Chicago Underground Quartet - s/t
(Thrill Jockey)
The latest incarnation of cornetist/programmer Rob Mazurek's ever-evolving Chicago Underground groups benefits greatly from the inclusion of Tortoise/Isotope 217 guitarist Jeff Parker. Though he participated in the groups last outing as a trio, the quartet is different in that all four revolving participants from the last trio record (others being bassist Noel Kupersmith, also of Brokeback, and the ever-present, always unbelievable drummer Chad Smith) participate at once. Say what you will of Chicago and its music scene, I challenge you to come up with a more talented group of progressive, intelligent musicians who can make music that people can actually enjoy listening to.
Parker makes his presence known right from the beginning. "Tunnel Chrome," the lead track, features his mellow-toned guitar in both a metronomic pace-setter capacity, and melodic lead instrument. It pulses in a looping rhythm, and, on a separate track, alternates between soaring and skittering above the fray. It's an exciting track, however, it is pretty accessible, as far as the Chicago Underground goes. In fact, much of this record is not as aggressively free as some of their earlier albums. That does not mean, though, that it is any less rewarding.
"Four in the Morning," for instance, is a fairly straight jazz piece. It's a bluesy, lazy duet between Mazurek's horn and Parker's guitar that perfectly evokes the time of day for which its named. "A Re-Occurring Dream" is a bit more abstract, yet it retains a smoothness. The cornet squawks a bit, and the guitar bounces around just outside of harmony. It stumbles along off-kilter, but none of it is jarring. That is, it is totally unlike the witches brew they mix up on "Welcome," which is totally free.
The strongest track has to be the Parker-penned "Total Recovery." It is a rich, organic collage of bottomless bass, bouncing synths, vibes, distant cornet wails, and Parker's own unique accents and flourishes. It has to have been constructed in the studio, but it retains the feel of living music--like a warm, flowing mass that expands to fit its surroundings. It's an incredibly dense and textured track that highlights the groups sense of detail and balance, while never sacrificing the groove.
What makes the Chicago Underground projects so successful is evident from a quick look at the songwriting credits. They each share songwriting duties, yet each members' compositions do not always result in a showcase for their instrument. That is, they are writing songs for each other. Any one of the musicians could strike out on his own. Rather than hog the spotlight, however, they choose to give their skills over to the group. Thus, instead of the ego on parade which characterizes a lot of jazz, both real and fake, you get a result greater than the sum of its parts. And given these parts, that sum is truly astronomical.
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