Don Glori - Paper Can't Wrap Fire

A kaleidoscopic genre- surfng odyssey that brings together the worlds of jazz, soul and funk. Feeling both contemporary and classic, familiar yet novel, it's an assured third release that sees an artist in full fight, showcasing their creative prowess and the uniqueness of their musical voice. Steering in a new direction, Don Glori (aka Gordon Li) has delved headfirst into his song writing with 'Paper Can't Wrap Fire'. Deftly showcasing his talents as a writer and bandleader, he brings with him a whole host of friends from the creative crossroads that is Naarm. It's an album enriched with more soul, R&B, and funk-oriented songs than his previous jazz-rooted productions, yet there's still plenty of jazz material for those familiar fans of Don's earlier works. It's a journey infused with a glistening jazz fnesse, layered with nourishing vocal harmonies and powered by an instantly relatable human soul. Recorded over two hot summer days in Rolling Stock Studios in Collingwood, Naarm, the line-up of musicians is built up of Don's friends and family. Featuring the backbone team of Tim Cox, Al Kennedy, Joel Trigg, Robyn Cummins and Lachlan Thompson, who were part of Don's touring band before he relocated to London, and a stunning selection of vocalists in the form of ML Hall, Ruby Dargaville, Isadora Lauritz, and Bianca Kyriacou. Also gracing the album are trumpeter extraordinaire Audrey Powne, saxophonist Joshua Moshe, and Alcides Neto who sprinkles some Brazilian magic into the record. Taking influence from artists including Azymuth, SAULT, Jordan Rakei and Lynda Dawn, as well as from London musical beacons such as NTS and Total Refreshment Centre, Don has run with this, leaned in and come out with a record truly unique to himself and his distinctive core, with no mask necessary.