Chicago Underground is an avant-garde jazz ensemble formed in Chicago in 1997 based around the core duo of cornetist Rob Mazurek and drummer/percussionist Chad Taylor. They have recorded and performed as the Chicago Underground Duo, Trio, Quartet or Orchestra depending on how many additional musicians are included. The ensemble which has released numerous recordings on the Thrill Jockey and Delmark labels. [1] [2]
Rob Mazurek was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1965, and played trumpet and cornet in high school. After high school he attended the Bloom School of Jazz in Chicago, and began playing gigs with local jazz musicians.
In 1996, Mazurek founded a workshop at Chicago jazz club The Green Mill called Chicago Underground for the performance of avant-garde, improvisatory jazz. By 1998, a new ensemble had formed around this idea, featuring guitarist Jeff Parker, drummer Chad Taylor, bassist Noel Kupersmith, and trombonist Sara Smith. After this ensemble released an album on Chicago's Delmark Records as the Chicago Underground Orchestra, [3] Mazurek and Taylor continued to form groups under the Chicago Underground umbrella, performing as the Chicago Underground Duo, Chicago Underground Trio and Chicago Underground Quartet.
Hamid Drake is an American jazz drummer and percussionist.
Rob Mazurek is an American composer, cornetist, and visual artist based in Chicago.
Chicago Underground may refer to:
Jeff Parker is an American guitarist and composer based in Los Angeles. Born in Connecticut and raised in Hampton, Virginia, Parker is best known as an experimental musician, working with jazz, electronic, rock, and improvisational groups. Parker studied at Berklee College of Music and then moved to Chicago in 1991.
Slon is the third album from the Chicago Underground Trio. The album was released in January 2004 on Thrill Jockey Records. This is their first release on Thrill Jockey, their first two albums were released by Delmark Records. The album was produced by Bundy K. Brown. The trio consists of Rob Mazurek on cornet, Noel Kupersmith on bass and Chad Taylor on drums. This is their last release with bassist Noel Kupersmith. Mazurek and Taylor have also combined as the Chicago Underground Duo and with the Chicago Underground Orchestra.
Joshua Abrams is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist who plays the double bass and guimbri.
Possible Cube is an album by Chicago Underground Trio which was recorded in 1999 and released on the Delmark label.
Flamethrower is an album by Chicago Underground Trio which was recorded in 2000 and released on the Delmark label.
Synesthesia is an album by Chicago Underground Duo which was recorded in 1999 and released on the Delmark label the following year.
Chad Taylor is an American drummer, percussionist, and composer. Taylor leads both the Chad Taylor Trio with Brian Settles and Neil Podgurski and Circle Down with Angelica Sanchez and Chris Lightcap. He is a founding member of the Chicago Underground along with Jeff Parker and Rob Mazurek.
Spiral Mercury is a live album by Pharoah & the Underground, featuring saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, trumpeter Rob Mazurek and drummer Chad Taylor of the Chicago Underground Duo, along with percussionist Mauricio Takara of the São Paulo Underground, bassist Matthew Lux of the Pulsar Quartet, and multi-instrumentalist Guilherme Granado. It was recorded on August 11, 2013, at the Jazz em Agosto Festival in Lisbon, and was released in 2014 by Clean Feed Records.
Chronicle is a live album by the Chicago Underground Trio, featuring trumpeter Rob Mazurek, bassist Jason Ajemian, and drummer Chad Taylor. It was recorded on July 21, 2006, at the German Cultural Center in Chicago, and was released in 2007 by Delmark Records in both CD and DVD formats, the latter directed by Raymond Salvatore Harmon.
Chicago Underground Quartet is the debut album by the jazz ensemble of the same name, featuring trumpeter Rob Mazurek, guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Noel Kupersmith, and drummer Chad Taylor. It was recorded during August 2000 at Soma in Chicago, and was released in 2001 by Thrill Jockey.
Locus is an album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded at Soma Electronic Music Studios in Chicago, Illinois, and was issued in 2014 by Northern Spy Records as the group's second release for the label.
Age of Energy is an album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded on December 6, 2010, and June 30, 2011, at Bel Air Studios in Chicago, Illinois, and was issued in 2012 by Northern Spy Records as the group's first release for the label.
Boca Negra is an album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded during May 2009 at El Rocha Studios in São Paulo, Brazil, and was released in 2010 by the Thrill Jockey label.
In Praise of Shadows is an album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded during August 2005 at Soma Electronic Music Studios in Chicago, and was released in 2006 by the Thrill Jockey label.
12° of Freedom is the debut album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded during January and June 1997 at three different locations, and was released in 1998 by the Thrill Jockey label. Guitarist Jeff Parker also appears on three tracks.
Axis and Alignment is an album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded during the summer of 2001 at Soma Electronic Music Studios in Chicago, and was released in 2002 by the Thrill Jockey label.
Titration is the debut album by the free improvisation ensemble Active Ingredients. Led by drummer Chad Taylor, it features alto saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, trombonist Steve Swell, and double bassist Tom Abbs, as well as guest artists Rob Mazurek (cornet), David Boykin, and Avreeayl Ra (percussion). The album was recorded on July 5 and 6, 2002, and was released in 2003 by Delmark Records.
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