New Jazz/Nu Jazz

For my first set of noises, I've decided to veer instantly away from what's conventionally seen as jazz. Is this a statement about how this thing's gonna swing? You decide... I'm not sure if I like the 'Nu-Jazz' label, reminds me of that awful thing called Nu-Metal, but the way I see it there's definitely a new strain of music out there, being made by both jazz and electronic musicians, which sits almost evenly in both jazz and electronic genres. That said, the following tracks both contain entirely conventional instruments, without a sampler or turntable in sight. So without further ado, here's a selection of this nu-ness, whatever you want to call it.

Super Numeri - percussive, free, eclectic
Released in November on the eternally brilliant Ninja Tune, The Welcome Table was one of those CDs I heard a snatch of in the shop, and was convinced of its compulsory purchase status before I'd asked the assistant what it was. (Thanks again, Fopp...) From what I can find out, this is a 'collective' from Liverpool, and the sound draws as much from Eastern harmonies and Gamelan as it does from electronic or jazz. The CD lists 15 musicians, playing guitars, strings, woodwind and percussion, and with names suggesting a definite mix of cultures, which is certainly backed up by the sound. A classic crossover project.
Super Numeri - The Sea Wolves

Employee Of The Month - trippy, funky, instrumental, epic
Here's my gratuitously obscure offering - Employee of the Month. A four piece from here in Edinburgh, consisting of keys, guitar, bass and drums, they're a new thing indeed, and this track is from the first demo. The communication and feel on this fundamentally quite simple track takes it from potentially cheesy into a genuine aural journey, led by the ever funky yet tasteful bass... This is pure enjoyment.
Employee of The Month - Brainwave: Corrupted

Isotope 217 - funky, trippy, erratic, trance-like
To round off the first 3 musical offerings from New Jazz Noises, here's one from the US. Isotope 217 include members of Tortoise and Stereolab, yet the electronics have been left behind in favour of brass, fat natural bass, and freeform funk jam style pieces with a twist of crunchy harmonies. They're into phonometrics, which is, according to Satie, the science of measuring sound... Well that explains it, doesn't it.
Isotope 217 - Beneath The Undertow

Welcome...

...to New Jazz Noises. A jazz musician, composer and listener having a go at this whole mp3 blog thing and trying to share some of his favourite new jazz discoveries. Right now I'm going to go and make this place look nice, then choose my first tracks to share.

It's early in the morning, but I'm not very sleepy. This might be a regular state of posting.