This tune's formation was informed by a geographical metaphor for moral theory. As heavy as that may sound, a deeper look reveals how this seemingly abstract idea is concretely captured in both composition and performance. Maclean states, "True North is a fixed point on the Earth, whereas Magnetic North shifts with the magnetic poles of the planet - mostly by small amounts except in rare times of Geomagnetic Reversal when the poles swap places". History is rife with tragedy resulting from ethics that drift and shift in the pursuit of some higher objective. Maclean proffers an ethical bedrock formed on foundational principles as the antidote, which for him is True North. Brownman uses an ultra-dark tone to paint subtle colours, while the Quartet shifts between drifting ebb-and-flow and sections that swing with a Blakey-esque surety of purpose, deftly representing the piece’s ideological underpinnings.
from
Convergence,
released October 27, 2023
Composed by Nick Maclean
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Nick Maclean -- piano
Brownman Ali -- trumpet, producer
Ben Duff -- bass
Jacob Wutzke -- drums
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Revolution Recording -- recording studio (Kim Cooke, booker)
Stephen Koszler -- head tracking engineer
Luke Schindler -- assistant tracking engineer
Wayne Ferguson -- piano tuner
Josh Bowman -- mix engineer
Justin Gray -- mastering engineer
Dean Shu -- cover art
Daryl Angier -- liner notes
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Thomas Varey -- director of photography
Brittany Farhat -- camera crew
Matthew Fong -- camera crew
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Canada Council for the Arts -- funding
Ontario Arts Council -- funding
Toronto Arts Council -- funding
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Browntasauras Records -- record label
Steve Danic (Browntasauras Records) -- publicist