Iceburn

Rob Mazurek Octet (2013) Skull Sessions

"Mazurek finds a challenge irresistible, and this is one of his most exciting projects" – The Wire

A major force on Chicago’s singularly inventive music scene for two decades, cornetist Rob Mazurek has recorded with high profile artists such as Tortoise, Jim O'Rourke, Stereolab, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and is an intrepid sound explorer.

Skull Sessions combines two of Rob's groups: Sao Paulo Underground and Starlicker with additional personnel. The band is an international cast of masters, including drummer John Herndon (of Tortoise), vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz and flutist Nicole Mitchell, (both DownBeat poll winners on their respective instruments), Guilherme Granado on keyboards and electronics, Carlos Issa on guitar and electronics, Mauricio Takara on percussion and cavaquinho (Brazilian ukulele), and Thomas Rohrer on C melody saxophone and rabeca (a rustic Brazilian viola associated with the northeast). The fusion of these musicians ignites a beautiful cosmic burst!

The big bang that led to Skull Sessions detonated when the We Want Miles exhibition at SESC Sao Paulo requested that Mazurek devise a presentation related to his deep affinity for the music of Miles Davis. In characteristic fashion, he decided against recreating any of Davis’s music, instead composing new pieces and rearranging earlier works for the Octet’s particular personalities and unusual timbres. The resulting album is a exploratory album that puts great musicians and compositions together and trusts in them enough to simply let them go!

Artist: Rob Mazurek Octet
Title: Skull Sessions
Label: Cuneiform Records - Rune 349
Format: Web Flac
Country: US
Released: 29 January 2013
Genre: Jazz
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Free Improvisation

Songs:
1 Galactic Ice Skeleton [17:20]
2 Voodoo And The Petrified Forest [15:00]
3 Passing Light Screams [15:58]
4 Skull Caves Of Alderon [13:02]
5 Keeping The Light Up [4:23]
Plus:
6 Galactic Ice Skeleton ["Radio Edit"] [8:07]

Band:
Rob Mazurek - cornet
Nicole Mitchell - flute
Jason Adasiewicz - vibraphone
John Herndon - drums
Thomas Rohrer - C melody saxophone + rabeca
Carlos Issa - guitar + electronics
Mauricio Takara - percussion + cavaquinho
Guilherme Granado - keyboards + electronics

Notes:
Song N°6 isn't present in CD format, but only in Web Flac download by Cuneiform Records bandcamp page

Rob Mazurek Octet (2013) Skull Sessions