Major Tom to minor scale - David Bowie unveils new jazz piece

The ‘Thin White Duke’ has produced a new seven and a half minute jazz track to be included on a forthcoming greatest hits album. Vocally it’s very much influenced by Bowie’s childhood hero, baritone singer Scott Walker, who rose to fame in the 1960s as member of The Walker Brothers but dramatically re-invented himself into an avant-grade musician.

The new song is backed by New York’s Grammy award winning Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra and has been recorded specifically for the new compilation. Bowie has dabbled with lounge jazz influences before with his album ‘Aladdin Sane’ in 1973 and collaborated with jazz guitarist Pat Metheny. Produced by long time Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti the new song, ‘Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)’, is an edgy, full on brass-laden, New York style epic with Bowie’s disjointed vocal delivery over a drum and bass-like rhythm.