Urban Music Scene traces the origin of The Southern Suite back to a single rehearsal: Sean Mason had barely gotten his handpicked quintet, Tony Glausi, Chris Lewis, Felix Moseholm, and Domo Branch, through the first two songs before the group stopped, looked at one another, and agreed on the spot that the material needed to be recorded. That chemistry became the backbone of Mason's debut, which arrived on October 27, 2023, on Blue Engine Records, Jazz at Lincoln Center's in-house label.
The outlet's coverage lands alongside the release of lead single "Closure," out on streaming platforms with an accompanying performance video, and describes the song as Mason's way of claiming creative freedom while still paying respect to the musicians who came before him, its gospel roots woven through swing rhythm and classical counterpoint. Mason frames the album more broadly as sitting between renaissance and street culture, each track a deliberate departure from the traditionalism he once felt boxed into.
The piece also covers Mason's background: a Charlotte native who taught himself piano by ear starting at 13 and has since earned the support of both Wynton and Branford Marsalis, developing a sound rooted in Southern groove but far more advanced than his years would suggest. He now leads the touring Sean Mason Quartet, built to perform the eight originals that make up The Southern Suite.
ABOUT URBAN MUSIC SCENE
Urban Music Scene (TheUrbanMusicScene.com) is an online music magazine covering gospel, jazz, R&B/soul, reggae, and blues, with coverage spanning album announcements, reviews, interviews, and concert news. The outlet has served as a longtime destination for artists across those genres to reach an engaged, community-focused readership.
ALSO AVAILABLE
The Southern Suite is available on vinyl, CD, and sheet music, with a student discount for enrolled learners. For updates, subscribe to Sean's mailing list.
FOLLOW SEAN MASON
Instagram: @seanmason
TikTok: @seanmason_
Facebook: Sean Mason Official
YouTube: Sean Mason
X (Twitter): @seanmason
Spotify: Sean Mason
RESOURCES
Official Website: seanmason.net
Stream the Album: Listen on Spotify
Original Source: Read the announcement on Urban Music Scene
