feature photo: Devin O’Brien
It’s been 19 years, but the Chicago Underground Quartet is back. This groundbreaking group that dedicated itself to probing the outer fringes of jazz — electro-acoustic, free jazz, retro-soul jazz or simply uncategorizable — are reconvening after their involvement in this fearless, revolving collective altered the artistic paths of everyone involved with it. And now they return to where they took that big leap, with Good Days.
Trumpeter Rob Mazurek, drummer Chad Taylor and guitarist Jeff Parker were all part of the original Chicago Underground Quartet; even its predecessor trio had Parker on as an unofficial member. Noel Kupersmith played bass back in those days around the turn of the millennium; these days it’s Josh Johnson handling the low end via synthesizer as well as playing various other keyboards. Mazurek as before puts the ‘electro’ into ‘electro-acoustic.’
But “Batida,” debuting in the stream above, takes more of a retro-soul/jazz route. Written by Taylor, it’s got an urgent riff from Parker dubbing over himself cast against Taylor’s tough groove with just a smattering of piano and piccolo trumpet.
Chicago Underground Quartet’s Good Days is set for release March 27, 2020 from Astral Spirits. Pre-order the album here.
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