Lower Monumental Mayday Session CD

The debut recording of Portland's Lower Monumental documents a live performance for Seattle's KEXP radio show "Sonarchy." Totally unrehearsed or preplanned, Lower Monumental's performances take jazz into unfamiliar ambient and picturesque territory. Aide

Lower Monumental: Matt Wayne (guitar); Saul Cline (saxophone); Todd Bishop.
Personnel: Matt Wayne (guitar); Todd Bishop (drums).
Recording information: Jack Straw Studios, Seattle, WA (05/01/2004); Sonarchy Radio, (KEXP), Seattle, WA (05/01/2004).
Photographer: Todd Bishop.
Two-thirds of the group formerly known as Flatland return for a new debut with this one, a recording of a live improv session on one of Seattle's better avant-garde radio stations. The music is relatively similar to that of Flatland, with the notable removal of a bass and addition of a sax, courtesy of Saul Cline, a session player occasionally with Matt Jorgensen + 451. The atmosphere is particularly spacey here, but generally aims for the relaxed mood rather than the excited improv of the classic free jazzers (Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, etc). There is some movement here and there, generally clashing sounds until a coherent whole can emerge from the wreckage. It's a nice romp through contemporary electric free jazz, a subgenre that too often finds its way into rock fusion anymore. ~ Adam Greenberg