Downtown castles can never block the sun

"A snapshot of Gay's passion for jazz, poetry, hip hop and electronica, Downtown Castles might be an audio portrait of Chicago itself ... In essence, this jam-packed album stirs up the vibrancy of life itself. Downtown Castles is a bright parade of humanity, led by Gay as its dazzling grand marshal".

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"On his debut album, the uncategorizable Chicago musician knits together experimental jazz, funk playfulness, Brazilian rhythms, and the sensuality of Prince ... an album that is less about fusing jazz, funk, and other genres than it is about elevating the diverse sounds of Earth to the heavens".

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"If the story in the press notes is true, Ben Lamar Gay has, during the past seven years, recorded seven full-length albums that he's pocketed rather than shared with the world. It's from those sessions that Downtown Castles Can Never Block The Sun, the first full-length from this Chicago cornetist and producer, is compiled ... A fine collection on its own, Downtown Castles feels like a taster menu, offering delectable samples of what Gay can do, while leaving listeners hungry for a full plate".