All Categories — All Formats  

One of the most outside sets we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – a combination of his own cornet and work on ring modulator – creating a blend of jazz and electronics that's really mindblowing! Mazurek's not alone in his creative expressions – as he's joined here by a group group of players that mixes musicians from Rob's Chicago and Brazilian scenes – including Nicole Mitchell on flute and piccolo, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Mauricio Takara on cavaquinho, Guilherme Granado on keyboards and electronics, Thomas Rohrer on rabeca and C melody sax, Carlos Issa on guitar, and John Herndon on drums – a really unique lineup that lives up to all their promise with the rich sounds on the set. Most tracks are quite long – and titles include "Galactic Ice Skeleton", "Skull Caves Of Alderon", and "Keeping The Light Up".

A strong statement from drummer Dylan Ryan and Sand – Dylan's trio with guitarist Timothy Young and bassist Devin Hoff. This is in a more paired down setting than we've heard Dylan in recently and it's damn strong stuff! Chicago-bred musician Ryan has never been one to heed stylistic boundaries – mixing up free jazz and avant rock into a unique, compelling sound. Now a citizen of LA, he's sounding as fresh as ever. The rhythmic interplay between Ryan and Hoff is equally invigorating in tightly walloping arrangements and the looser ones, and Young's fiery electric guitar is awesome to behold – particularly on the feedback-flavored rave ups. Includes "White Nights", "Barocco", "Psychic Journey", "Mayan Sun", "White Magic", "Soft Rain On A Dead Sea", "Time Stalkers", "Translucent Spheres", "Dreamspell" and "Sky Bleached".

Bold grooves from Rob Mazurek – a man of two continents, with a range of talents that's deep enough to match! This set's by Rob's Sao Paulo Underground trio – a group who work here with heady styles that mix free jazz improvisation with electronics and even a bit of proggish jamming – all in this blend of electric and acoustic modes that's mighty nice! Rob's cornet soars out over a really hip brew that includes lots of keyboards, ring modulator, Evolver, harmonium, and other electronics – plus great acoustic elements on percussion and cavaquinho – used in a rich blend that makes for some of Mazurek's most complicated music to date – yet also some of his most powerful too. Tracks are short enough to avoid too much noodling – and although experimental, the set's also got a strong sense of focus, too – and always moves forward in a great way. Titles include "Basilio's Crazy Wedding Song", "Six Handed Casino", "Evetch", "The Love I Feel For You Is More Real Than Ever", "Over The Rainbow", "Into The Rising Sun", and "Taking Back The Sea Is No Easy Task".

Bold grooves from Rob Mazurek – a man of two continents, with a range of talents that's deep enough to match! This set's by Rob's Sao Paulo Underground trio – a group who work here with heady styles that mix free jazz improvisation with electronics and even a bit of proggish jamming – all in this blend of electric and acoustic modes that's mighty nice! Rob's cornet soars out over a really hip brew that includes lots of keyboards, ring modulator, Evolver, harmonium, and other electronics – plus great acoustic elements on percussion and cavaquinho – used in a rich blend that makes for some of Mazurek's most complicated music to date – yet also some of his most powerful too. Tracks are short enough to avoid too much noodling – and although experimental, the set's also got a strong sense of focus, too – and always moves forward in a great way. Titles include "Basilio's Crazy Wedding Song", "Six Handed Casino", "Evetch", "The Love I Feel For You Is More Real Than Ever", "Over The Rainbow", "Into The Rising Sun", and "Taking Back The Sea Is No Easy Task".

The third and best album yet from Sao Paulo Underground – formed by Chicago scene veteran and sonic adventurer Rob Mazurek – with a sound that's informed by the rhythms and creatively boundless possibilities of Tropicalia era Brazil and well beyond, along with the cosmic spirit of other Mazurek projects such as the Exploding Star Orchestra. This is hypnotic, attention seizing work that pushes boundaries and challenges tradition while still respecting it – it's never less than fully engrossing and pulls you right in, but it also skirts convention on just about every level. Mazurek's on coronet and electronics that fracture and fuzz out the atmosphere, creating some really dynamic interplay with instrumentation. Mauricio Takara is on cavaquinho, drums and percussion, Guilherme Granado on keys, loops, samples and percussion and Richard Ribeiro on drums. A pair of excellent tracks feature fellow modern greats with roots in the Chicago underground – vibes player Jason Adasiewicz and drummer John Herndon on "Just Lovin'" and "Six Six Eight" – the latter also featuring bass player Matthew Lux. The entire album is no less impressive, though! Titles include "Jagoda's Dream", "Pigeon", "Carambola", "Colibri", "Lado Leste", and "Rio Negro".

One of the most important records from Wadada Leo Smith in years – an extended set of compositions that offer reflections on and reactions to the Civil Rights era in America! The work here stretches back to the 70s – as some of the tracks were penned by Smith many years ago, but have been brought together, and woven in with more recent music to form a rich tapestry in sound – one that's performed partly by Smith's Golden Quartet/Quintet – and partly by the Southwest Chamber Music ensemble! The sound is stunning – some of the richest, most expressive material we've ever heard from Leo – and the core group features Smith on trumpet, Anthony Davis on piano, John Lindberg on bass, and both Pheeroan Aklaff and Susie Ibarra on drums – while the Southwest group brings in added chamber instrumentation on strings and clarinet. Aklaff plays a few striking solo percussion numbers – and titles include "The Freedom Riders Ride", "The Little Rock Nine", "John F Kennedy's New Frontier & The Space Age", "Black Church", "Rosa Parks & The Montgomery Bus Boycott", "Democracy", and "Medgar Evers A Love Voice Of A Thousand Years' Journey".

One of the most outside sets we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – a combination of his own cornet and work on ring modulator – creating a blend of jazz and electronics that's really mindblowing! Mazurek's not alone in his creative expressions – as he's joined here by a group group of players that mixes musicians from Rob's Chicago and Brazilian scenes – including Nicole Mitchell on flute and piccolo, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Mauricio Takara on cavaquinho, Guilherme Granado on keyboards and electronics, Thomas Rohrer on rabeca and C melody sax, Carlos Issa on guitar, and John Herndon on drums – a really unique lineup that lives up to all their promise with the rich sounds on the set. Most tracks are quite long – and titles include "Galactic Ice Skeleton", "Skull Caves Of Alderon", "Keeping The Light Up", "Passing Light Screams", and "Voodoo & The Petrified Forest".

Incredible sounds from this important Brit trio of the 70s – a wonderful combination of the reeds of Mike Osborne, Alan Skidmore, and John Surman! There's some wonderful use of electronics by Surman, who mixes sounds in sparingly, in a way that sounds beautiful with the saxes of Skidmore and Osborne – almost with the feel of some of the cool experimental albums on Virgin at the time, or some of the best Soft Machine-era side projects! Yet there's also a very strong improvisational core to the record, too – an illustration that all three players are definitely among the best of England's new wave of jazz talents – able to make a really special magic with their instruments, yet always come across with a sense of depth and soul as well. Beautiful throughout – with studio tracks that include "Country Dance", "Rashied", "News", "QE Hall", and "The Mountain Road" – and live material that includes "Legends", "Up There", and "Trio Trio".