#2514: Not Exactly "Jazz"

What if you can’t quite call it “jazz”? Well, then it’ll probably end up on this New Sounds program, which is chock full of music that is jazzy, but not “jazz.” There’s music from the Benevento Russo Duo, two soul mates who take keyboards and drums and bring them to looser, scruffier, and funkier heights of rock-influenced chamber jazz. Also, listen to mysterious musical narratives by Robert Stillman, who takes saxophone, clarinet, drums, pump organs and out-of-tune old pianos to make something delicate and urgent, and sort of “jazzy,” even. Then there’s also the eclectic, mixed-up playfulness of Aksak Maboul, a band who squish together Gypsy music; primitive drum machines and demented "human sequencer" organ lines, along with assorted snatches of fake ethnic, fake jazz or fake classical music. Rounding out the show is music by the Lounge Lizards, who draw on anything from James Brown, Indian brass-band music, and Nino Rota to create their “not jazz” blend.

PROGRAM #2514, Jazzy, But Is It Jazz? (First aired on Wed., 2/22/06)

ARTIST(S)	RECORDING	CUT(S)	SOURCE
Robert Stillman	Robert Stillman’s Horses	Half-Luke [7:00]	Mill Pond #004 www.millpondrecords.com *
Lounge Lizards	No Pain For Cakes	No Pain For Cakes [6:00]	Island #842867 available at Amazon.com*
Lounge Lizards	Queen Of All Ears	The First And Royal Queen [4:00]	Strange and Beautiful Music #0015 www.strangeandbeautiful.com
Benevento-Russo Duo	Best Reason to Buy the Sun	Bronko’s Blues [6:00]	Ropeadope #0962 www.ropedope.com*
Robert Stillman	Robert Stillman’s Horses	Love Theme [9:30]	See above.
Aksak Maboul	Onze Danses Pour Combattre La Migraine	Milano Per Caso [3:00] The Mooche [1:30] Mastoul Alakefak [5:00]	Crammed Discs #011, out of print, but try Amazon.com
The Bad Plus	Give	Iron Man [6:00]	Columbia #58331 ** www.thebadplus.com

*, ** - Find the recordings you've heard - go to the New Sounds Recordings Information page