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The off-and-on Shuffle Demon follows his Juno-nominated Moment In Time with a conceptual ode to his current place of residence, Kensington Market. It’s certainly one of the city’s most unique neighbourhoods, and Underhill does it jazz justice.
He captures the unrushed I Deal Coffee afternoon vibe on Meet Me In The Market, with Underhill’s alto leading a breezy small-band chamber sound. Bike Lane is more frenetic, like dodging bodies and unwelcome cars on a busy Saturday, as fellow Demon Perry White lets loose a hot tenor solo. Underhill puts down the utopian brush for a moment on In The Shadows, in which Dave Restivo organ-grinds a smoky complement to his sinister soundtrack to late nights at Bellevue Square.
Richard Underhill appears as part of the Constance Margaret Christmas Ball at the Palais Royale Sunday (December 9).