Universal Music New Zealand and CRS/Live Nation are proud to announce the
25th Anniversary reissue of Nathan Haines’ seminal debut album Shift Left
alongside two very special celebratory performances by Nathan and the Shift Left
live band. Originally released in 1994, the album is a subtle, astute meltdown
of jazz and hip-hop by the preternaturally mature Haines and his fellow
musicians whose diverse backgrounds came into play across the 11 originals. The
album was released by Verve Records in the UK in 1995 and remains New
Zealand's biggest selling jazz album, while also forming the blueprint for
Nathan’s future releases and his international career path.
“To say Shift Left was a landmark in New Zealand music is an
understatement,” says Simon Grigg (who released the NZ edition on his Huh!
Label), “but it didn’t arrive out of the blue. The genesis came with the new
generation, bands like The Jazz Committee and Freebass, both featuring the
precocious, hugely talented saxophonist Nathan Haines and his equally talented
guitarist brother Joel.
“What made Nathan and these players unique was the way they fused hip-hop and
Urban Pasifika with experimental improvised jazz, often live at Cause Celebre in
intense sessions that would sometimes not start until 1am and last until
dawn.”
Those sessions ultimately led to the formation of the Shift Left band,
comprising some of the most virtuoso performers to ever join together both in
the studio and on stage in New Zealand. Featuring Joel Haines, drummer Mickey
Ututaonga, keyboardist Kevin Field, Puerto Rican born
percussion legend Miguel Fuentes and turntablist/DJ Manuel Bundy, this original
line-up is re-uniting for the first time in over 2 decades for two very special
and historic shows.
With this excellent remastered reissue – and three new remixes from drummer/producer Julien Dyne, Haines with DJ/producer Frank Booker, and P-Money – this innovative album sounds contemporary but is also a reminder of the period which created it. Shift Left is available in double LP, CD, digital and streamable formats and Nathan Haines and the Shift Left band bring the music to life once again on stage in August.