The Chicago AACM Jazz Scene

[The Man in Blak 0]

Consider this thread inspired by the Exploding Star Orchestra, whose new album, We Are All From Somewhere Else, has been a bit of an obsession of mine for the last week or so. Assembled by Rob Mazurek on commission from the Chicago Cultural Center and the Jazz Institute, the Exploding Star Orchestra was conceived as a snapshot of the Chicago avant-garde jazz scene, a big collaboration between all of the notable local improvisers (including a couple of members from Tortoise).

 

The album is very good. There's some wankery in here (ambient/electronic and free-jazz alike), especially through the "Cosmic Tomes For Sleep Walking Lovers" suite, but the rest is almost like Henry Mancini on psychotropics, a well-reasoned big band take on Sun Ra's later futuristic exploits.

 

So, why title the thread "The Chicago AACM Jazz Scene" if I'm just going to verbally fellate the Exploding Star Orchestra? Well, apparently, many of the members in the collaboration are a part of this AACM organization, which is short for the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. The Wikipedia article on the group states that "the musical endeavors of members of the AACM often include an adventurous mixing of avant-garde jazz, classical, and world music" which, on the surface, sounds like something I'd like to check out further.

 

Now, I've already earmarked one of the collaborations, Frequency (which I've read is something of a "spiritual free-jazz"), as a pickup, but I'm curious if anybody else (Czech, you're local) has heard anything from the members of the AACM and would have any recommendations.

[Guest Eagle Man]

I have some Art Ensemble of Chicago at home. Urban Bushmen, I believe. Interesting but very strange free jazz. Not heavy-rotation music by any means, but good now and then. I'm glad you brought this up, because now I can find some other stuff. I'm working on Bap-Tizum now.