"Michael Stephenson Meets The Alexander Claffy Trio" is a jubilant new project marking the first recorded collaboration between Michael Stephenson and bassist Alexander Claffy, capturing a deep friendship that spans two decades.
Stephenson, also known by his stage name Sonny Step, is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Claffy is an accomplished bandleader and sideman and one of the most in-demand bassists worldwide.
The album was produced by trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. This is the second collaborative effort between Pelt and Cellar Music Group and part of their joint initiative to showcase the voices of Black artists.
"The Cellar Music Group recognizes that jazz is not only a music native to America, but that the progenitors of this music are the very lives that are being threatened daily," says Pelt. "I’m pleased to present the second of a series of releases led by Black artists that I will be producing for Cellar Music."
To announce the label's initiative to promote Black artists, owner Cory Weeds wrote: "As someone who was born in Canada, who grew up here and who still lives here, I’ve been somewhat sheltered from the injustices going on south of the border. I now realize that to be silent is to be complicit. This is no longer an option for me, and I stand in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters."
Listen for Michael Stephenson with the Alexander Claffy Trio on KNKX Midday and Evening Jazz.
