| Jazz, Pop |
If you are fans of The Police and jazz, you’re in for a treat with George Hazelrigg on piano, Geoff Hazelrigg on bass, and John O’Reilly Jr. on drums, who revisit or rather commemorate the celebration of the 40th anniversary of The Police’s fifth and final studio album with a certain elegance and flair. Expressing the political and social climate of the early 1980s, the iconic original album, Synchronicity, was the almost constant soundtrack to George and Geoff Hazelrigg’s upbringing and had a huge influence on their future as artists.
The origins of this recording go back 40 years to Princeton, New Jersey, where two precocious children focused their attention on MTV and discovered a whole world of music. The first notes and images of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” captivated their young minds, and they were fascinated by the music videos for “Synchronicity II” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger.” “There were tons of videos we watched on MTV, but these had a major influence. It shapes your brain when you’re a child. This album is in our blood,” said Geoff. George added, “Synchronicity I is punk to the core! It’s so exciting when you hear that riff in the intro. Plus, it’s the piece of music Geoff used to test VLCs in the early years of Hazelrigg Industries.” On that note, outside of music, the brothers’ “day job” is Hazelrigg Industries, as designers and manufacturers of high-end studio recording equipment used by top producers, engineers, and artists worldwide.
So, it’s primarily a passion project. While it may not be the album of the century, it’s still a true favorite of Bayou Blue Radio and Paris Move. Although the Hazelrigg brothers are talented musicians, it’s worth noting that the arrangements are somewhat simplistic and lack spontaneity. The whole album is enjoyable to listen to but doesn’t reveal any surprises.
Thierry De Clemensat
Correspondent in USA
Bayou Blue News – Bayou Blue Radio – Paris-Move
PARIS-MOVE, May 18th 2023
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