DAVE WRIGHT: AURORA BOREALIS
A NEW JAZZ FUSION ALBUM TO ROCK YOUR HOUSE
Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity continue their musical journey with Aurora Borealis. From the searing lead guitar in ‘Big Lee’ to the gentle waves of ‘Yorana’ to the hard-edged funk of ‘Doctor Love’, this album takes you on a trip.
True to the concept of the band’s first album, Aurora Borealis features songs written in iconic places — ‘Yorana’ in French Polynesia, ‘Culebra’ in Panama, to name two — but the emphasis is on motion and activity.
And it moves! The band hits high energy fusion out of the gate with the first number ‘Quicksand’, samples some funky blues with the second tune ‘Blue is Our Business’, then digs in to the fusion rock anthem ‘Big Lee’. But is that all they’ve got?
No … the simple and soft melody of ‘Gratitude’, the steamy and swampy ‘Culebra’, the straight-ahead gritty rock of ‘Y-Not’ … Aurora Borealis is a journey that everyone should take.
ALBUM RELEASE: AURORA BOREALIS
Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity released their second album Aurora Borealis in May of 2023. The new collection of original compositions takes off where the band’s first album There And Gone left us, going ever-higher in energy and expression. Fans from the band’s live shows will recognize the music, starting with the opening track — ‘Quicksand’ is a crowd favorite which the band often uses as a closing number at their shows.
The band members — including Philippe Lewalle on keyboards, Scott Bradley on organ, Doug Fien on bass, Ryan Muchard on drums and Dave Wright on guitar — have plenty of opportunities to shred on this energetic full-length release.
Asked about the title track ‘Aurora Borealis’, Dave says: “If I had to tell a story about this song, it would start somewhere in the far north … maybe up high in the Icelandic Highlands, surrounded by barren mountains and the brilliant northern lights. After admiring the aurora for a while, you feel yourself being pulled up from the ground into the aurora, then beyond, ricocheting through the asteroid belt, the rings of Saturn, the Oort Cloud and then into the raw violence of deep space where there are a million ways to die and only a few ways to live. Various adventures ensue before a space warp drops you back down to the earth at the same spot, where you’re watching the aurora, alone with the cold wind, bright stars and bare mountains.”
Enjoy this musical journey with Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity.
LINER NOTES
1. Quicksand (Wright), 8:03
2. Blue Is Our Business (Wright), 5:59
3. Big Lee (Wright), 7:40
4. Gratitude (Wright), 8:08
5. Culebra (Wright), 7:04
6. Yo’rana (Wright), 6:23
7. Y-Not (Wright), 5:47
8. Doctor Love (Wright), 6:56
9. Aurora Borealis (Wright), 9:30
Dave Wright: guitar, bass (tracks 2, 7)
Ryan Muchard: drums (tracks 1–6, 8–9), synth percussion (track 3)
Doug Fien: bass (tracks 1, 3–6, 8–9)
Philippe Lewalle: keyboards (tracks 1–4, 6, 9)
Scott Bradley: organ (track 5)
Dave Cohen: drums (track 7)
Recorded at Studio X, Pittsford, New York. Photography of northern lights in the Icelandic Highlands by Dave Wright. Produced by Dave Wright for HMC Jazz, Fort Nurney, SD, 2023.
Click the song names below to see more photos of where in the world each song was written:
AVAILABLE ON:
TRACK LIST
RELATED PHOTOS
1. Quicksand (Wright)
2. Blue Is Our Business (Wright)
3. Big Lee (Wright)
4. Gratitude (Wright)
5. Culebra (Wright)
6. Yo’rana (Wright)
7. Y-Not (Wright)
8. Doctor Love (Wright)
9. Aurora Borealis (Wright)
STREAM THE WHOLE ALBUM
Click the ‘Play’ button below to listen to “Aurora Borealis” in its entirety. Check out the great performances captured in the studio, and then come check out a live gig. Which is better?
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Dave’s creativity is allot of fun. Lots of expression through out.
Amazing Music and musicians!!
Great music. Lots of talent here.
The music combined with your photos is a real treat for the senses.
We were fortunate enough to hear David and the band play some of this live! Such beautiful reflections on his travels. Armchair travel jazz! Loved it!
Great music and always fun to see the band live
I love this thoughtful and atmospheric music that invokes landscapes, both real and imagined. Quite rare and original. Two thumbs up and the full five ratings stars.
Great album. I’ll be sure to catch a live show one of these days!