Senior releases new album “Sunburst”

Natalie Charron, Staff Writer

Bailey Samber

It’s early in the morning and the day is ushered in by the hypnotic lull of a tenor saxophone and trumpet, accompanied by the steady beat of percussion cymbals.

This imagery is realized through “Sunrise,” the first track of senior Cam Gilmour’s second album “Sunburst.” “Sunburst” was released at midnight Jan. 17.  

Gilmour grew up in Middletown Springs, Vermont. Music has been part of his life since he was a kid, he said.

“I grew up around music,” Gilmour said. “My dad’s a musician and recording engineer, and we had a studio in the house growing up.”

Gilmour picked up the saxophone in seventh grade and started playing bass and guitar in college.

Although Gilmour’s music stems from his jazz background, he doesn’t describe his style as straightforward jazz.

As for “Sunburst,” Gilmour says its genre is indie jazz. 

Gilmour also emphasises how personal his music feels to him.

 “[‘Sunburst’] was [written] at a time in my life where I started going through some pretty intense emotions of love, and it was an attempt to express that craziness,” Gilmour said.

“Sunburst” is a gapless album, meaning that the end of each track flows seamlessly into the next one.  

It also follows a celestial theme, with song titles such as “Horizon Line,” “Lunar Balance” and “Moon.”Gilmour said the album’s theme was inspired by nature itself.

“I think a lot of what art is doing is trying to emulate the beauty of nature,” Gilmour said.

In addition to nature, the music itself was inspired by various artists.

The idea for a continuous album came primarily from the Beatles’ album “Abbey Road” and Jack Johnson’s album “Sleeping Through the Static, Gilmour said.

Although much of the album is accredited to Gilmour, who provided vocals, tenor sax, guitar and bass, it was a collaborative process.  

“I could not have done it alone,” Gilmour said. “There’s just no way. I’m really grateful to everyone who helped me, including friends and family who supported me.”

The album features Eamon Callahan on drums, Jack Hanson on keyboard, Avery Cooper on alto sax and flute, and UVM students junior Greg Freeman on guitar and slide and senior Sam Atallah on trumpet.

Gilmour’s album “Sunburst” is available on iTunes, Spotify and CD.