![]() Offering a blend of hip-hop and jazz, the band is part of a growing movement to expand or even blow up the definition of both genres. This five-piece band from Richmond, Virginia, has been making music for more than a decade now, but took a giant leap forward with critical raves and adoring new fans for its 2020 release #KingButch. Is it free-jazz? Is it a party? At times it’s one at times it’s another. The closer, the ruminative “Refinery Skies,” sets the scene with a foreboding synth intro before walking in the horns, a little drums, then a bit more drums, a bit more horns, finally finding a peaceful place to end the disc. “Borealis” is just as stunning, opening with only Asher and Nealand’s saxes as a statement of purpose before the two set in on each other as the synths referee for what builds to a satisfying squall. “Zephyr” is pure creeping dread - undeniably free. The album is at its most fascinating when this element is allowed room to breathe on longer tracks. The same feels true of the almost sci-fi feeling “Artemis,” which quickly gets in and out the same way, as does “Bacchus,” with what sounds like a loudly idling car running through it. ![]() Short opener “Diana,” devoid of percussion but rammed full of expressive horns and synths, feels more like an excursion you’d zone out to than dance to. The aptly named “Carnival 2019” slaps just as hard, even offering a drum breakdown with a synth assist that’s archly led back to the tune by the horn section.īut the band gets the most free on what might be called its interstitials. The wildest excursion here is “Step Pyramid,” which starts with just handclaps and synths before essaying everything Basher can do over deeply felt organ chord changes that give way to the starting theme. “Ponchatoula” slows it down more, to the pace of a ballad - guess this really is a free-jazz party band, because a couple could slow dance to this - though the band admirably throws in a bright bridge and some synth squiggles to brighten the mood. “Claptrack Clapback” does the same, at a slower pace, before letting all the synths on hand really get worked out. Early in the disc, “Primetime-A-Go-go” establishes a firm groove for its two sax men to spar over. Within their hometown creative music scene, they’ve became known as a “free-jazz party band.”ĭoes Basher live up to this? For the most part, yes. In the band, he is joined by multi-instrumentalist and saxophonist Aurora Nealand, synthesist and pianist Daniel Meinecke, and a two-drum set Cajun percussion section made up of Lafayette, Louisiana-native Brad Webb and Lafayette, Louisiana-based Zach Rhea. It’s the new album by New Orleans-based Basher, led by composer and saxophonist Byron Asher. But, ultimately, it’s about the doubled instrumentation across the ensemble: two saxophones, two drum sets and two, or more, synths. ![]() Doubles’ album title references the concept of duality and a popular Trinidadian street food.
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