Blues-soaked jazz in single ‘911 Blue (For George)’ by The Filthy Six
Grammy-winning trumpeter Nick Etwell and his incendiary soul jazz/funk sextet The Filthy Six announce the release of new single & video “911 Blue (For George)”, a deeply charged instrumental tribute to George Floyd. The track appears on the band’s forthcoming fourth full-length album, Return of The Swagger Junkies: Vol 1., due 27 November 2026 via Color Red.
Written in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, “911 Blue (For George)” was first released several years ago as a standalone single in a quartet setting featuring acclaimed pianist Bill Laurance of Snarky Puppy. For the new album, Etwell has returned to the composition with the full six-piece Filthy Six lineup, giving the piece a broader, heavier and more emotionally resonant sound. “Pete’s stirring, blues-soaked organ solo is a masterclass in tension and restraint, delving deeply into the emotional heart of this sorry story”, states Etwell.
On “911 Blue (For George)”, the band’s trademark analogue soul jazz sound takes on a darker, more reflective character. Pete Whittaker’s Hammond A-100 provides the track’s emotional centre, with his blues-drenched solo building tension without sacrificing the restraint at the heart of the composition. Etwell’s trumpet, Mark Brown’s tenor saxophone and the rhythm section of James Fenn, Dan Drury and Simon Lea create a dense, muscular backdrop that gives the piece its weight.
The Filthy Six have spent more than a decade exploring the intersection of soul jazz and funk. Etwell’s remarkably diverse career has seen him work with artists ranging from David Axelrod, Beck, Roger Daltrey, Foo Fighters, Noel Gallagher and Tom Jones, while his deep engagement with Black American music has led to collaborations with Carla Thomas, Ronnie Spector, Mavis Staples, Fred Wesley, Jill Scott, Thee Sacred Souls, Jon Cleary and Adrian Quesada, among many others.
With “911 Blue (For George)”, The Filthy Six revisit a composition born from profound grief and anger, expanding it into a full-band statement of remembrance through the language they know best: soul, jazz, blues and funk.
“911 Blue (For George)” out digitally on Sep. 25th 2026 via Color Red
