Have a Stroll

Let me explain how a bunch of white shred-jazz boys ended up covering this song by a Japanese girl group.

In March 2023 around 3 AM, I was driving with my friend Evan to Columbus OH for a gig at a high school. We had to be up at 6 the next morning, and I suck at scheduling/thinking ahead, so here we were on the road hauling ass in the middle of the night.

Evan put on this song - ‘Have a Stroll’ by Perfume. It starts unassumingly with this cute synthesizer hook that sounds like a 16-bit videogame soundtrack, then drops into 4 minutes of neon bubblegum dance candy.

But why bring this song to New Nostalgia? Well, can I nerd out on you for a second?

After the verse, the chords change. It gets jazzy. The harmony takes you on this journey through clouds, forests, bright and dark, all these different sonic areas. That’s what New Nostalgia has always been about: catchy, driving, but with a strong dose of musical adventure.

Needless to say, this song kept me awake at the wheel that night driving to Columbus. The only thing left to do for the New Nostalgia version: speed it up a bit :)

I’m gonna go for a run now 🤘 - Neil

Originally recorded by Perfume on their 2011 album JPN.

PERSONNEL

Neil Carson - alto sax (solo), arranger
Connor Bernhard - trumpet
Alex Beltran - tenor sax (solo)
Matt Kowalski - trombone
Andy Schlinder - bari sax
Brandon Hunt - guitar
Andrew Lawrence - piano
Tim Seisser - bass
Zack Marks - drums

Recorded 4/13/2024 at Rax Trax Recording, Chicago, IL
Mixed by Neil Carson
Recorded and Mastered by Andy Shoemaker
Cover art by Lily Furniss