Are You Really Real

Anastasia Bogomolets - All About Jazz

Celebrating four decades of genre-blending jazz, the Shuffle Demons return with Are You Really Real, a studio album that fuses funk, post-bop, theatrical satire and spiritual jazz. Influences ranging from Eric Dolphy and Alice Coltrane to the Red Hot Chili Peppers shape the band's eclectic high-energy aesthetic.

The opening track, "X Marks the Spot," sets the tone with multivoiced saxophone lines and a rhythm section that oscillates between swing and funk. Tenor saxophonists Kelly Jefferson and Matt Lagan exchange solos that move from modal runs to jagged intervals, echoing John Coltrane's mid-'60s quartet. The piece showcases the group's tight ensemble writing and rhythmic agility. 

The title track, "Are You Really Real," reflects on AI and authenticity through Richard Underhill's rhythmic spoken vocals over a groove that echoes Tower of Power horn stabs and a locked-in rhythm section. 

"Money is My Only Religion" pushes further into satire with Underhill's vocals set against syncopated funk and richly arranged horns. The arrangement recalls the theatricality of Tom Waits and the harmonic density of Weather Report. Rhythmic tension between the reeds and rhythm section builds to an expertly arranged finish. 

In the contemplative "Out to Sea," Underhill's saxophone unfolds over ambient textures, creating a meditative atmosphere reminiscent of Pharoah Sanders' spiritual jazz. The slow-building structure reveals the group's introspective side while maintaining the flow. 

"Ride the Wave" explores 7/4 time through layered repetition, subtly echoing Steve Reich. Mike Downes's bass solo is lyrical and restrained while the horns interlock in shifting patterns. Stich Wynston's drumming adds shimmering textures that lend the track a trance-like forward motion. 

The album's stylistic breadth deepens as it progresses. Wynston's "Good Mourning" leans into Ornette Coleman's harmolodics with interwoven horn lines creating a restless atmosphere. Drum solos disrupt the walking bass and saxophone narrative with expressive bursts, adding controlled chaos to the track's volatility. 

Jefferson's "Bottom Dollar" draws from early '60s R&B-jazz crossover, propelled by blues-infused tenor phrasing and a punchy rhythm section. The groove has a vintage feel, but the execution is sharp and contemporary. Jefferson's soloing walks a line between muscular phrasing and measured restraint. 

Lagan's "Scala Rosa" brings a cerebral contrast with sparse textures and angular lines anchored by Wynston's colour-rich drumming—melodic in its own right. The piece features focused solos from both Lagan and Downes, emphasizing space and structure over density. 

"Sunny Side Up" adds a New Orleans second-line rhythm and buoyant a cappella sax passages. The horns nod to old-time tunes and Downes performs a swinging bass solo grounded in classic jazz language. The track's shifting textures channel Charles Mingus's flair for blending tradition with irreverence. 

"Prism" dives into group improvisation, producing a raw, exploratory soundscape. A dialogue between bass and drums during the solo is tense and filled with unexpected turns. 

"In the Air," composed by Underhill, returns to structured hard bop with driving swing and sharply defined horn lines. Tenor duels and crisp rhythm section work fuel the piece with late-Coltrane urgency.

The momentum continues through two groove-driven closers. "Nice Signal" rides a fat repetitive funk riff reminiscent of '70s Grant Green and the The Meters. The saxophones are phrasing-oriented, prioritizing groove over harmony. The result is lean, infectious and tightly constructed. 

"Run the World" fuses Afrobeat with bebop energy, layering Fela Kuti-inspired rhythms with punchy, meticulously crafted horn lines. The saxophones use rhythmic motifs as propulsive elements while polyrhythmic drumming reinforces the groove's intensity. 

Are You Really Real captures the Shuffle Demons at their most versatile and inventive. Balancing social commentary with genre fluidity and ensemble precision, the album reaffirms their commitment to pushing jazz into bold, unexpected directions.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/are-you-really-real-shuffle-demons-alma-records__29151

Pierre Giroux - All About Jazz

“this storied Canadian outfit delivers a recording that captures the very essence of what made them both a cult favourite and respected presence on the international jazz scene.”

There is a unique brand of musical madness that only the Shuffle Demons can conjure—a whirlwind of saxophones, humour, groove and a palpable sense of daring. With Are You Really Real, this storied Canadian outfit delivers a recording that captures the very essence of what made them both a cult favourite and respected presence on the international jazz scene. Bristling with invention, personality and raw performance energy, the album feels like a live set caught in a studio net—exhilarating, unfiltered and unmistakably Shuffle Demons.

The 13 original tracks are all compositions by the band members which include Richard Underhill alto and baritone sax, Kelly Jefferson tenor sax, Matt Lagan tenor sax, Mike Downes acoustic and electric bass and Stich Wynston drums. They deliver a stylistic sprawl that is as fearless as it is fun. It defines the band's identity—fiercely rhythmic, gleefully irreverent, anchored in razor-sharp musicianship. The title track "Are You Really Real" pivots to a rap-style vocal by Underhill, one of the co-founders of the group and its primary composer, writing seven of the numbers. The tune has a probing melody and undercurrents, revealing the band's compositional depth beyond the theatrics. "Good Mourning" (not "Morning") is a bright, punchy number that might suggest how Thelonious Monk could have written a children's TV jingle.

Underhill presents a fine satirical line with biting rap-infused lyrics on "Money Is My Only Religion." Its gritty blues-funk feel showcases the group's political edge and ability to twist genre conventions into something fresh and immediate. The joyful cacophony continues with "Sunny Side Up," filled with punchy melodic hooks and pulsing with positivity. Following on is "Prism," which finds the band in a musically expansive frame. With layered saxophone textures and featuring a lengthy bass solo from Downes, the number evokes a kaleidoscope of moods.

The closer is "Run The World," which is pure Shuffle Demons—funky, assertive and unapologetically audacious. The number is a rallying cry for creative freedom, with Underhill delivering a fierce alto solo as Wynston provides propulsive coverage on the drum kit. The album is a celebration of the sound of a band fully in command of its singular voice.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/are-you-really-real-shuffle-demons-alma-records

Dee Dee McNeil - Musical Memoir

“They are one of Canada’s national treasures.”

Richard Underhill, alto & baritone saxophones/vocals; Kelly Jefferson & Matt Logan, tenor saxophone; Mike Downes, acoustic & electric bass; Stich Wynston, drums/vocals.

I love Straight-ahead jazz and bebop.  I review all kinds of music, but my own jazz roots are buried deep in the exciting jazz of the 1950s and 1960s. Shuffle Demons is an ensemble that brings back memories of that time and space, even though they have added their own contemporary twist.  Their unique presentation is minus piano, but still presents a cohesive, energetic jazz package, with a rhythm section featuring only drums and bass in support of three master horn players.  Their sound is dynamic.

These celebrated Toronto, Canada based musicians are celebrating forty years in the music business.  The Shuffle Demons have recently signed to one of Canada’s leading jazz labels, ALMA Records, former home of Joey DeFrancesco.  This is their eleventh album release.

They open with “X Marks the Spot” composed by the quintet’s bassist, Mike Downes.  It’s Straight-ahead jazz at its best. The three horns create harmonic excitement above the melodic bass line that opens the tune. They dance above the flurry of drums provided by Stich Wynston. Wynston is dynamic and creative with his percussive support. Each horn player solos with gusto. They captivate me with their technique and improvisation. Downes is a multiple Juno-winner who has worked with Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and Dave Liebman.

The title tune weaves spoken word into the arrangement. It sets up a fusion groove, with Wynston’s rolling trap drums accentuating the syncopation.  The lyrics speak of a changing world.

“The world is changing and rearranging; So, I must ask you, are you really real?  The list of A.I. is going sky high, it’s just like sci-fi. Are you really real?”

All of this original music is composed by the group members, but the majority of the composition are the work of Juno-winning co-founder Richard Underhill.  He has written seven of the new songs. The various compositions by group members cover blues, rap, funk and a full range of jazz styles.  I love the “Bottom Dollar” tune, rooted in the blues and composed by Kelly Jefferson. It’s a slow shuffle with a melody that sticks like Velcro to my mind. The horn solos are formidable and appreciated. Group co-founder and drummer supreme, Stich Wynston brings fire to the arrangement.

Other favorites are “Good Mourning, (written by Stich Wynston), the funk driven “Money is my Only Religion” was composed by Underhill. “Scala Rosa” a Matt Logan composition employs several syncopated staccato breaks in the melody, and “Sunny Side Up” just made me feel pure happiness!

Longevity has not diminished the Shuffle Demons’ adventurous spirit, nor their creative compositions. They present a united group front. Producer, Jono Grant, has worked with this unique quintet for thirty years. They refer to him as “a studio wizard,” because he brings the best out of these talented musicians. Shuffle Demons serves as a cultural ambassador jazz group, bridging countries and continents with their universal sound. They are one of Canada’s national treasures.

https://musicalmemoirs.wordpress.com/

Modern Drummer

“Canada’s cultural ambassadors.”

After 40 years and 11 records, Canada’s Shuffle Demons are at their creative height. Don’t let the name of the band mislead you, they are much more than shuffles. The distinctive sound of three saxophones (Richard Underhill, Kelly Jefferson, and Matt Lagan) bass (Mike Downes,) and drums (with occasional vocals from co-founder Richard Underhill) makes the Shuffle Demons extremely unique. Co-founder and drummer Stich Wynston brings a strong sense of groove and a robust sense of humor to the band. I don’t know if the Shuffle Demons are coming out of slightly similar bands such as Lenny Pickett’s Borneo Horns or Joey Baron’s Baron Down, or if they are just on the same musical page, but I $gured I’d mention the comparison for those who haven’t heard the Shuffle Demons. For those uninitiated, I’ll suggest “Good Mourning”, “Money is My Only Religion”, “In the Air” and saxophonist Kelly Jefferson’s “Nice Signal” as perfect introductions to the Shuffle Demons. Energetic, adventurous, uplifting, and entertaining, those are words that are often used to describe Canada’s cultural ambassadors. I’ll throw in funky, bombastic, and eclectic. Whatever your adjectives of choice are, the Shuffle Demons Are You Really Real brings all of it, and much more. It’s always fun to be surprised. Congrats to leaders Stich Wynston and Richard Underhill, I can’t wait to see what the next 40 years brings.

https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/out-now-april-2025/

Scott Yanow - LA Jazz Scene

“…sometimes crazy but always wise music.”

The Shuffle Demons was originally a street band in Toronto and, 40 years later, it still displays the same boisterous spirit. Altoist/baritonist Richard Underhill and drummer Stich Wynston are original members and are joined on Are You Really Real by bassist Mike Downes and both Kelly Jefferson and Matt Lagan on tenors. The unusual three-sax two-rhythm instrumentation (which has been consistent throughout the group’s existence) gives the band not only its own sound but permits it to play as freely or as tight as the musicians desire.

While technically skilled and able to play quite melodically, the members of the Shuffle Demons enjoy stretching the music into more avant-garde sounds while retaining an exhilarating swing and wit. They allow one to imagine what the music might have sounded like if Charles Mingus had led a street band.

On Are You Really Real, the group performs 13 originals with each musician contributing at least one tune. The ensembles are sometimes riotous, the soloists are free to take their improvisations outside without worrying about the rhythms and groove being lost and, while their extroverted music is often quite sophisticated, the Shuffle Demons always sound as if they are having a great deal of fun.

The Shuffle Demons are an ideal party band for listeners who do not want to continually hear the obvious. Are You Really Real, which is available from www.almarecords.com, is an excellent example of their sometimes crazy but always wise music.

https://lajazzscene.buzz/waxing-poetic-reviews/

Ferell Aubre - The Jazz Word

“For anyone who loves jazz brimming with funk, fire, and a strong dose of fun, this album is an essential listen.”

Forty years in, thankfully, Toronto’s Shuffle Demons refuse to mellow out. Are You Really Real? bursts from the speakers like a reed-powered street party, equal parts groove, grit, and grinning mischief. It’s a fitting project for a band that built its reputation busking on the city’s sidewalks in the 1980s, a place where improvisation, audience interplay, and raw energy mattered more than pristine perfection. Somehow, even in a studio setting, they bottle that same magic, shaking up jazz, funk, Latin, blues, and even hip-hop into a kinetic, horn-fueled joyride.

For a band that swears by the lean bass, three saxophone, and drums setup, Shuffle Demons craft an impressively full-bodied sound. Credit goes to producer Jono Grant and co-producer Richard Underhill, who strike a balance between tight arrangements and a loose, spontaneous feel. Whether it’s Julian Decorte’s crisp engineering at Canterbury Music or John “Beetle” Bailey’s immersive audio mix, every note lands with clarity and punch. The horns sizzle, the rhythm section locks in tight, and the album breathes like a living, dancing entity.

At the helm is Richard Underhill, the band’s leader and founding member, whose alto and baritone sax lines define the Shuffle Demons’ signature sound. His compositions crackle with energy, his solos burst with character, and his charismatic vocals add an unmistakable swagger to the mix.

Kelly Jefferson holds down the tenor saxophone chair with a deep well of fluid improvisations and impeccable ensemble playing. Whether locking in harmonically with the front line or breaking free for a solo, he adds depth and dynamism to the band’s sound.

Sharing the tenor duties, Matt Lagan injects fresh energy into the brass brigade. His playing is equal parts technical prowess and boundless enthusiasm, seamlessly blending into the band’s intricate horn interplay while adding his own expressive stamp.

Holding it all together in the low end, Mike Downes lays down rock-solid grooves on acoustic and electric bass. An award-winning virtuoso, he navigates the band’s stylistic twists with ease, ensuring that every track moves with momentum and feel.

Driving the pulse, Stich Wynston is the rhythmic heartbeat of the Shuffle Demons. His drumming is controlled and explosive when the moment calls for it. Adding to the band’s layered textures, his backing vocals further enrich the group’s boisterous and unpredictable spirit.

The opener, “X Marks The Spot,” sets the tone with razor-sharp horn parts and a rhythm section that refuses to sit still. The groove pivots effortlessly between jazz-funk swagger and unpredictable rhythmic turns, proving that Shuffle Demons are just as precise as they are playful.

“Out To Sea” trades the streets for the ocean, gliding on a Latin-infused bassline and windswept sax melodies. Kelly Jefferson’s composition is full of bright harmonic shifts, mirroring the fluid motion of waves.

The title track, “Are You Really Real?” is an existential funhouse of buzzing reeds, tightly coiled grooves, and a spoken-word narrative that questions authenticity in a world of illusions. It’s the heart of the album, merging heady themes with streetwise bravado.

“Bottom Dollar” dives deep into shuffle jazz territory, melding jazz, blues, and funk into a gritty, groove-heavy jam. The horn punches hit like brass knuckles, while the bass and drums keep everything rolling effortlessly and cool.

For sheer motion, “Ride The Wave” delivers, propelled by cascading saxophones and a bassline that practically surfs through its changes. “Good Mourning” turns the clock back to classic swing, with just enough funk under the surface to keep things fresh.

Lyrical satire takes center stage on “Money Is My Only Religion,” a biting takedown of materialism delivered over a relentless funk groove. Underhill’s spoken-word passages and Stich Wynston’s backing vocals add to the wit and punch.

The unexpected gem, “Scala Rosa,” unfolds with colorful, harmonically rich passages that feel whimsical and intricate. The shifting textures and off-kilter funk-jazz stylings.

Closing out the album, “Run The World” channels four decades of high-energy jazz-funk spirit into one raucous finale. Horns wail, the rhythm section ignites, and the whole thing surges forward like a band refusing to let time slow them down.

With Are You Really Real?, Shuffle Demons reaffirms they thrive on the edge of spontaneity while maintaining the precision of master musicians. It’s a project that displays their chemistry, and after 40 years, they still sound like a band playing because of the sheer joy of it. For anyone who loves jazz brimming with funk, fire, and a strong dose of fun, this album is an essential listen.

https://thejazzword.com/2025/03/shuffle-demons-are-you-really-real-review/

Thierry De Clemensat - Paris Move

“The Shuffle Demons are a band made for the stage, where they come alive, electrifying their audience, provoking cheers, laughter, and exultation.”

To celebrate their forty years of delightfully unhinged performances, the Shuffle Demons pose a question that is, in all likelihood, not truly a question at all: Are You Really Real,  perhaps an address to their devoted audience, to whom this album should be seen as a form of dialogue, a conversation woven across time with those who have steadfastly followed them. Skirting the edges of free jazz yet often rooted in tradition, their music embraces spoken word as naturally as others might a cigar, an invitation to drift into their chimerical universe, where musical codes are ceaselessly blurred, rhythms are toyed with, and the whole emerges as an astonishingly intricate architecture, whose arrangements render these compositions both delectable and eminently accessible.

Though vastly different in approach, their career bears some resemblance to that of the Yellowjackets, a highly distinctive compositional style, albeit with less emphasis on brass. Thematically, however, they stand at opposite poles: Shuffle Demons revel in an entirely acoustic sound, infused with a playful sense of humor and even a faint rock sensibility. Here, then, is a band that masterfully intertwines tradition and modernity, favoring an acoustic format that lends their creations a certain timelessness. Jazz, much like the blues, has often been a medium for protest, sometimes expressed in stark clarity, at other times through intellectual provocation. In this vein, a track like Money Is My Religion stands as a centerpiece of social critique, exposing the supremacy of money over all other values.

It is a song that resonates powerfully within the fabric of contemporary Western society. Jazz has long been a form of communal protest, though its modes of dissent differ between North America and Europe; yet, at its core, the impulse remains the same. Sometimes, the mere diversity of a jazz ensemble constitutes an act of defiance against those who cling to extremist views.

The Shuffle Demons are a band made for the stage, where they come alive, electrifying their audience, provoking cheers, laughter, and exultation. The very essence of this album follows that same philosophy, making one almost forget that these are, above all, extraordinary musicians, artists who have undertaken no fewer than twenty-five tours across Canada, five in the United States, and seventeen in Europe, not to mention ventures into the Pacific, New Zealand, Africa, and beyond. And it is easy to see why, for their boundless, generous music has the power to touch all hearts.

This renowned quintet earns its place among our Indispensable Albums of March—a discovery, or rediscovery, not to be missed!

https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/shuffle-demons-are-you-really-real/

Icrom Bigrad - Jazzsensibilities.com

“The Shuffle Demons are as real as jazz itself.”

To question reality is to engage in one of the oldest inquiries of art, philosophy, and music alike. In their 40th year, Shuffle Demons take up this challenge with Are You Really Real?, a musical statement wrapped in a swirl of saxophones, groove-laden basslines, and the percussive alchemy of drums. This thirteen-song album is a conversation between their signature blend of jazz, funk, blues, Latin, and spoken word. The Demons bring an energy to the music as they playfully bend jazz reality to their funky will.

From the earliest traditions of jazz, improvisation has been a dialogue between musicians, between artist and audience, between the known and the yet-to-be-discovered. Shuffle Demons, born of Toronto’s street scene in the 1980s, have always embodied this ethos. Their music is kinetic, alive with the kind of creative combustion that happens only in spaces unbound by convention. Here, on Are You Really Real?, they retain that urgency while embracing the studio as an extension of their ever-expanding stage.

The Shuffle Demons are led by Richard Underhill on alto and baritone saxophones. Kelly Jefferson and Matt Logan are on tenor saxophones, forming the rest of the reed frontline. Mike Downes is on an electric bass and an acoustic bass. Stich Wynston is on drums.

The album’s title suggests an existential pondering; it reflects the nature of jazz itself as an art form that thrives on invention, reinvention, and the delicate tension between structure and abandon. Recorded at Canterbury Music Company and mastered for immersive listening, the album’s sonics demonstrate that fullness is not about excess but about intent.

This record hums with echoes of jazz-funk’s past, Maceo Parker’s bite, Weather Report’s fluidity, and Tower of Power’s muscle, but it never succumbs to imitation. Instead, the Shuffle Demons take these ingredients and reassemble them into something unmistakably their own.

“X Marks The Spot” launches the album with precision and fire, its interlocking horn motifs cutting through the engaging rhythmic landscape of the bass and drums. The jazz-funk language of this track speaks with fluency to inspire us to dig deeper into the album’s expressions.

“Out To Sea” conjures images of vast horizons, propelled by a hypnotic bass figure and waves of saxophone interplay that ebb and flow like shifting tides. The title track, “Are You Really Real?” is the album’s centerpiece and thesis, fusing spoken word with impressive frontline parts and solos. Here, the Shuffle Demons tap into the philosophical heart of jazz—where the line between improvisation and composition, performer and listener, is a thin and mutable one.

“Bottom Dollar” is created with a gritty shuffle groove that has long been part of the band’s DNA, while “Ride The Wave” surges forward with a momentum of a jazz-funk feel that refuses stagnation, mirroring the ever-evolving nature of jazz itself.

“Good Mourning” swings with insistence; its harmonic subtleties allow the soloist to explore the blues vocabulary while nudging it towards modern jazz’s fluid and elusive patterns.

The spoken biting social critique of “Money Is My Only Religion” reminds us that jazz has always been an art of resistance as much as celebration. Underhill’s spoken-word delivery is influenced by hip-hop mixed with jazz.  The message is clear: in a world obsessed with material wealth, authenticity is a radical act.

As the album progresses, “Scala Rosa” and “Sunny Side Up” paint with different textures, one intricate and harmonically adventurous, the other buoyant and infectious. “Prism” lives up to its name, refracting ideas and motifs into shifting patterns, while “In The Air” floats effortlessly, its post-bop leanings a testament to the band’s versatility.

The album closes with “Run The World,” a defiant declaration that, after four decades, the Shuffle Demons are still commanding the funky space between jazz’s past, present, and possible futures.

If jazz is, at its core, an ongoing conversation, then Are You Really Real? is a particularly compelling chapter. The album reflects that they have not lost their curiosity or settled into complacency. The Shuffle Demons have a joyful listening experience waiting to confirm your expectations. If reality is found in the electric moment of creation, in the space where tradition and exploration, then The Shuffle Demons are as real as jazz itself.

https://jazzsensibilities.com/fusion/shuffle-demons-are-you-really-real-review/

George W. Harris - jazzweekly.com

Here’s a swinging team of saxes that know more about hip riffs than James Brown’s Famous Flames. The reed section of Richard Underhill/as-bs, Kelly Jefferson/ts and Matt Lagan/ts create a magma of music for the grooves dug in by “Mike Downes/b and Stich Wynston/dr. Downes and Wynston confidently hold their own, getting funky for the horns on “Nice Signal” and creating a rivulet for the palpable harmonies of “Are You Really Real” , which even feature some jivey rap for extra fun. The saxes get bluesy and deep as Underhill’s alto sways on “Bottom Dollar” and bold around the  horns that  punch like Evander Holyfield on “Ride The Wave”. Reed rapture!

https://www.jazzweekly.com/2025/03/shuffle-demons-are-you-really-real-le-coq/