Customer Reviews

Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet

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. . . but one that (I think!) most jazzers and anyone with big ears will be able to connect with.

Think voodoo garage jazz: five horns, organ, and drums. But not played in a normal way--too sophisticated for typical garage jazz, too free for Naw'leans brass band music (though probably having its nearest referent here), too greasy-dirty for MMW; all in all, just plain wacky.

Leave it to Skerik, the one-name alto-bari sax genius behind such hybrids as Critters Buggin and Garage a Trois, to come up with something both this zany and accessible. Some of it is purely beautiful, though still in an off-kilter way (check out the intro to "Too Many Toys"); some of it is pure musical genius (check out what "Too Many Toys" develops into); all of it is compellingly listenable, humorous, endlessly crerative, and just a lot of fun.

For sure out of left field, but still lotsa fun.

I was lucky to be at the taping of this stellar performance. I had seen Skerik play more than fifty times, but when my friend and I paid our five bucks to go into a small little backroom at the Owl & Thistle in Seattle, I had no idea what was coming. It was as if this was some secret show in some old-time speakeasy where you had to have a password. This was the most memorable Skerik performance I had ever seen. Traditionally jazzy in places, but funkier than Coltrane or Sonny Rollins ever dreamed. Just organ, drums and a large horn section. If you don't know Skerik, or the Seattle jazz scene in general, start with this. Craig Flory, and Joe Doria soar on this disc also.

I picked this album up at the library because of the interesting album art and the word "syncopated" in the title. Little did I know that I had picked up a very awesome album of the unique "Free Jazz" catagory. When I listened to it, I was blown away. I thoroughly enjoy this album and its funky drumbeats and eerie harmonies (a good example of this is "Philadelphia"). An eesential for jazz-lovers who like to break out of the "Smooth Jazz" junk. I highly recommend this album, being a musician and jazz-lover myself.

with some nice arrangements. Skerik opts for accoustic in this band (no FX). Good 5-piece horn line.