Axis and Alignment

Chicago Underground Duo, Robert Mazurek | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 19, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Thrill Jockey
• ASIN: B00005Y0LW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,564 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There’s a certain tightness and sense of control in Chicago Underground Duo’s music. Despite their jazz background, it’s clear that they have been influenced by indie rock, modern classical composition, and electronica. There isn’t the loose flow of a jazz album here; there’s a specific kind of focus that is rooted in non-jazz sources. One half of the duo, multi-instrumentalist Rob Mazurek, has appeared on recordings by Stereolab, Tortoise, and Calexico, so it makes sense that post-rock sounds would influence Mazurek and his collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Chad Taylor. And this CD, which was recorded by Tortoise members John McEntire and Ken Brown, sounds like a rock album. Taylor’s vibraphone and Mazurek’s cornet are key colors in the album’s essentially cool palette, and Axis and Alignment’s buttery brass tones and ringing melodic percussion leave a lasting timbral impression. At times this album brings to mind an altered and expanded version of Third Stream jazz for the 21st century, a style in which Pierre Boulez, cool jazz, post-rock, and free jazz can all hang out together. --Fred Cisterna

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Miles Lives!, April 16, 2002

By 

Jason Bunch "jdbunch" (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Axis and Alignment (Audio CD)

Chicago Underground live in a world between Miles' post bop and fusion era and they do so amazingly, better than the master himself at times. Axis and Alignments is their most consistent album to date. There are no sporadic ventures off into lala land, otherwise known as "avant-garde" here, it is just pure magic. Seriously intense jazz mixed with a bit electronica. The individual songs on this album do lack some of the punch that has been present on past pieces, like "Blue Sparks...", but overall this is a much better effort than anything the boys have produced. Jazz is not dead and the Chicago Underground prove it. This is essential listening for both jazz fans and hipster college kids who have Davis in one hand and Tortoise in the other (although this will make you put away your Tortoise album and eventually lead you to some real jazz, as apparent on this album...let go the post rock, embrace the real product).