Black Host – “Life In The Sugar Candle Mines” – [Northern-spy]

mickeyslim   5/22/2013   CD, Jazz

Quintet from New York, bunch of jazz dudes; Darius Jones on alto sax, Brandon Seabrook playing guitar, Cooper-Moore on piano and synth, Pascal Niggenkemper on bass, and Gerald Cleaver on drums and sound manipulations.

Free music, jazzy, some rock elements, original compositions of energetic, potent jams that daze and stumble. Track 3 is mellow and slow, while the first track goes all over the place, from crisp and dreamy to a chaotic climax. Each track is diverse within itself and contrast the other tracks on the album. Exploratory, original, each instrument gets highlighted at some point through the album. Shortest track is 6 minutes and the longest at 16. Final track (May Be Home) reminded me of an opium den mixed with a jazz lounge..