Monday, October 20, 2014

The Discovery of Herculaneum

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. 


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