Cowboys & Frenchmen (C&F) are a wonderfully named, New York-based Modern Jazz quintet that describes itself as an act who "produces music that is expressive and fiercely creative, taking co-improvisation to new heights," as their Facebook About section fitting describes. I'll be the first to readily admit, I'm not the most well-versed on Jazz's formative late greats, but I've always enjoyed a Jazz-minded Hip-Hop sample and the Neo-Jazz stylings of Flying Lotus and his BRAINFEEDER crew, BADBADNOTGOOD AKA BBNG, Wu-Tang Clan-indebted El Michels Affair, Polish Jazz septet EABS, and even "The Greatest Band In Late Night," Philly's own The Roots. I received a cold-sent email late last week from Massachusetts-based PR company Braithwaite & Katz Communications highlighting the title track from Cowboys & Frenchmen's innovative, alto sax-led sophomore album, Bluer Than You Think—to be released on Outside-In-Music this upcoming Friday, October 13th.


Raul de Gama at Jazz Global Media describes C&F's forthcoming body of work as, they're "masters of mood and atmosphere, with the ability to coordinate colour and structure to a rare degree. Bluer Than You Think consistently reveals their exceptional versatility and resourcefulness..." Now, to my fairly untrained Jazz ear, Cowboys & Frenchmen's "Blue Than You Think" evokes sonic vibes of both Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters' 1973 Jazz-Fusion masterpiece Head Hunters and The Vincent Guaraldi Trio's work scoring countless 1950-70's Peanuts films and shorts forever immortalized on cable TV. Cowboys & Frenchmen consists of saxophonists/composers Owen Broder & Ethan Helm, pianist Chris Ziemba, bass player Ethan O'Reilly, and drummer Matt Honor; Bluer Than You Think was recorded along with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Ryan Truesdell. Cowboys & Frenchmen have an 8-date Album Release Tour 2017 booked to align with Bluer Than You Think's release, running from October 17-27th and including stops in Baltimore, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and a few in-between. Bluer Than You Think is out everywhere "good records" are sold 10/13 on Outside-In-Music.