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The Young Mothers: A Mothers Work Is Never Done

By Mark Corroto
April 24, 2014
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The Young Mothers: A Mothers Work Is Never Done

Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten reminds us that jazz is the musical equivalent of a dark star, a musical black hole, absorbing all musical energy and classifications. The Norwegian-born bassist-turned Austin, TX resident assembled a multi-genre sextet under the uncategorizable name The Young Mothers. Sure, let's not call this jazz, because it would alienate 99% of fans. But jazz, in truth, it is.

The bassist has a taste for the extreme reaches of jazz. As a member of the Scandinavian power trio, The Thing with saxophonist

Mats Gustafsson

woodwinds
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Mats Gustafsson and drummer

Paal Nilssen-Love

drums
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Paal Nilssen-Love, he explores a garage band version of punk/jazz. He is also a mover in the bands Atomic and Circulasione Totale Orchestra. TYM is built with Chicago drummer

Frank Rosaly

drums
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Rosaly a fellow member in The Rempis Percussion Quartet, Raoul Björkenheim's Scorch Trio, and Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten Chicago Sextet, plus

Stefan Gonzalez

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Stefan Gonzalez (Son of the legend

Dennis Gonzalez

trumpet
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Dennis Gonzalez, saxophonist Jason Jackson, guitarist Jonathan F. Horne, and trumpeter/rapper Jawwaad Taylor.

With a few guest musicians, TYM mash hip-hop into indie rock via a free jazz interface that excels on multiple levels. Genre classification, though is not one of them. Opening with the sly funk hip-hop of "The 'Wood," Taylor's vocals dip into the old-school rap of Big Daddy Kane and new jack swing, sung over the searing saxophone of Jackson and the acoustic rhythms supplied by Flaten and Rosaly. This music delivers on the promise first conceived by Keith Elam's Jazzmatazz and

Branford Marsalis

saxophone
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Branford Marsalis' Buckshot LeFonque. The key is that TYM don't file down the rough edges, they amplify them. "Wells, The Original" breakfasts on a rocked-out theme before delving into the blackest of metal and the angriest of saxophone screeches. "Ruth," a take on African music, complete with kalimba, charges into the hardcore world of Tom Morello's Street Sweeper Social Club,

The exploratory improvisation of "Vigoran Ways" is fueled by Flaten's double bass, the twinkling of Gonzalez' vibraphone, and Rosaly's cymbal work, to surf the asteroid belts of

Sun Ra

piano
1914 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Sun Ra that

Rob Mazurek

trumpet
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Mazurek favors these days, and the "Theme From Fanny and Alexander" is a contemplative tribute to the Ingmar Bergman film. The highlight here might be "Molé" with guests saxophonist

Mars Williams

saxophone
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Mars Williams and pedal steel guitarist Bob Hoffnar. The wick lit by the throbbing bass and urgency of the danceable music combine to create a repository for an entire musical menagerie.

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Track Listing

The ‘Wood; Molé; Theme From Fanny & Alexander; Wells, The Original; Virogan Ways; Ruth.

Personnel

Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten

bass

Jason Jackson: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone; Jawwaad Taylot: vocals, trumpet, electronics, drum programming; Jonathan F. Horne: guitar; Stefan Gonzalez: vibraphone, drums, vocals; Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten: acoustic bass, electric bass, electronics; Frank Rosaly: drums, percussion; Mars Williams: soprano saxophone (2); Bob Hoffnar: pedal steel guitar (2); Ralph White: kalimba (6); Carl Smith: tenor saxophone (6); Alex Heitlinger: trombone (6); John Elliot: tuba (6).

Album information

Title: A Mothers Work Is Never Done | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Tektite Records

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Ingebrigt H?ker Flaten Concerts

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