Inhabitants

Formed in 2004, Vancouver's Inhabitants has ascended to become one of Canada's most prominent creative music ensembles. In 2009 Inhabitants was nominated for a Juno Award for 'Instrumental Album of the Year', a National Jazz Award for 'Electric Group of the Year', and a Western Canadian Music Award for 'Instrumental Recording of the Year'. Their singular approach defies genre, melding jazz, rock, noise and free improvisation with new perspective. Trumpeter JP Carter, guitarist Dave Sikula, bassist Pete Schmitt and drummer Skye Brooks find a rare cohesiveness in Inhabitants, cultivated from years of musical collaboration in groups like Fond of Tigers, Copilots, Carsick, DarkBlueWorld, The NOW Orchestra, Tony Wilson's 6tet, and the Aeroplane Trio. Inhabitants continues to push forward into new sonic territory with A Vacant Lot, their third full-length CD on Drip Audio. Spacious and expressive, the new album explores the dynamic relationship between chaos and form through experimental sound, intuitive group interplay and instrumental composition. There is new diversity in the music; rich textured landscapes augmented by electronics and feedback are contrasted with moments of intimate acoustic minimalism. A reflective mood pervades the new landscape Inhabitants occupies on A Vacant Lot, their improvisations and compositions permeated with an uncommon, yet alluring lyricism.

CONNECTIONS: Fond of Tigers, Copilots, Carsick, DarkBlueWorld, The NOW Orchestra, Tony Wilson's 6tet, the Aeroplane Trio

LATEST RECORDING: A Vacant Lot (2009)