In the course of the massive shifting around of seemingly every
inanimate object in the house required by adding on to said house, I’ve had to
move my CD collection out of the living room. The plus side was a chance to
look at the many that I’ve acquired over the years but never played. I bought one
of them—Orange Blossom by the band Herculaneum—several
years ago in an effort to assuage my guilt about mainly listening to the music
of senior citizens and dead people rather than contemporary artists ( a topic I
plan to address in an upcoming post). I remembered, or thought I did, that the
band was part of the Chicago free jazz scene. I do enjoy some post-Ornette
music, but I’m picky. In recent years, a lot of the bands of that ilk that I’ve investigated do a lot
of initial random instrumental plunking and mumbling that causes me to react as
Brendan Gill’s Uncle Arthur did to Moby-Dick: “Good God, man, get on with your
story!”
Happily, I didn’t have that problem with Herculaneum, which
has put out five albums over the last 10 years or so. Based on what I’ve heard,
they strike me as a freebop band—think the Jazz Messengers with a front line of
Sonny Simmons, Roswell Rudd, and Don Cherry. Orange Blossom features solid compositions by Dylan Ryan, the band’s
drummer/vibraphonist, solid arrangements using counterpoint in stimulating ways,
sharp ensemble playing by Patrick Newbery, trumpet; Nick Broste, trombone; and
David McDonnell, alto sax; and strong solos by all concerned. Ryan’s drumming pushes
the band to hit the ground running on the first track, Bears of Illium, a
pattern that persists throughout the CD. He also provides a subtle underpinning
to the gorgeous (but oddly named) Fuzball in Valhalla and Cry of the Locusts. Twin Unicorns is a particularly interesting piece,
with Broste, and especially McDonnell, taking compelling solos. Newbery shines on
Bears of Illium and Let There Be Neon, among others, but everyone takes care of
business throughout, as does bassist Greg Danek (check out Return to the
Woods.) There’s also nice guitar work by John Beard on Fuzball in Valhalla and
Andra Kulans on viola on Cry of the Locusts.
Herculaneum’s last two albums, Uchu and Olives &Orchids, are available in vinyl or download (woe the poor unhip CD
listener!) on Bandcamp. I’ll be buying both. To get a taste of the band, check out
part of this live performance in 2012.
