Underground Resistance’s Jon Dixon celebrates legendary trumpeter Marcus Belgrave in new EP

Detroit’s techno and jazz musicians unite on Carl Craig’s Planet E.

Underground Resistance live band member Jon Dixon is releasing a new EP paying homage to the music of Detroit trumpet player Marcus Belgrave, this April on Carl Craig’s Planet E imprint.

Belgrave was a member of Ray Charles’ touring band, before going on to work with jazz luminaries including Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzie Gillespie, and Charles Mingus, as well as releasing his own records on iconic labels such as Tribe and Detroit Jazz.

Belgrave frequently collaborated with musicians outside of the jazz world, developing a longstanding relationship with Motown Records, and techno producer Carl Craig whose Detroit Experiment album he performed on.

“The first time I came to Detroit was in 1958 with Ray Charles. That was when Detroit was flourishing…” begins Belgrave, in a moving anecdote about his relationship with the city on opener ‘Erudition’.

The EP features four exultant tracks, including two recorded with Belgrave before his death in 2015, alongside UR/Timeline’s Mike Banks & saxophonist De’Sean Jones, and composer Kris Johnson.

Pre-order a copy of Erudition: A Tribute to Marcus Belgrave here ahead of its 27th April release, listen to ‘When Belgrave met Banks’ above, and check out the track list below.

Tracklist

Side A

A1. Erudition (featuring Marcus Belgrave)
A2. Wise Words (featuring Marcus Belgrave)

Side B

B1. When Belgrave Met Banks (featuring Mike Banks, Kris Johnson & De’Sean Jones)
B2. Summer of 2001 (featuring De’Sean Jones)