Notes From The Jazz Underground Enters The Dark Territory

This edition of Notes From The Jazz Underground was sourced from the July 22nd broadcast.

This whole show was based on one idea -- Dave Douglas' new album, Dark Territory.  If it's not completely evident, this stuff is -- outside of the Dead (and Fugazi and Black Flag) -- as close to the NFTJU host Paul Abella's very core as can be. 

So, what does he play next to that?  Other jazz artists that have dipped their toes into the electronic pool, for sure. 

Tim Berne?  Certainly - and no one has merged freaky and techno sounds quite so brilliantly. 

Bill Laswell?  Absolutely (so much so, he gets two tracks - the Miles cut was his handiwork). 

And with Peter Brotzmann (also played twice)?  Yes!  That's good enough to send us down a Brotzmann rabbit hole of pure avant-garde European jazz.  But no matter how stately that stuff is supposed to be, these guys light into a rock/funk/jazz groove on "Machine Gun" (about 2 minutes from the end), and it's just ON!. 

NFTJU usually doens't get THAT weird, but it feels right.  As did the Radiohead.  Paul says, "I don't even like Radiohead.  Fuck Radiohead.  But, for some strange reason, I always buy their records when they come out.  Bastards."  

Steve Tibbetts was a request that came from Twitter last week.  That dude is fierce, but unfortunately the track featured on the program does not appear to live anywhere on the Internet.

This week's real new discovery was Zoon Van Snook.  Paul stumbled onto him on eMusic, and it was a great way to spend $5 in credits.  Consdiering how little was known about him and little fanfare it has received , the album is awesome.

Paul summarizes thusly, "Real oddity about this show - everything after 'Machine Gun' is one long set, and it works well as a DJ club set, if the drug of choice at said club was over-the-counter cough syrup.  I'm kinda proud of how it worked out."

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