The River Doesn’t Like Strangers

The stunning debut album, The River Doesn’t Like Strangers on Shabaka Hutchings’ new label Native Rebel Recordings by saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael now finally available on vinyl! Chelsea Carmichael is an understated innovator and educator, quietly adding her own contribution to the iteration of jazz that has evolved on these islands. She’s a warm and hypnotic player, who brings subtle and considered improvisation to everything she does. Primo cultural instigator Shabaka Hutchings noted her potential and invited her to record the first release on Native Rebel Recordings. He wrote a set of songs for her, which she worked up at RAK studios with Eddie Hick (Sons of Kemet), Dave Okumu (The Invisible) and Tom Herbert (The Invisible; Polar Bear) and the resulting recordings comprise her 2021 debut album The River Doesn’t Like Strangers.