Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Urban Sax - Urban Sax (1977) + Urban Sax 2 (1978)


By request, here are the first two LP from this incredible experimental ensemble consisting, at the time of recording, 30 (!!!) saxophonists, a choir, three percussionists, and a bassist. Think of the man at the center of the ensemble, French composer Gilbert Artman, as the Glenn Branca of saxophone. Two albums, four rich, darkly hypnotic pieces.

If you're one of those poor, misguided souls who don't like the saxophone, Urban Sax might just be the band that helps you to find the light. Not just from an immersion therapy angle, either -- the haunting sounds contained herein couldn't be further from the bleating, overbearing, "It's Saturday Night Live!"-style solos that probably turned you off of the sax in the first place.

Track listing:
-Urban Sax-
1. Urban Sax (Part 2)
2. Urban Sax (Part 1)
-Urban Sax 2-
1. Urban Sax (Part 3)
2. Urban Sax (Part 4)

Gate of paradise


You might also like:
The Art Ensemble of Chicago -
Fanfare for the Warriors (1974)
Univers Zero -
Ceux du Dehors (1981)

6 comments:

  1. ""It's Saturday Night Live!"-style solos that probably turned you off of the sax in the first place""

    For me, that would be Men at Work - "Who Can it be Now" Awful, awful.

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  2. My formative experiences of the sax were pretty dire, growing up at a time when Kenny G and Curtis Stigers were million-sellers! Fortunately when I started exploring jazz I found that for every Kenny G there's a John Coltrane, and for every Curtis Stigers there's a Peter Brotzmann...

    These Urban Sax records look like they'll be phenomenal on a quick first listen - many thanks.

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  3. Awesome. I've just discovered something original that has been around since ages!
    Thanks so much!

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  4. Je vous remercie, Danke, Gracias, Спасибо!

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  5. These tore my sack off.

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