| The CHONTO / TAMURA SONIC INSURGENCY combines the sonics, methods and energies of the live MC5, Cream, Ash Ra Tempel, AlbertAyler, Cecil Taylor Unit, Last Exit a.o. Co-led by drummer Joe Chonto, whose playing isequally influenced by John Bonham, Sunny Murray and Edgar Varese a.o., and saxophonist/keysplayer David Tamura, who lists Brötzmann, Ayler and early Shepp among his influences, thegroup is primarily dedicated to high-energy free improvisation, believing that the highest musicalmoments are achieved when the players, with just a basic concept, can just let it fly. GuitaristsMartin McDonald and Pete Mathiessen round out the lineup and though they’re both young andgraduates from prestigious music schools, nonetheless play with stunning imagination, passionand daring. The band is also dedicated to socio-political comment and raising awareness. As Chontoexplains: “Our music is not born from conservatories, abstract theories or fancy mathematicalformulae. It comes from our minds and guts, in celebration of what we love and in outrage overenduring, horrific crimes against humanity and nature. Though we all believe in spiritualdevelopment and higher consciousness, we believe them not to be ends in themselves, but ratherfoundations for action.” The first CD also features tenor saxophone giant Kidd Jordan, who really dug into the music. Ashe said, “This was the first time since playing with REM that I’ve recorded with this manyguitarists. But I really dug it. Those guys were really creating.” |