The Jake Mason Trio releases sophomore album ‘The Modern Ark’
ARIA-nominated Jake Mason Trio (Jake Mason on organ, James Sherlock on guitar, and Danny Fischer on drums), returns with its most ambitious studio statement yet: sophomore full-length The Modern Ark. Across 10 tracks the trio fuse the grit of 1960s soul-jazz with a contemporary conscience, reflecting on humanity’s uneasy dance with its environment while delivering the pocket, melody and feel that define their sound.
Recorded live to tape with vintage style production, the sessions capture 3 musicians with decades of shared language: Sherlock’s harmonic finesse alongside Fischer’s vibrance & solid groove is perfectly anchored by the weight of Mason’s unmistakable Hammond B3. The production tips its hat to the classic Rudy Van Gelder era of Blue Note recordings — warm, present and human — then carries that tradition forward with a Dolby Atmos presentation that opens the music into wide, immersive space without losing the grit of tape.
While mostly instrumental, The Modern Ark threads a clear narrative. Titles like “Virgin Rive” “Beyond Kavik” and “Here’s Your Change” point to pristine landscapes, extremes of climate and the chance to begin again. Two vocal centrepieces heighten the arc: “The Modern Ark”, co-written with long-time collaborator Eric McCusker and voiced by Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, imagines the world queueing for a mythical vessel to flee the damage it has done — only to discover salvation must happen here. In graceful counterpoint, “Stop Searching for Love” features Australian icon Kate Ceberano is a luminous ballad about finding peace and love where you stand. “Sharks in the Paddock” and “Danny’s Blues” fuse hard-bop bite with modern harmonic twists; “The Last Piece” opens in uplift, while “Here’s Your Change” closes with optimism — and a quiet nudge toward better stewardship.
Released through Soul Messin’ Records — the label Mason co-founded to champion Australian funk, soul and jazz — The Modern Ark sits comfortably beside the catalogue’s deep-groove lineage while marking a clear evolution. The Trio’s roots in the same scene that produced Cookin’ On 3 Burners are evident in the rhythmic drive; here the mood is more reflective, the harmony broader, the sonic world richer. It’s music equally at home in a late-night jazz club or a hi-fi Japanese style Kissa listening bar. Echoes of Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff and Larry Young resonate through the record, yet Mason’s writing pushes beyond homage.
Jake Mason says: “We wanted to make an album that swings and grooves but also makes you pause to think. The Modern Ark isn’t about escape — it’s about awareness, connection, and maybe redemption”.
‘The Modern Ark’ out on LP / CD / digitally on Fen. 13th 2026 via Soul Messin’
