Richmond’s own Butcher Brown is preparing to release one of the most ambitious projects of its career.
On July 24, the genre-defying collective will join acclaimed trumpeter and composer Nicholas Payton for A Supreme Blue, a bold reinterpretation of two of the most influential recordings in jazz history: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.
Released through Concord Jazz, the album arrives during the centennial years of both Davis and Coltrane, honoring their enduring impact on American music while exploring how their work continues to resonate with contemporary artists. Rather than recreating the original recordings note for note, A Supreme Blue offers a fresh perspective on two landmark albums that helped shape modern jazz.
For Butcher Brown, the project represents another chapter in a career built on challenging genre boundaries. The Richmond-bred ensemble has earned national recognition for blending jazz, funk, hip-hop, soul, rock, and electronic influences into a sound uniquely their own. Their willingness to experiment makes them a fitting collaborator for Payton, whose own career has been defined by innovation and a deep engagement with jazz tradition.
The album revisits iconic compositions from both source recordings, including “So What,” “Freddie Freeloader,” “Blue in Green,” and “All Blues” from Kind of Blue, alongside “Acknowledgement,” “Resolution,” “Pursuance,” and “Psalm” from A Love Supreme. The lead single, “Pursuance,” is already available, offering listeners a glimpse into the project’s creative approach.
The collaboration also highlights Richmond’s growing reputation as a destination for world-class music production. A Supreme Blue was recorded and mixed by Alex De Jong at Spacebomb Studios, continuing a creative partnership that has become central to many recent Butcher Brown projects.
While the music celebrates two jazz giants, the album also underscores the importance of artistic reinterpretation. Both Kind of Blue and A Love Supreme remain foundational works not because they are frozen in time, but because they continue to inspire new conversations across generations of musicians. By revisiting these recordings through their own contemporary lens, Payton and Butcher Brown contribute to that ongoing dialogue.
The release comes during a productive period for Butcher Brown. The band recently unveiled Letters From The Atlantic, a project that explored musical influences stretching from Virginia’s coastline to Europe while blending jazz, house, soul, funk, and electronic music. Together, the two releases showcase the group’s remarkable range—from original genre-bending compositions to thoughtful engagement with the jazz canon.
For Richmond audiences, A Supreme Blue offers another reminder of the city’s role in shaping contemporary music. As Butcher Brown continues to expand its reach nationally and internationally, the group remains connected to the community and creative ecosystem that helped cultivate its sound.
A Supreme Blue will be released digitally on July 24 through Concord Jazz. A limited-edition two-LP vinyl pressing, restricted to 1,500 copies worldwide, is scheduled for release on August 14.
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