Release Date: 19 December 2025
Label: Strength In Numbers Records / Last Night From Glasgow
Packaging Type: Slip Sleeve (CD or Vinyl)
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5070003180028
Genres: Jazz
Description
Emerging from the vibrant but often overlooked Glasgow jazz scene, The Jack Ruby 5 release their debut album, Despedida La Bodega, a sophisticated and soulful journey steeped in jazz tradition but filtered through uniquely Glaswegian sensibilities. Drawing influence from jazz greats such as Stan Getz, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, and Donald Byrd, while carrying echoes of Soul II Soul and The Young Disciples, Despedida La Bodega resonates with the grooves of 1990s acid jazz and the openness of contemporary European improvisation. Like Stan Getz, whose melodic fluency carried jazz into dialogue with Brazilian music, the album leans gently on Latin rhythms. Its phrasing and harmonic choices at times nod towards the understated, rhythmic style of Joao Gilberto - his intimate guitar comping providing a parallel to Despedida La Bodega's Spanish twist. This affinity with Latin jazz mirrors the album's cultural resonance, deepening its Glaswegian storytelling.
Several tracks on the record have a cinematic quality - spacious, evocative arrangements that unfold like scenes from an unseen film. These moments invite the listener to step into imagined landscapes, blending the personal with the universal in a way that is both visual and musical. Despedida La Bodega is an homage to Glasgow's fading cultural fabric, combining the melodic elegance of Getz, the soulful grit of Green, the rhythmic drive of Byrd, and the groove-conscious elegance of acid jazz pioneers. The record is designed for listeners who seek music that bridges tradition, experimentation, and heartfelt storytelling.
Tracklisting
Peter Capaldi
Dick Gaughan
China Crisis
Original 60s Merseybeat Legends
The Golden Tree
The Tenementals
Stephen Hero
We Are Muffy
Lucy Mellenfield
Jen Chapin
Dave's True Story
The Three Seas
Weather Report
Weather Report
Various Artists
Tom Grant
