cahill and Nick Peck for a weekend at Frankie's, the city's legendary jazz club. After some cajoling, Van City tenor legend Cory Weeds agreed to join them on stage to form a two-horn quartet. Mics were set up, favorite tunes were chosen, cocktails were consumed; and with the Frankie's crowd in fine fettle, urging them on with stomps and hollers, they laid down a set of hard-driving soul jazz.

In between shows, to balance the live feel, the cats descended into the murky shadows of a grungy basement studio, the carpeted walls dripping with years of accumulated funk. In keeping with the free blowing feel of the club gig, the studio session took place live, with no isolation and no safety net; and in the subterranean twilight they knocked out a set of swingers in a couple of hours, each tune needing only one or two takes.

The repertoire reveals their musical heroes- tunes penned by the giants of the tenor: Dexter, Stitt, James Moody; plus a couple of down-the-pipe originals for good measure.

The result is Horns Locked: a joyful collection of hard-swinging soul jazz that will bring a smile to your face, a pat to your foot, and maybe even lift a load off your shoulders.