While a performance at Latitude festival awaits, jazz performer and provocateur corto.alto talks how A Tribe Called Quest transformed his life, how his friends inspire him and what’s next.

Ask anyone who knows their jazz, and they will tell you that there are few musicians in the scene as prolific as Liam Shortall. The multi-instrumentalist, who specialises in trombone, was on a streak of releasing a song every three weeks during lockdown, as part of his collective corto.alto, before they dropped the Mercury-nominated album, Bad With Names. Putting Glasgow’s nascent jazz scene firmly on the map, their sound encompasses the genre’s cross-pollination with electronic music, drawing on broken beat and bass-heavy dub as well as traditional arrangements. Music and community are omnipresent in the Scottish city, but the proliferation of club culture in The Dear Green Place and the explosion of south London’s jazz scene, means Glasgow’s has often been overlooked.

 

On Bad With Names, it’s the heady mix of intuitive improvisation and electronic production that first stands out. This is an album that, like the city it was made in, flows through different states. At times, the skittish drums and suave string scores reflect the urgency of the city’s bustling club scene, while the more ambient textures and tapping drums feel like an amble around Buchanan Street in the rain.

 

Since the Mercury Prize nomination, their stocks have continued to rise. Recently signing to Ninja Tune, they’ve released a new single, ‘DON’T LISTEN’, last month. From the snippets we’ve heard on socials, the track reflects the chugging percussion of their past and adds a hefty load of bass for good measure. Over the weekend, the collective played on Glastonbury’s West Holts stage as a precursor to Latitude festival. Headlining the Sunrise Arena alongside ferocious punks Lambrini Girls and rising UK rapper Pozer, they’ll be bringing their critically-acclaimed back-catalogue to Henham Park for a special performance that encapsulates the visceral energy of Glasgow’s jazz community.

 

Here, Liam talks about how A Tribe Called Quest transformed his life, how his friends inspire him and what’s next.

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with music?

I can’t remember the exact moment. I started playing guitar when I was around nine, so my memory is pretty hazy. I remember hearing A Tribe Called Quest when I was in high school, and that was definitely one of the first moments when I felt like my brain was on fire after discovering some new music. I suppose I still chase that today!

Tell us about your most recent project. Where do you feel like this is leading you to next?

I’ve just released a new single called ‘DON’T LISTEN’, which for me is a bit of a left turn away from “jazz” and into other music that I’m interested in, like punk, hip-hop, electronica, dub, EDM, etc. Over the last 18 months, I released over 50 instrumental tracks, so I’m trying to make more music with vocals and explore sound design and sampling. It feels good.

Outside of music, where do you draw influence from?

Friends, good times, movies and sports. I find watching anyone be sick at something so inspiring. I think that’s why my Insta algorithm serves me stuff like people doing parkour and making coffee tables. I love watching that kind of thing. It’s just always so cool seeing someone who has put loads of time into something excel at whatever it is they do.

How has the festival season been for you so far?

Pretty chill so far. It’s about to kick off, though. We are performing at Glastonbury, Shambala and Latitude, to name a few. Last year we played over 80 shows, including about 30 festivals, so I’m pretty glad this year is more chill. It gives me a bit more time to be in the studio and focus on my music.

What’s your earliest festival memory?

My dad smuggled me into to Wickerman festival when I was 14, under-14s went free.

What can people expect from your Latitude set?

Big beats and a good time.

Who are your inspirations when it comes to live performance?

Ah, so many. At the moment, I’m really inspired by some of my friends who are also artists: ZEP, Moses Yoofee Trio, and Terra Kin. It’s so cool seeing people you know personally go on stage and transform into performers in their own way.

Who are you most excited to see at Latitude this year and what song are you looking forward to them performing?

Sting is a must-see, although someone told me we are on at the same time? I grew up listening to the Police, so that would be amazing to see if I can. Mostly at festivals, I just wander about and try and discover artists who I haven’t known about before.

What’s your ideal festival experience?

Sun, pals, bevs and good tunes.

What do you hope the audience takes away from your festival set?

Whatever they need to really. I think the power of music, and specifically instrumental music, is that people can either go and forget or process whatever it is they are going through when they see it live.

What’s next for you?

Get tickets to Latitude here now.

Listen to Bad With Names now: